Wenford
Germanic occupational name meaning "keeper of a winding ford".
Name Census estimates that about 3 living Americans carry the first name Wenford. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Wenford today is around 92 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Wenford births was 1932 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Wenford. 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 Wenford is about 92 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Wenfords were born before 1944.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Wenford. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
3
~ 1 in 114,251,446 Americans
Peak year
1932
7 babies that year
Average age
92
years old
1942 SSA rank
#4,027
Tracked since 1932
Popularity
Wenford: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Wenford from the 1930s through to the 1940s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1930s, with 7 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1930s peak, Wenford remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Wenford 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 Wenford during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Wenford
The name Wenford is believed to have originated in the Anglo-Saxon regions of England during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English words "wen" meaning hope or expectation, and "ford" referring to a shallow river crossing. The combination of these two words suggests that Wenford may have originally meant "the ford of hope" or "the hopeful river crossing."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Wenford can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and tenants commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. Here, the name appears as "Weneford," likely referring to a settlement or village located near a ford or river crossing.
During the medieval period, the name Wenford was particularly prevalent in the counties of Somerset and Dorset, where several villages and hamlets bore similar names, such as Wenford Magna and Wenford Parva. This suggests that the name may have held significance in those regions, possibly due to local geographical features or historical events.
In the 13th century, a notable figure named Wenford de Wyndham was recorded as a landowner and knight in Somerset. His name appears in various charters and legal documents from the time, indicating that the name had gained some prominence among the local gentry.
Another early mention of the name Wenford can be found in the ecclesiastical records of the 14th century, where a monk named Wenford de Brimpton is listed as a member of the Benedictine order at Glastonbury Abbey in Somerset.
In the 16th century, a scholar and translator named Wenford Wyllyams gained recognition for his work on translating ancient Greek texts into English. He was born in 1521 and his translations played a role in the intellectual and cultural movements of the Renaissance period.
During the 17th century, a prominent figure named Wenford Phillipps served as a member of Parliament for the borough of Wootton Bassett in Wiltshire. He was born in 1602 and was known for his involvement in local politics and governance.
In the 18th century, a military officer named Wenford Smythe gained recognition for his service in the British Army during the Seven Years' War. He was born in 1726 and his exploits were documented in various contemporary accounts and histories.
While the name Wenford may have fallen out of common usage in more recent times, its rich history and origins in the Anglo-Saxon regions of England offer a glimpse into the linguistic and cultural heritage of the region.
People
Wenford + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Wenford as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with W
Other first names starting with W with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Wenford: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Wenford?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 3 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Wenford 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 114,251,446 US residents.
Is Wenford a common name?
We classify Wenford as "Very Rare". It ranks above 4.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 12 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Wenford most popular?
The single biggest year for Wenford was 1932, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Wenford is about 92 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 Wenford in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Wenford a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Wenford 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 Wenford still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Wenford 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 Wenford 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 many people have the name Wenford?
See how many people have the name Wenford on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.