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

Wafer, 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 Wafer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wafer in America

Wafer is the 19266th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wafer surname appeared 1,407 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 Wafer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wafer 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 Wafer

The surname Wafer originates from England, where it first appeared in the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "wafre," which referred to a thin, crisp cake or wafer commonly used in religious ceremonies. The name likely originated as a descriptive occupational name for someone who made or sold these wafers.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several entries that may be early variants of the surname Wafer. These include "Wafre" and "Wafres," suggesting that the name existed in some form during the Norman conquest of England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Wafer is in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1273, where a "William Wafre" is mentioned. In the Hundred Rolls of 1275, there is a reference to a "John Wafre" in Oxfordshire.

During the 14th century, the name Wafer appeared in various spellings, such as "Wafere," "Wafyr," and "Wafour." This variation in spelling was common in the Middle Ages due to the lack of standardized orthography.

A notable individual with the surname Wafer was John Wafer (c. 1685-1734), a Scottish navigator and explorer who traveled to the Pacific Coast of North America in the early 18th century. He is known for his account of the area, which he named "New Albion."

Another prominent figure was Sir John Wafer (1601-1653), an English politician and Member of Parliament during the English Civil War. He supported the Parliamentarian cause and was a signatory of King Charles I's death warrant.

In the 16th century, there was a family of Wafers who resided in the village of Wasperton, Warwickshire. Records from this period mention individuals such as Thomas Wafer (b. 1542) and William Wafer (b. 1576).

The surname Wafer is also associated with several place names in England, including Wafer's Field in Oxfordshire and Wafer's Farm in Gloucestershire, suggesting that individuals with this surname may have owned or lived in these locations.

Throughout its history, the surname Wafer has been carried by various individuals from different walks of life, including explorers, politicians, and landowners, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and occupations of those who bore this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wafer

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

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

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

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