Explore the Family Name Wythe
The meaning of Wythe
English (Suffolk): topographic name for someone who lived by a willow tree or in an area where willow trees grew, from Middle English wythe (Old English withthe). Alternatively, a variant of White or Wight. History: American bearers of the surname Wythe trace their ancestry to Thomas Wythe, who emigrated from England to VA in 1680. One of his descendants was the statesman and jurist George Wythe (1726–1806), mentor of Thomas Jefferson and one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Wythe in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Wythe saw a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Wythe was ranked 60,230th in popularity, but it dropped by 8.9% to 65,593rd in 2010. The total count of people with this surname also declined during this period, going from 313 to 302, a change of -3.51%. Furthermore, the proportion of individuals named Wythe per 100,000 people was reduced by 16.67%, falling from 0.12 in 2000 to 0.1 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #60,230 | #65,593 | -8.9% |
| Count | 313 | 302 | -3.51% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.12 | 0.1 | -16.67% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Wythe
The ethnicity associated with the surname Wythe also shifted between 2000 and 2010, according to data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, nearly 95.85% of those bearing the name were identified as White, but this percentage declined by 6.03% to 90.07% in 2010. During the same period, the number of Black individuals with the surname increased by 55.21%, moving from 1.92% to 2.98%. Additionally, new ethnic identities were associated with the Wythe name in 2010, including those identifying as Two or More Races (1.99%), Hispanic (2.32%), and American Indian and Alaskan Native (2.65%). There was no recorded change for Asian/Pacific Islander ethnicity within the given timeframe.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.85% | 90.07% | -6.03% |
| Black | 1.92% | 2.98% | 55.21% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 2.65% | 0% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 2.32% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 1.99% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |