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

Virden, 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 Virden surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Virden in America

Virden is the 15120th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Virden surname appeared 1,951 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 Virden.

We can also compare 2010 data for Virden 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 Virden

The surname Virden is of English origin, derived from a place name situated in the county of Shropshire. The name is thought to have originated from the Old English words "fyrd" meaning an army or military force, and "denu" meaning a valley or deep, wooded glen. Thus, the name Virden likely referred to someone who lived in the valley where soldiers or a military force was stationed.

The earliest known record of the name Virden can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Firdene." This entry suggests that the name was already well-established in the area by the late 11th century.

During the medieval period, various spellings of the name were used, including Vyrdyn, Virdene, and Vurdene. These variations reflect the evolution of the English language and the influence of regional dialects.

One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the surname Virden was Roger de Vyrdyn, who was mentioned in the Shropshire Assize Rolls of 1292. This document provides evidence of the name's continued presence in the region during the 13th century.

In the 16th century, the Virden family held land and property in the parish of Worthen, Shropshire. Notable members from this period include John Virden (c. 1520-1598), a prominent landowner and farmer, and his son, Thomas Virden (c. 1550-1625), who served as a local magistrate.

The name Virden also has connections to the neighbouring county of Staffordshire. In the 17th century, a branch of the family settled in the village of Kinver, where they established themselves as prominent landowners and merchants. One notable figure from this line was Robert Virden (1675-1741), a successful wool trader and philanthropist who funded the construction of a local school.

In the 18th century, the Virden surname spread to other parts of England, particularly the Midlands and northern counties. William Virden (1712-1789), a Yorkshire-born clergyman and scholar, made significant contributions to the field of theology and was widely respected for his academic works.

Another notable individual bearing the Virden name was Samuel Virden (1792-1867), a successful businessman and industrialist from Birmingham. He played a key role in the development of the city's metalworking industry and served as a local councilor and philanthropist.

As the Virden family dispersed across England over the centuries, the name has maintained its distinct identity and historical roots in the county of Shropshire, where it first emerged as a place name reflecting the region's military and geographic features.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Virden

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

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

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

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