Explore the Family Name Wels
The meaning of Wels
German: habitational name from Wels in Upper Austria. Some characteristic forenames: German Horst, Lorenz.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Wels in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Wels witnessed a decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the surname ranked at 97,848 but fell to 118,853 by 2010, marking a significant drop of 21.47%. This shift reflects a decrease in the number of individuals with the Wels surname, which fell from 172 in 2000 to 146 in 2010, a decrease of about 15.12%. Proportionally, for every 100,000 people, there were 0.06 named Wels in 2000, dropping to 0.05 in 2010, a reduction of 16.67%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #97,848 | #118,853 | -21.47% |
| Count | 172 | 146 | -15.12% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.06 | 0.05 | -16.67% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Wels
The Decennial U.S. Census data also provides insight into the ethnicity associated with the Wels surname. In both 2000 and 2010, the data shows no recorded instances of the surname among individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, those identifying with two or more races, Hispanic individuals, and American Indian and Alaskan Natives. However, the majority of those with the surname identified as White, accounting for 91.28% in 2000 and slipping slightly to 89.73% by 2010, a drop of 1.70%. Meanwhile, the percentage of those with the Wels surname identifying as Black was 6.40% in 2000 and slightly decreased to 6.16% by 2010, a change of -3.75%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 91.28% | 89.73% | -1.7% |
| Black | 6.4% | 6.16% | -3.75% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |