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

Wadleigh, 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 Wadleigh surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wadleigh in America

Wadleigh is the 26772nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wadleigh surname appeared 909 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 Wadleigh.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wadleigh 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 Wadleigh

The surname Wadleigh originated in England, derived from the Old English word "waed" meaning a ford or shallow place in a river, and "leah" meaning a meadow or clearing in a forest. It is believed to have first emerged as a place name in the county of Berkshire during the early Middle Ages.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Wadelelega" in reference to a settlement located near the River Thames. This suggests that the name was initially borne by individuals residing in or near this area.

Over the centuries, the name underwent various spelling variations, such as Wadleighe, Wadlye, and Wadley, before eventually settling on the more modern form of Wadleigh. These variations often reflected local dialects and the preferences of individual scribes who recorded the name.

Among the notable historical figures bearing the surname Wadleigh was Sir John Wadleigh (c. 1470-1542), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Somerset. He served as the High Sheriff of Somerset and Dorset in 1521 and was known for his philanthropic efforts, including the establishment of a free school in his hometown.

Another prominent individual was Richard Wadleigh (1611-1677), an early settler in colonial New England. He arrived in Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1638 and later became one of the founders of the town of Exeter, New Hampshire, where he served as a selectman and held other leadership positions.

In the 18th century, Jeremiah Wadleigh (1720-1804) was a prominent figure in the American Revolutionary War. He served as a captain in the New Hampshire militia and participated in the Battle of Bunker Hill and the siege of Boston.

The 19th century saw the rise of William Wadleigh (1836-1911), a prominent businessman and politician from Ohio. He served as the mayor of Akron and was instrumental in the city's industrial and economic development during the late 1800s.

More recently, Clarence Wadleigh (1867-1941) was a renowned architect who designed numerous notable buildings across the United States, including the Seattle Art Museum and the Montana State Capitol building in Helena.

While the surname Wadleigh is not among the most common in the English-speaking world, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and can be traced back to its origins in medieval England. Its bearers have made significant contributions in various fields, leaving a lasting impact on the communities and regions where they lived and worked.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wadleigh

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

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

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

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