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

Wardell, 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 Wardell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wardell in America

Wardell is the 8425th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wardell surname appeared 3,923 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 Wardell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wardell 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 Wardell

The surname Wardell originated in England, with the earliest known records dating back to the 11th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "weard" meaning watchman or guardian, and "hyll" meaning hill or mound, suggesting that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near or guarded a fortified hill or mound.

The name is thought to have first appeared in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The earliest recorded spelling of the name was "Wardhyll," found in the records of the county of Staffordshire.

In the 13th century, the name was also recorded as "Wardehill" and "Wardhull," reflecting the various spellings that emerged over time. The place name "Wardell" can be found in Yorkshire, derived from the Old English words "weard" and "dæl," meaning valley or dale, suggesting that some bearers of the name may have originated from this location.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir John Wardell, a knight who fought alongside King Edward III in the Battle of Crécy during the Hundred Years' War in 1346. Another notable figure was Robert Wardell, a merchant and alderman in the city of London during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in the 16th century.

In the 17th century, the Wardell family established themselves as significant landowners in the county of Yorkshire. Thomas Wardell (1601-1671) was a prominent member of this family and served as a magistrate and deputy lieutenant for the county.

During the English Civil War, Captain William Wardell (1620-1689) fought for the Parliamentarian forces and was later appointed as a commissioner for the trial of King Charles I in 1649.

In the 18th century, the Reverend John Wardell (1712-1784) was a respected clergyman and author, known for his published works on theology and philosophy.

Throughout history, the Wardell name has been associated with various professions, including military service, law, religion, and commerce, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who have borne this surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wardell

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

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

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

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