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

Wallingford, 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 Wallingford surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wallingford in America

Wallingford is the 16254th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wallingford surname appeared 1,775 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Wallingford.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wallingford 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 Wallingford

The surname Wallingford has its origins in England, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 11th century. It is believed to be a locational surname, derived from the town of Wallingford in Berkshire, a county situated in the South East region of England.

The name Wallingford itself is derived from the Old English words "Wealing" and "ford," which together translate to "the ford of the Wealas" or "the ford of the Welsh people." This suggests that the town, and consequently the surname, may have originated from a place where the local Welsh population would cross a river or ford.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Wallingford can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and property conducted in 1086 under the order of William the Conqueror. In this historical document, the name appears as "Wallingforde," reflecting the spelling variations common at the time.

Among the notable individuals who bore this surname, Sir William Wallingford stands out. Born around 1292, he was a prominent English soldier and landowner who served under King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War. He was knighted for his valor and distinguished service on the battlefield.

Another individual of note was John Wallingford, a 14th-century Benedictine monk and renowned astronomer. Born in Wallingford, Oxfordshire, around 1292, he made significant contributions to the field of astronomy and authored several influential works, including the "Quadripartitum" and the "Albion."

In the 16th century, William Wallingford, born in 1548, was a renowned English printer and publisher based in London. He played a crucial role in the dissemination of knowledge during the Renaissance period, printing works on various subjects, including history, philosophy, and literature.

Moving into the 17th century, we encounter Sir Thomas Wallingford, born in 1602, who was a respected English politician and member of Parliament. He served as a Member of Parliament for various constituencies, including Berkshire and Reading, and actively participated in the political affairs of his time.

Lastly, in the 18th century, we find Charles Wallingford, born in 1728, who was a renowned English architect and surveyor. He designed and oversaw the construction of several notable buildings, including churches and country estates, leaving a lasting mark on the architectural landscape of his era.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wallingford

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

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

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

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