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

Waller, 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 Waller surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Waller in America

Waller is the 942nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Waller surname appeared 36,805 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 12 people would have the surname Waller.

We can also compare 2010 data for Waller 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 Waller

The surname Waller originated in England, with its roots dating back to the 12th century. It's derived from the Old English word 'walor,' meaning 'wanderer' or 'stranger.' This name was likely given to individuals who had traveled from one place to another, perhaps as traders or craftsmen.

In the Domesday Book, a great survey of England completed in 1086, there are records of individuals with the name Walor or Walur, which are believed to be early iterations of the Waller surname. The earliest known recorded spelling of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk from 1177, where it appears as 'Walur.'

During the Middle Ages, the Waller surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex in East Anglia. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name include Roger Waller, a landowner in Norfolk mentioned in the Feet of Fines in 1199, and William Waller, a merchant from Suffolk who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327.

One notable figure with the Waller surname was Sir William Waller (1597-1668), an English Parliamentary commander during the English Civil War. He led the Parliamentarian forces in several battles against the Royalists and is remembered for his military prowess and leadership.

Another prominent Waller was Edmund Waller (1606-1687), an English poet and politician who was a member of the Cavalier school of poets. He is best known for his works such as "Go, Lovely Rose" and "On a Girdle," which celebrated the beauty of women and nature.

In the 18th century, John Waller (1742-1810), an English churchman and antiquarian, made significant contributions to the study of ancient manuscripts and inscriptions. He served as the Bishop of Peterborough and was a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.

Moving to the 19th century, Lewis Waller (1860-1915) was a renowned English actor and theatre manager. He gained fame for his performances in Shakespearean plays and is credited with popularizing the use of historical costumes and sets in theatrical productions.

The Waller surname has also been associated with several place names in England, such as Waller's Ash in Kent and Waller's Haven in Essex, which likely derived their names from individuals or families bearing the Waller surname in those areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Waller

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

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

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

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