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

Wadlington, 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 Wadlington surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wadlington in America

Wadlington is the 18043rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wadlington surname appeared 1,546 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 Wadlington.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wadlington 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 Wadlington

The surname Wadlington has its roots in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from the Old English words "wad" and "ling," which together translate to "a dweller by the ford" or "a dweller near the wading place." This suggests that the name initially referred to individuals who lived in proximity to a shallow river crossing or a ford.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century, with variations in spelling such as Wadlingtun, Waddlingtone, and Wadlingtown appearing in historical documents. Some of these early references include the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1279, which mentions a John de Wadlingtun, and the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which list a Robert de Wadlingtone.

In the 14th century, the name appears to have been concentrated in the counties of Bedfordshire, Worcestershire, and Shropshire, lending credence to the theory of its English origins. Several place names in these regions, including Wadlington in Bedfordshire and Wadlington in Worcestershire, may have influenced the surname's development.

One of the earliest prominent figures bearing the name was Sir Richard Wadlington (c. 1350-1419), a notable English landowner and military commander during the Hundred Years' War. He was granted lands in Bedfordshire and served as Sheriff of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire in 1403.

Another notable individual was Thomas Wadlington (c. 1460-1521), a wealthy merchant from Worcestershire who served as Mayor of Worcester in 1508 and played a significant role in the wool trade during the Tudor period.

In the 16th century, the name gained prominence with the emergence of William Wadlington (c. 1540-1610), a renowned scholar and cleric who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Stratford-upon-Avon. He is believed to have been acquainted with William Shakespeare and is mentioned in historical records related to the bard's life.

Moving into the 17th century, John Wadlington (1605-1677) was a prominent figure in the English Civil War, serving as a captain in the Parliamentarian army under Oliver Cromwell. He fought in several major battles, including the Battle of Naseby in 1645.

In the 18th century, the name gained further recognition with the exploits of Edward Wadlington (1718-1792), an English explorer and naturalist who was among the first Europeans to document the flora and fauna of the Pacific Northwest region of North America.

Throughout its history, the surname Wadlington has maintained a strong presence in England, particularly in the counties of Bedfordshire, Worcestershire, and Shropshire, where it is believed to have originated. While variations in spelling have occurred over time, the name's roots can be traced back to the Old English words "wad" and "ling," reflecting the early settlement patterns of those who lived near fords or wading places.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wadlington

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

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

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

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