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

Wainright, 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 Wainright surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wainright in America

Wainright is the 27581st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wainright surname appeared 873 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 Wainright.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wainright 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 Wainright

The surname Wainright originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words 'wægn' meaning a wagon or cart, and 'riht' meaning wright or maker. Thus, the name refers to a person who constructed or repaired wagons and carts.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Wainright can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1176, where one Robertus le Wainwright is mentioned. This provides evidence that the name was in use by the late 12th century.

During the 13th century, the surname appears in various historical records across different counties in England. In the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire from 1273, a William le Waynwrith is listed. Similarly, in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275, a John le Weynwright is recorded.

The Wainright surname is also found in the Domesday Book of 1086, although it is spelled differently, appearing as 'Wainerict' or 'Waineright'. This early record suggests that the name may have existed even before the Norman Conquest of 1066.

Over time, the spelling of the surname evolved, with variations such as Wainwright, Waynwright, and Waynewright appearing in various historical documents. Some notable individuals with this surname include:

1. Thomas Wainwright (c. 1460-1522), an English merchant and member of the Company of Merchant Adventurers in York.
2. Francis Wainwright (1508-1592), an English clergyman and academic, who served as the President of Corpus Christi College, Oxford.
3. John Wainwright (1737-1806), a British naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War.
4. Jonathan Mayhew Wainwright (1883-1953), a highly decorated American military officer who received the Medal of Honor for his service in World War II.
5. Loudon Wainwright III (born 1946), an American songwriter, folk singer, humorist, and actor.

The Wainright surname has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Wainwright Bridge in Lincolnshire and Wainwright Hill in Derbyshire, further reinforcing its long-standing presence in the country's history and geography.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wainright

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

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

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

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