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

Heald, 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 Heald surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Heald in America

Heald is the 9291st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Heald surname appeared 3,503 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Heald.

We can also compare 2010 data for Heald 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 Heald

The surname HEALD is of Anglo-Saxon origin, primarily found in England. It is derived from the Old English word "heald," which means "bent or inclined." This name likely originated as a topographic name referring to someone who lived on or near a slope or hill.

The earliest recorded instances of the HEALD surname can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Healde" and "Heald." These entries suggest that the name was already well-established in various parts of England by the time of the Norman Conquest.

During the medieval period, the HEALD surname was particularly prevalent in Yorkshire and Lancashire. One notable bearer of this name was John Heald, a 14th-century landowner from Yorkshire, who was mentioned in various legal records of the time.

In the 16th century, the HEALD surname appeared in the Subsidy Rolls for Lancashire, indicating that the family had spread across the region. One prominent individual was William Heald, a merchant from Manchester born in 1542, who played a significant role in the city's textile trade.

As the centuries progressed, the HEALD surname continued to spread across England and beyond. Reverend Benjamin Heald, born in 1665 in Lincolnshire, was a notable clergyman and author who wrote several religious works.

In the 18th century, the HEALD family had established a presence in the American colonies. Nathaniel Heald, born in 1729 in Massachusetts, served as a captain in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.

The 19th century saw the rise of several prominent individuals with the HEALD surname. Thomas Heald, born in 1816 in Yorkshire, was a successful industrialist and entrepreneur who played a significant role in the development of the textile industry in Manchester.

Another notable figure was Sir Lionel Heald, born in 1859 in Lancashire, who was a prominent lawyer and judge. He served as the Lord Justice of Appeal and was knighted for his contributions to the legal profession.

Throughout history, the HEALD surname has been associated with various places and locations, including Heald Moor in West Yorkshire, Heald Green in Greater Manchester, and Heald Town in Cheshire, all of which likely derived their names from the surname itself or its Old English root.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Heald

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

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

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

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