2000
#7,941
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,864
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.43
Rare Last name
Wardell
An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "dell frequented by hawks."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,293 Americans carry the last name Wardell. That puts it at #8,465 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.25 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 79,840 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wardell surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Wardell with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
4.3K
1 in 79,840
Census rank
#8,465
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,744 bearers of the surname Wardell in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.25 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8465th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wardell, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.2%. The next largest groups are Black (10.5%) and Hispanic (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wardell
Among Census respondents with the surname Wardell, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.2%. The next largest groups are Black (10.5%) and Hispanic (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Wardell bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Wardell surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White82.2% · 3,078
- Black or African American10.5% · 393
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 136
- Two or more races2.7% · 101
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 25
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 11
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wardell
Wardell appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#8,425
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,923
+59 bearers (+1.5%)
Per 100,000 1.33
Rank movement Down 484 places
2020
#8,465
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,744
-179 bearers (-4.6%)
Per 100,000 1.25
Rank movement Down 40 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #7,941 | 3,864 | 1.43 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #8,425 | 3,923 | 1.33 | +59 bearers (+1.5%) | Down 484 places |
| 2020 | #8,465 | 3,744 | 1.25 | -179 bearers (-4.6%) | Down 40 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Wardell surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #8,425 | #8,465 | -0.5% |
| Count | 3,923 | 3,744 | -4.6% |
| Per 100K | 1.33 | 1.25 | -5.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wardell bearers went from 3,923 to 3,744 (-4.6% change). The surname moved down 40 positions in the national ranking, going from #8,425 to #8,465.
FAQ
Wardell surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wardell?
Name Census estimates that about 4,293 living Americans carry the surname Wardell. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 79,840 residents.
How common is Wardell?
Wardell ranks #8,465 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.25 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,744 people with the surname Wardell. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,293), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.25 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.25 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Wardell.
Has Wardell become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wardell went from 3,923 recorded bearers to 3,744. That is a decrease of 179 (-4.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #8,425 to #8,465.
What does the Census say about the background of Wardell?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wardell, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.2%. The next largest groups are Black (10.5%) and Hispanic (3.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Wardell in the 2020 Census, accounting for 82.2% (3,078 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wardell appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (82.2%), Black (10.5%), Hispanic (3.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Wardell (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Wardell mean?
An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "dell frequented by hawks." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Wardell (1.25 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Wardell?
For a quick modern take, check how many people are called Wardell on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.