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

Ward, 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 Ward surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ward in America

Ward is the 79th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ward surname appeared 260,464 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 88 people would have the surname Ward.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ward 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 Ward

The surname Ward is of Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from the Old English word "weard" meaning "watchman" or "guard". It was originally an occupational name given to someone who guarded a particular location, such as a castle, town, or forest.

The earliest known record of the surname Ward dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Warda" in Norfolk, England. This indicates that the name was already in use in the late 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the Ward surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Cheshire, where many people bore this name. It was also common in other parts of England, such as Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire.

One notable bearer of the surname was John Ward (c. 1555-1622), an English composer and vicar-choral of Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford. He composed sacred music and is considered one of the most important English composers of the late Renaissance period.

Another prominent figure was Seth Ward (1617-1689), an English mathematician, astronomer, and Anglican bishop. He made significant contributions to the field of astronomy and was a founding member of the Royal Society.

In the literary world, Mary Ward (1585-1645) was an English Catholic nun who founded the Congregation of Jesus, a religious institute dedicated to the education of girls. Her life and work were influential in promoting the rights of women in education.

The Ward surname also has a strong presence in Ireland, particularly in County Down, where it is believed to have originated from the Anglo-Norman family de la Warde, who settled in Ireland after the Norman conquest of England in the 11th century.

One notable Irish bearer of the name was James Ward (c. 1770-1859), a renowned animal painter and engraver. His works depicting horses and other animals were highly acclaimed and are now considered part of the British artistic heritage.

Throughout its history, the Ward surname has been associated with various occupations, including guards, watchmen, and military personnel, as well as landowners, farmers, and tradesmen. It remains a common surname in many English-speaking countries, reflecting its enduring legacy and rich historical origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ward

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

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

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

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