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

Haywood, 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 Haywood surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Haywood in America

Haywood is the 1970th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Haywood surname appeared 18,360 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Haywood.

We can also compare 2010 data for Haywood 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 Haywood

The surname Haywood has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is a locational name, derived from the Old English words "hæg" meaning "hay" and "wudu" meaning "wood," referring to a woodland where hay was grown or a clearing in a forest where hay was harvested.

The name can be traced back to the 11th century, and is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and property commissioned by William the Conqueror. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name include Hugo de Haiawuda in Oxfordshire in 1176 and Radulfus de Heyewode in Staffordshire in 1203.

Over time, the name evolved into various spellings such as Heywoode, Heywood, and Haywood. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the preferences of scribes or record keepers.

One notable bearer of the name was John Heywood (c. 1497-c. 1580), an English playwright and epigrammatist who served as a court musician and Player of the Virginals to King Henry VIII. His works included interludes, poems, and proverbs, and he is considered a significant figure in the development of English drama.

Another prominent individual was Eliza Haywood (c. 1693-1756), an English novelist and actress who is considered one of the most prolific writers of the early 18th century. She wrote several popular novels, including "Love in Excess" and "The History of Miss Betsy Thoughtless," and was known for her frank depictions of female sexuality.

In the 19th century, Benjamin Haywood (1809-1886) was an American educator and historian who served as a teacher and principal in North Carolina. He authored several works on the history of the state, including "The Christian Advocate" and "The Raleigh Register."

Thomas Haywood (1768-1858) was a British portrait painter and miniaturist who worked in Liverpool and London. His portraits were highly sought after by the aristocracy and gentry of the time, and many of his works can be found in museum collections.

Sir Walter Haywood (1892-1988) was a British civil servant and diplomat who held various positions in the Foreign Office and served as Ambassador to Sweden from 1949 to 1954. He played a significant role in shaping British foreign policy during the mid-20th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Haywood

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

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

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

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