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

Vineyard, 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 Vineyard surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Vineyard in America

Vineyard is the 8467th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Vineyard surname appeared 3,901 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 Vineyard.

We can also compare 2010 data for Vineyard 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 Vineyard

The surname VINEYARD originated in England and traces back to the 12th century. It derives from the Old English word "vineyerd", which referred to a cultivated area for growing grapes and making wine. The name likely emerged as a locational surname, given to people who lived near or worked at a vineyard.

Early recorded instances of the surname appear in tax rolls and other medieval records. One of the earliest known bearers was Reginald de la Vyneyerd, mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1203. The "de la" prefix indicated he lived near or owned a vineyard. Other early spellings included Vyneyerd, Vyneyard, and Vyneyarde.

During the 13th century, the surname spread across southern England, particularly in areas suitable for grape cultivation like Sussex and Hampshire. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 recorded a John atte Vyneyerde in Oxfordshire. The "atte" prefix meant "at the", further reinforcing the name's locational origins.

As vineyards declined in England due to climatic changes, the surname transitioned from a locational name to an occupational one, denoting someone who worked with grapes or wine. Notable early bearers included Walter le Vineter (the Vinedresser), recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327.

Throughout history, the VINEYARD surname has been borne by several notable individuals. Sir Thomas Vynyard (1548-1624) was an English soldier and Member of Parliament. John Vinyard (1628-1682) was an early settler in Virginia and a member of the House of Burgesses. Reverend Samuel Vinyard (1680-1753) was an Anglican priest and author from Gloucestershire.

Other noteworthy bearers include Thomas Vynor (1588-1663), a prominent merchant and sheriff of London, and Captain James Vinor (1762-1827), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars. The variant spelling "Viner" has also produced several distinguished individuals over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Vineyard

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

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

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

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