Westmoreland
From the west meadow or land in the west.
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Westmoreland. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Westmoreland today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Westmoreland births was 1917 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Westmoreland. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Westmoreland. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1917
6 babies that year
Average age
-
1917 SSA rank
#3,964
Tracked since 1917
Popularity
Westmoreland: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Westmoreland 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 Westmoreland during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Westmoreland
Westmoreland is an English place name that originated in the northwestern region of England known as Westmoreland, which is now part of the modern county of Cumbria. The name is derived from the Old English words "west" and "mor," meaning "western moor" or "western moorland."
The earliest recorded use of the name Westmoreland dates back to the 12th century, when it was used to refer to the region itself. Over time, it became a popular surname for families living in or associated with the area. However, its use as a given name is relatively recent, likely emerging in the 19th or 20th century as a way to honor the region's historical significance or as a nod to family heritage.
While there are no known historical references to the name Westmoreland in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it does have connections to notable figures throughout history. One of the most famous individuals bearing this name is Ralph Westmoreland (1925-2005), an American actor best known for his roles in films such as "The Outlaw Josey Wales" and "The Gauntlet."
Another notable Westmoreland is William Westmoreland (1914-2005), a United States Army general who commanded American military operations in the Vietnam War from 1964 to 1968. His leadership during this controversial conflict has been both praised and criticized by historians and military analysts.
In the world of sports, Westmoreland has been the name of several notable athletes, including Westmoreland "Westy" Davis (1914-1999), an American professional baseball player who spent most of his career with the Philadelphia Athletics and the St. Louis Browns.
Moving to the literary realm, Westmoreland is also the name of a character in the novel "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne, published in 1850. The character, a clergyman named Reverend Mr. Westmoreland, plays a minor but significant role in the story.
Finally, it is worth mentioning Westmoreland County, a county located in southwestern Pennsylvania, which was named after John West, Earl of Delaware and the former Lord Proprietor of the Province of Virginia. While not directly related to the given name Westmoreland, this geographical location further highlights the historical significance of the name in the English-speaking world.
People
Westmoreland + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Westmoreland 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
Westmoreland: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Westmoreland?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Westmoreland 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 - US residents.
Is Westmoreland a common name?
We classify Westmoreland as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Westmoreland most popular?
The single biggest year for Westmoreland was 1917, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Westmoreland is about 0 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 Westmoreland in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Westmoreland a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Westmoreland 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 Westmoreland still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Westmoreland 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 Westmoreland 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 Westmoreland as a first name?
Want to know how many Americans are named Westmoreland? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.