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

Wardwell, 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 Wardwell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wardwell in America

Wardwell is the 16894th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wardwell surname appeared 1,686 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 Wardwell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wardwell 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 Wardwell

The surname Wardwell has its origins in England and dates back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "weard" meaning watchman or guardian, and "well" meaning a spring or stream. Therefore, the name likely referred to someone who lived near a well or spring that was guarded or watched over.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Wardewell." This suggests that the name was already in use by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066. It is believed that the Wardwells were originally from the county of Warwickshire, where several places bear similar names, such as Warden Hill and Warwick.

In the 13th century, a John de Wardewell was listed as a landowner in the county of Norfolk. This is one of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname. Another notable early bearer of the name was Sir Thomas Wardwell, who was knighted in 1415 for his service in the Battle of Agincourt during the Hundred Years' War.

During the 16th century, the Wardwell family established themselves in the county of Essex, where they owned land and property. One prominent member of the family was William Wardwell, who was born in 1547 and served as a member of Parliament for the borough of Maldon in Essex.

In the 17th century, the Wardwells spread to other parts of England, including the county of Yorkshire. A notable figure from this period was Robert Wardwell, born in 1612, who was a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of York.

Another significant individual with the surname was John Wardwell, born in 1734, who was a renowned clockmaker and inventor from the town of Bury St. Edmunds in Suffolk. His intricate clocks and timepieces were highly sought after by the nobility and upper classes of the time.

Throughout its history, the surname Wardwell has been subject to various spelling variations, including Wardewell, Wardwelle, and Wardwill, reflecting the regional dialects and scribal practices of different areas of England. Despite these variations, the name has maintained a strong connection to its origins as a descriptor of someone who lived near a guarded well or spring.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wardwell

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

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

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

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