Find out how popular the last name Attwood is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Attwood.

Attwood, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Attwood surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Attwood in America

Attwood is the 25793rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Attwood surname appeared 955 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Attwood.

We can also compare 2010 data for Attwood to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Attwood

The surname Attwood has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is a locational surname derived from the Old English words "aet" meaning "at" and "wudu" meaning "wood," referring to someone who lived near or in a wooded area.

The earliest recorded instance of the name can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Atte Wode." This early spelling variation highlights the name's locational origins and its connection to a specific place or area with a wooded landscape.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname Attwood began to appear more frequently in various records and documents across England. One notable example is John Attwood, a member of Parliament for Warwickshire in 1334. Another early record is that of Robert Attwood, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327.

In the 15th century, the surname Attwood was closely associated with the village of Attwood in Worcestershire. This place name likely contributed to the surname's prevalence in the region. One notable individual from this era was Thomas Attwood (c. 1420-1495), a prominent English cleric and diplomat who served as the Bishop of Salisbury.

As the centuries progressed, the Attwood surname continued to be widely dispersed throughout England, with notable individuals emerging from various regions. One such figure was Thomas Attwood (1783-1856), a renowned English political economist and campaigner for parliamentary reform, who was born in Buckinghamshire.

Another prominent individual was Sir Reginald John Attwood (1892-1962), a British civil servant and diplomat who served as the Governor of the Leeward Islands and the British Windward Islands in the mid-20th century.

Other individuals of note bearing the Attwood surname include the English composer Thomas Attwood (1765-1838), renowned for his church music compositions, and the American actor and filmmaker Lionel Attwood (1885-1944), who starred in several notable silent films in the early 20th century.

While the Attwood surname has its roots in England's medieval history, it has since spread globally, with descendants carrying on the name in various parts of the world. However, its origins can be traced back to the wooded landscapes of England, where it first emerged as a locational identifier for those who lived in or near forested areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Attwood

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Attwood.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Attwood was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Attwood has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Attwood was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Attwood, please contact us.

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