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

Ware, 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 Ware surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ware in America

Ware is the 700th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ware surname appeared 49,316 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 17 people would have the surname Ware.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ware 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 Ware

The surname "WARE" is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "wær" or "wær-mann," meaning a person who lived by a weir or dam for catching fish. The name is believed to have originated in the 11th century, particularly in areas with a concentration of weirs or dams, such as riverside settlements.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname "WARE" dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Wara" and "Ware." This suggests that the name was already well-established in England by the time of the Norman Conquest.

In the 12th century, the name "WARE" was documented in various forms, including "Wara," "Warre," and "de la Ware." The "de la" prefix was commonly used to indicate a person's place of origin or residence, suggesting that some individuals bearing this surname may have lived near a weir or dam.

One notable individual with the surname "WARE" was Sir James Ware (1594-1666), an Irish historian and antiquarian. He was born in Dublin and is best known for his works on Irish history, including "De Hibernia et Antiquitatibus ejus Disquisitiones" (1654) and "The Whole Works of Sir James Ware Concerning Ireland" (1705).

Another prominent figure was Henry Ware Jr. (1794-1843), an American Unitarian minister and author. He served as a professor of pulpit eloquence and pastoral care at Harvard Divinity School and wrote several influential works, including "On the Formation of Christian Character" (1831).

In England, the name "WARE" was associated with several notable families, such as the Wares of Ware Park in Hertfordshire. This family can trace its ancestry back to the 13th century, with records indicating that they held lands in the area since at least 1275.

The surname "WARE" was also found in various place names, such as Ware in Hertfordshire, which was likely named after the River Lea's weir or dam. Similarly, the town of Wareham in Dorset may have derived its name from the Old English "wær-ham," meaning a homestead by a weir.

Throughout history, the surname "WARE" has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, clergy, military leaders, and landowners. Despite its humble origins, the name has persisted and is still present in many parts of the world today.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ware

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

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

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

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