Explore the Family Name Wheelwright
The meaning of Wheelwright
English (Yorkshire): occupational name from Middle English whelewright(e), whelrihte ‘wheelwright, maker of wheels and wheeled vehicles’ (Old English hwēol + wyrhta). See also Wheeler. History: John Wheelwright (c.1592–1679), clergyman, came to Boston, MA, from Lincolnshire, England in 1636. He was banished from Massachusettes for his support of his sister-in-law, Anne Hutchinson, in the antinomian controversy; he set up a community at Exeter, NH.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Wheelwright in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Wheelwright has seen a rise in popularity between 2000 and 2010. The rank of this surname rose from 32,267 to 31,001, marking an improvement of 3.92%. The count of individuals with this last name also saw growth, increasing from 673 to 749, which is an impressive surge of 11.29%. However, the proportion of people bearing this surname per 100k remained constant at 0.25.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #32,267 | #31,001 | 3.92% |
| Count | 673 | 749 | 11.29% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Wheelwright
Looking into the ethnic identity behind the surname Wheelwright, data from the Decennial U.S. Census demonstrates some notable shifts from 2000 to 2010. The majority of individuals with this surname identify as White, although there was a slight decrease in this group, dropping from 90.64% to 87.85%. Those identifying as Hispanic witnessed a significant increase, jumping from 1.34% to 3.20%, a dramatic change of 138.81%. The group identifying as Black saw a small increase from 5.65% to 5.87%. Meanwhile, the percentage of individuals identifying with two or more races also increased from 1.93% to 2.14%. There were no identified individuals of Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native descent bearing this surname during these years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 90.64% | 87.85% | -3.08% |
| Black | 5.65% | 5.87% | 3.89% |
| Hispanic | 1.34% | 3.2% | 138.81% |
| Two or More Races | 1.93% | 2.14% | 10.88% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |