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

Eastwood, 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 Eastwood surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Eastwood in America

Eastwood is the 6470th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Eastwood surname appeared 5,247 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Eastwood.

We can also compare 2010 data for Eastwood 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 Eastwood

The surname Eastwood is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "east" and "wudu," meaning "eastern wood." It is a locational name, indicating that the original bearer lived near or came from an area situated east of a wooded area or forest.

Eastwood as a surname can be traced back to the 11th century, with early documented instances appearing in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This record includes references to places named Eastwood in various counties, such as Nottinghamshire and Essex.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Eastwood was primarily concentrated in central and eastern England, particularly in areas like Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, and Yorkshire. It was often associated with families residing near or owning land in villages or towns with the name Eastwood or variations like Estwood or Estwude.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Robert de Estwood, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire in 1185. Another notable figure was William de Eastwood, who held lands in Derbyshire in the 13th century.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various records, such as the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1331, which recorded a Simon de Estwood. During the same period, John Estwood was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Yorkshire in 1379.

The surname Eastwood gained wider recognition in the 16th century with the emergence of notable figures like Michael Eastwood (c. 1510-1565), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield.

Other prominent individuals bearing the Eastwood surname include:

1. Sir William Eastwood (1768-1829), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and was knighted for his achievements.
2. John Eastwood (1824-1908), an English-born Australian politician and pastoralist who served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council.
3. Alice Eastwood (1859-1953), an American botanist and curator of botany at the California Academy of Sciences, known for her contributions to the study of western American flora.
4. Clint Eastwood (born 1930), the renowned American actor, filmmaker, and director, known for iconic roles in westerns and films like "Dirty Harry" and "Million Dollar Baby."

Variations of the Eastwood surname include Eastwoode, Estwode, and Estwude, reflecting the historical spelling variations common in earlier centuries. Additionally, some individuals adopted the name Eastwood as a descriptive surname after settling near an easterly located wood or forest.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Eastwood

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

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 Eastwood 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 Eastwood 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 Eastwood was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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