2000
#3,137
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,535
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.91
Uncommon Last name
Waldrop
An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "valley of the wild horses" or "valley frequented by thieves."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 11,498 Americans carry the last name Waldrop. That puts it at #3,470 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.35 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 29,810 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Waldrop surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
11K
1 in 29,810
Census rank
#3,470
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
10K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 10,027 bearers of the surname Waldrop in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.35 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3470th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Waldrop, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.8%) and Black (3.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Waldrop
The surname Waldrop has its origins in England, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "weald" meaning "forest" and "rop" meaning "clearing" or "meadow." This suggests that the name likely referred to a person who lived in or near a forest clearing.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire, where a Walter de Walderop is mentioned in 1221. It's possible that this individual lived near a place called Walderop, which was a forested area with a clearing or meadow.
The Waldrop surname has also been linked to various place names throughout England, such as Woldrop in Herefordshire, Waldrop in Oxfordshire, and Waldrup in Wiltshire. These place names further reinforce the connection between the surname and its origins related to forests and clearings.
In the 13th century, the Waldrop name appeared in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, where a Richard de Waldrop was recorded. This document, compiled during the reign of King Edward I, provides valuable insights into the distribution and prevalence of surnames during that time period.
Fast forward to the 16th century, and we find John Waldrop (c. 1550-1620), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Clothall in Hertfordshire. He is known for his works on theology and religious subjects.
Another notable figure with the Waldrop surname was William Waldrop (1773-1855), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars. He was celebrated for his bravery and leadership during several naval engagements.
In the 19th century, there was Samuel Waldrop (1810-1875), an American politician and lawyer who served as a U.S. Representative from Kentucky. He played a significant role in shaping the political landscape of his state during the turbulent period leading up to the Civil War.
The Waldrop surname has also been associated with the arts, as evidenced by the life of Mary Waldrop (1864-1935), an American painter and sculptor. She gained recognition for her works depicting scenes from rural life and was a prominent figure in the arts community of her time.
These examples illustrate the rich history and diverse backgrounds of individuals who have carried the surname Waldrop throughout the centuries. While the name has its roots in England's ancient forests and clearings, it has since spread to various parts of the world, with bearers making their mark in various fields and professions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Waldrop
Among Census respondents with the surname Waldrop, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.8%) and Black (3.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Waldrop bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Waldrop surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.8% · 9,000
- Two or more races3.8% · 384
- Black or African American3.1% · 310
- Hispanic or Latino2.4% · 236
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 65
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 32
Timeline
Historical Census data for Waldrop
Waldrop appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#3,405
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,503
-32 bearers (-0.3%)
Per 100,000 3.56
Rank movement Down 268 places
2020
#3,470
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,027
-476 bearers (-4.5%)
Per 100,000 3.35
Rank movement Down 65 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,137 | 10,535 | 3.91 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,405 | 10,503 | 3.56 | -32 bearers (-0.3%) | Down 268 places |
| 2020 | #3,470 | 10,027 | 3.35 | -476 bearers (-4.5%) | Down 65 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Waldrop surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,405 | #3,470 | -1.9% |
| Count | 10,503 | 10,027 | -4.5% |
| Per 100K | 3.56 | 3.35 | -5.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Waldrop bearers went from 10,503 to 10,027 (-4.5% change). The surname moved down 65 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,405 to #3,470.
FAQ
Waldrop surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Waldrop?
Name Census estimates that about 11,498 living Americans carry the surname Waldrop. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 29,810 residents.
How common is Waldrop?
Waldrop ranks #3,470 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.35 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 10,027 people with the surname Waldrop. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (11,498), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.35 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.35 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Waldrop.
Has Waldrop become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Waldrop went from 10,503 recorded bearers to 10,027. That is a decrease of 476 (-4.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #3,405 to #3,470.
What does the Census say about the background of Waldrop?
Among Census respondents with the surname Waldrop, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.8%) and Black (3.1%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Waldrop in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.8% (9,000 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Waldrop appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.8%), Two or More Races (3.8%), Black (3.1%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Waldrop (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Waldrop mean?
An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "valley of the wild horses" or "valley frequented by thieves." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Waldrop (3.35 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Waldrop?
Find out how many people have the surname Waldrop on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.