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

Wash, 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 Wash surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wash in America

Wash is the 9751st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wash surname appeared 3,324 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 Wash.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wash 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 Wash

The surname "Wash" is believed to have originated from the Old English word "wæsc," which means "a washing" or "a place of washing." This name is thought to have emerged in England during the 11th century.

The earliest recorded instances of the name "Wash" can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was listed as a place name in various counties of England, such as Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, and Norfolk. These place names were likely derived from locations near streams or rivers where people would wash their clothes or other items.

One notable example of the name's early usage is found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1176, which mentions a person named Radulfus de Wasce. This suggests that the surname was already in use as a byname or a locational surname by the late 12th century.

During the medieval period, the name "Wash" was often associated with people who lived near bodies of water or worked in occupations related to washing or cleaning. For instance, Roger atte Wassh was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327, indicating that he lived near a place called "Wash."

In the 16th century, the name appeared in various spellings, such as "Washe," "Wasshe," and "Wayshe," reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time. One notable bearer of the name was John Washe (c. 1535-1588), an English translator and clergyman who translated several works from Latin and Greek.

Over the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the surname "Wash." These include:

1. William Wash (c. 1610-1665), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament during the English Civil War.
2. Thomas Wash (1662-1736), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works, including "The Gospel Revealed Unto Babes."
3. George Wash (1813-1900), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Savings Bank Department of the Post Office.
4. Isaac Wash (1819-1893), an American farmer and politician who served as a member of the Indiana House of Representatives.
5. James Wash (1853-1932), an American politician who served as the mayor of Helena, Montana, from 1903 to 1905.

While the surname "Wash" is not as common as some other English surnames, it has a rich history that can be traced back to the Middle Ages and is deeply rooted in the linguistic and geographical heritage of England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wash

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!