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

Field, 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 Field surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Field in America

Field is the 1452nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Field surname appeared 24,543 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 8 people would have the surname Field.

We can also compare 2010 data for Field 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 Field

The surname Field is an English locational name derived from the Old English word 'feld', meaning a pasture or an open area of land. It originated in various regions of England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Derbyshire, where the name was first recorded in the late 11th century.

The earliest known record of the surname Field can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'de la Felde' or 'atte Felde'. This suggests that the name was initially used to identify individuals who lived near or worked on open fields or pastures.

In the 13th century, the surname Field began to appear in various historical records, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it was spelled as 'Feld' and 'Felde'. Other variants of the name included 'Feild', 'Feyld', and 'Fielde'.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Field was William de la Felde, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1199. Another notable individual was John atte Felde, a prominent landowner in Essex, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the surname Field became more widespread throughout England. Several place names, such as Field Place in Sussex and Field House in Yorkshire, were derived from the surname, reflecting the prominence of families bearing this name in those areas.

Notable individuals with the surname Field include:

1. John Field (1782-1837), an Irish composer and pianist, known for his nocturnes and his influence on Frédéric Chopin.
2. Cyrus W. Field (1819-1892), an American businessman and financier, best known for his efforts in laying the first successful transatlantic telegraph cable.
3. Eugene Field (1850-1895), an American writer and poet, best known for his children's poetry, including the famous "Wynken, Blynken, and Nod".
4. Marshall Field (1835-1906), an American entrepreneur and the founder of the Marshall Field and Company department store chain.
5. Mary Field (1870-1968), an American painter and illustrator, known for her portraits and landscapes.

In summary, the surname Field has its roots in the Old English language and originated as a locational name in various regions of England. It has a long and rich history, with records dating back to the Domesday Book, and has been borne by notable individuals in various fields, from music and literature to business and art.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Field

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

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

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

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