Explore the Family Name Wit
The meaning of Wit
1. Dutch: variant of De Wit and Witte. 2. Polish: from a short form of the personal names like Witosław and Miłowit, composed of the Old Slavic element vit ‘mighty, powerful’ (derived from Old Slavic vitъ ‘loot, wealth’), or a short form of Witold, a derivative of the Lithuanian personal name Vytautas, composed of the elements vyti ‘to guide’ + tauta ‘the people’. Alternatively, it may be a derivative of the Latin personal name Vitus (see Vito).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Wit in the United States?
According to data derived from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname 'Wit' has seen a rise in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 85,643 but it climbed up the ranks to land at 79,338 in 2010, showing an increase of 7.36%. Similarly, the number of individuals bearing the surname also increased by 18.23% from 203 in 2000 to 240 in 2010. However, the proportion per 100,000 people remained consistent at 0.08, indicating that while the name is becoming more common, it still remains relatively rare.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #85,643 | #79,338 | 7.36% |
| Count | 203 | 240 | 18.23% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.08 | 0.08 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Wit
When we examine the ethnic identity linked with the surname 'Wit', the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some shifts over the same period. The majority of individuals with this surname identified as White, although there was a decrease of 5.18% from 93.60% in 2000 to 88.75% in 2010. The percentage of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander increased significantly from 2.46% to 4.58%, an increase of 86.18%. Starting from zero in 2000, 2.50% of people with this surname identified as belonging to two or more races by 2010. There were no changes for individuals identifying as Hispanic, Black, American Indian, and Alaskan Native; these percentages remained at zero.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 93.6% | 88.75% | -5.18% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 2.46% | 4.58% | 86.18% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 2.5% | 0% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |