Duward
A masculine name of English origin meaning "watcher of the door".
Name Census estimates that about 32 living Americans carry the first name Duward. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Duward today is around 88 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Duward births was 1916 (22 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Duward. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Duward is about 88 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Duwards were born before 1948.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Duward. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
32
~ 1 in 10,711,073 Americans
Peak year
1916
22 babies that year
Average age
88
years old
1956 SSA rank
#3,640
Tracked since 1912
Popularity
Duward: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Duward from the 1910s through to the 1950s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 127 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Duward by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Duward during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Duwards live
Origin
Meaning and history of Duward
The given name Duward has its origins in the Old English language, tracing back to the Anglo-Saxon period in Britain, which lasted from the 5th to the 11th century AD. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "dun" and "weard," with "dun" meaning "hill" and "weard" meaning "guard" or "watchman."
This name likely originated among the Anglo-Saxon communities in England, where people were often given names that reflected their occupation, physical characteristics, or location. In this case, Duward may have been a name given to someone who lived on or near a hill and had the responsibility of guarding or keeping watch over the area.
While there are no known historical references to the name Duward in ancient texts or religious scriptures, some of the earliest recorded instances of this name can be found in medieval English records and documents.
One of the earliest known individuals with the name Duward was Duward of Berkshire, who lived in the late 11th century and was mentioned in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of land ownership and taxation commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086.
Another notable figure was Duward the Drover, a cattle trader who lived in the 13th century and was known for his travels across England, driving herds of cattle from one region to another.
In the 15th century, there was Duward Longstrider, a renowned explorer and adventurer who is said to have traveled extensively throughout Europe and the Middle East, documenting his journeys in a series of journals that have unfortunately been lost to history.
During the 16th century, Duward Woodcroft was a respected carpenter and woodworker who contributed to the construction of several notable buildings, including the Hampton Court Palace in London.
Lastly, in the 17th century, Duward Ironside was a skilled blacksmith and weapons maker who forged swords and armor for the English Civil War, earning him a reputation for his craftsmanship and dedication to his trade.
These examples illustrate the long history and diverse backgrounds of individuals who have borne the name Duward throughout the centuries, showcasing its enduring presence in English culture and tradition.
People
Duward + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Duward as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with D
Other first names starting with D with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Duward: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Duward?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 32 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Duward going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 10,711,073 US residents.
Is Duward a common name?
We classify Duward as "Very Rare". It ranks above 47.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 305 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Duward most popular?
The single biggest year for Duward was 1916, when 22 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Duward is about 88 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Duward in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Duward a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Duward in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Duward still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Duward in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Duward can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Duward?
See how many people have the name Duward on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.