Here are the most common Black or African American last names beginning with W in the United States.
Our list takes surnames from the 2010 census only if 50% or more holders declared that they were Black.
Of course, many African Americans have surnames that fall below this percentage. We simply use it as a cut-off for this list.
Details Behind The List
The U.S. census of 2010 included a question that asked if the person was Black or another ethnicity (or mix).
Our details include the black percentage in 2010 for each name. The census provides a percentage with two decimal points. We rounded it to a whole number.
We also checked the censuses of 1940 and 1910 for the number of people of each name who were documented as black.
This article uses the terms Black and African American interchangeably.
The public details from the 2010 census do not include nationality so our numbers cannot be exact. Take them as a guide.
Top 30 Surnames Beginning With W
These black and African American names have the highest number of entries in the 2010 U.S. census.
The surnames are listed below in order of how common they are.
Washington
The 2010 census had a total of 177,386 people with the last name Washington.
About 87% identified as Black or African American. This was down from about 90% in 2000.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 61,268 people named Washington were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 46,979 people of this name were documented as black.
Historic figures
Booker T. Washington was born in 1856 in Virginia. He was nine years old when he, his mother and siblings were emancipated at the end of the Civil War.
The young Booker walked five hundred miles in 1872 to join the Hampton Institute, a school for emancipated slaves.
Ten years later, the school’s founder recommended him as principal of a new institute in Tuskegee, Alabama. He would spend the rest of his life building up this establishment.
The post-Reconstruction South was a dangerous place for African Americans. Unlike other civil rights leaders like W.E. Dubois, Washington argued for separatism instead of desegregation.
He was a complex figure. He secretly funded legal challenges to segregation while falling out of step with black activism.
However, his legacy includes Tuskegee University as well as the funding of thousands of rural schools for black children in the South.
Winston
The 2010 census had a total of 21,667 people with the last name Winston.
About 62% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 5,467 people named Winston were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 4,403 people of this name were documented as black.
Historic figures
Mary Winston was born in 1921 in Hampton, Virginia.
She took a dual degree in Physics and Maths from the Hampton Institute. Over the next ten years, she held various jobs while marrying Levi Jackson and starting a family.
She was hired in 1951 by the organization that would become NASA. While working, she trained as an engineer. She had to get special permission to attend college classes due to segretation.
In 1958, Mary Winston Jackson became the first African American female engineer hired by NASA.
Her struggles and triumphs, along with other engineers, were portrayed in the film Hidden Figures.
Woodson
The 2010 census had a total of 17,242 people with the last name Woodson.
About 54% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 3,856 people named Woodson were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 3,716 people of this name were documented as black.
William
The 2010 census had a total of 13,373 people with the last name William.
About 53% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 17,369 people named William were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 9,472 people of this name were documented as black.
The name “Williams” is of course a spelling variant of William and is far more common. But it has a lower percentage of black bearers. If you’re interested in a deep-dive, check out our sister website’s article on the Williams surname in black history.
Witherspoon
The 2010 census had a total of 13,171 people with the last name Witherspoon.
About 62% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 2,840 people named Witherspoon were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 2,009 people of this name were documented as black.
Worthy
The 2010 census had a total of 8,795 people with the last name Worthy.
About 55% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 2,003 people named Worthy were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 1,123 people of this name were documented as black.
Weatherspoon
The 2010 census had a total of 5,409 people with the last name Weatherspoon.
About 80% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 1,484 people named Weatherspoon were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 424 people of this name were documented as black.
Wyche
The 2010 census had a total of 4,573 people with the last name Wyche.
About 73% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 817 people named Wyche were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 727 people of this name were documented as black.
Weathersby
The 2010 census had a total of 3,844 people with the last name Weathersby.
About 64% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 778 people named Weathersby were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 356 people of this name were documented as black.
Woolfolk
The 2010 census had a total of 3,295 people with the last name Woolfolk.
About 64% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 528 people named Woolfolk were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 290 people of this name were documented as black.
Weekes
The 2010 census had a total of 3,070 people with the last name Weekes.
About 51% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 147 people named Weekes were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, seven people of this name were documented as black.
Woolridge
The 2010 census had a total of 2,939 people with the last name Woolridge.
About 55% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 501 people named Woolridge were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 452 people of this name were documented as black.
Wiltz
The 2010 census had a total of 2,861 people with the last name Wiltz.
About 62% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 498 people named Wiltz were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 114 people of this name were documented as black.
Windom
The 2010 census had a total of 2,528 people with the last name Windom.
About 54% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 341 people named Windom were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 224 people of this name were documented as black.
Wilmore
The 2010 census had a total of 2,397 people with the last name Wilmore.
About 53% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 325 people named Wilmore were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 189 people of this name were documented as black.
Watley
The 2010 census had a total of 2,361 people with the last name Watley.
About 51% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 715 people named Watley were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 361 people of this name were documented as black.
Westbrooks
The 2010 census had a total of 2,326 people with the last name Westbrooks.
About 50% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 646 people named Westbrooks were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 365 people of this name were documented as black.
Wigfall
The 2010 census had a total of 2,314 people with the last name Wigfall.
About 90% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 658 people named Wigfall were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 500 people of this name were documented as black.
Woodberry
The 2010 census had a total of 2,284 people with the last name Woodberry.
About 78% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 565 people named Woodberry were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 142 people of this name were documented as black.
Winbush
The 2010 census had a total of 2,195 people with the last name Winbush.
About 88% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 625 people named Winbush were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 440 people of this name were documented as black.
Wimbush
The 2010 census had a total of 2,037 people with the last name Wimbush.
About 88% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 399 people named Wimbush were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 299 people of this name were documented as black.
Wint
The 2010 census had a total of 1,896 people with the last name Wint.
About 61% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, ten people named Wint were documented as black.
However, there were no black holders of the name in the 1900 U.S. census.
Waddy
The 2010 census had a total of 1,844 people with the last name Waddy.
About 77% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 522 people named Waddy were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 584 people of this name were documented as black.
Weary
The 2010 census had a total of 1,687 people with the last name Weary.
About 58% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 317 people named Weary were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 92 people of this name were documented as black.
Wynter
The 2010 census had a total of 1,684 people with the last name Wynter.
About 83% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 27 people named Wynter were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, two people of this name were documented as black.
Windley
The 2010 census had a total of 1,604 people with the last name Windley.
About 50% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 269 people named Windley were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 152 people of this name were documented as black.
Wimbley
The 2010 census had a total of 1,562 people with the last name Wimbley.
About 82% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 365 people named Wimbley were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 56 people of this name were documented as black.
Wimbish
The 2010 census had a total of 1,500 people with the last name Wimbish.
About 52% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 256 people named Wimbish were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 259 people of this name were documented as black.
Wafer
The 2010 census had a total of 1,407 people with the last name Wafer.
About 62% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 423 people named Wafer were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 234 people of this name were documented as black.
Woodfork
The 2010 census had a total of 1,304 people with the last name Woodfork.
About 86% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 497 people named Woodfork were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 555 people of this name were documented as black.
