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

Wales, 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 Wales surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wales in America

Wales is the 6602nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wales surname appeared 5,133 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Wales.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wales 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 Wales

The surname Wales originates from the country of Wales, located in the United Kingdom. It is believed to have its roots in the Old English word "Walesc" or "Wealas," which referred to people of Celtic or Briton descent.

The name was likely first used as a descriptive term to identify individuals who were either born in Wales or had Welsh ancestry. Over time, it became adopted as a hereditary surname, particularly in the medieval period when surnames became more prevalent.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Wales can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The Domesday Book mentions several individuals with the surname Wales or similar spellings, such as "Waleis" or "Walensis."

In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the surname Wales was Sir John Wales, a knight who served under King Edward I during the Welsh Wars. He was granted lands in Wales for his military service and is believed to have been one of the first to use the surname Wales as a hereditary designation.

Another prominent individual with the surname Wales was Sir David Wales, a Welsh landowner and military commander who lived during the 14th century. He played a significant role in the Wars of Scottish Independence and was a close ally of King Edward III.

During the 15th century, the surname Wales can be found in various historical records, including court documents and parish registers. One notable example is William Wales, a scholar and astronomer who lived from 1476 to 1549. He was appointed the first Royal Lecturer of Mathematics at the University of Oxford and made significant contributions to the field of astronomy.

In the 16th century, the surname Wales was associated with several notable figures, including Thomas Wales, a Welsh clergyman and author who lived from 1530 to 1592. He published several works on theology and served as the Dean of Worcester Cathedral.

Another individual of note was Samuel Wales, a renowned English mathematician and astronomer who lived from 1604 to 1668. He made significant contributions to the study of comets and was one of the first to calculate the orbit of Halley's Comet.

These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who carried the surname Wales. The name has endured over centuries and continues to be associated with its Welsh origins and cultural heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wales

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

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

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

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