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

Overfield, 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 Overfield surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Overfield in America

Overfield is the 19671st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Overfield surname appeared 1,370 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 Overfield.

We can also compare 2010 data for Overfield 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 Overfield

The surname Overfield has its origins in the northern English counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire, dating back to the 14th century. It is believed to be a locational surname, derived from a now-lost place name that may have originally meant "the field over the hill" or "the field beyond the boundary."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, which lists a Robert Overfeld. The name also appears in various spellings such as Overfelde and Overfeilde in other medieval records from the region.

By the 16th century, the surname had spread to other parts of England, and variations such as Overfeild, Overfylde, and Overfylld can be found in parish records and tax rolls. One notable bearer of the name was William Overfield (c. 1550-1618), a merchant and alderman in the city of Norwich.

In the 17th century, the Overfield family had established themselves in the county of Derbyshire, where they owned land and properties. John Overfield (1622-1689), a prominent landowner and magistrate, left detailed records and correspondence that provide valuable insights into the family's history.

The 18th century saw the migration of several Overfield families to the American colonies. Among them was Thomas Overfield (1725-1798), who settled in Virginia and fought in the Revolutionary War. His descendants went on to become influential figures in politics and business in the newly formed United States.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir William Overfield (1789-1865), a British naval officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and later became an influential member of Parliament. He was instrumental in promoting reforms in the Royal Navy and advocating for the abolition of the slave trade.

The 19th century witnessed the further spread of the Overfield name across the globe, with families settling in countries such as Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. One prominent figure was Margaret Overfield (1854-1932), a pioneering educator and women's rights activist who established several schools in rural Australia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Overfield

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

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

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

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