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

Wasson, 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 Wasson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wasson in America

Wasson is the 4182nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wasson surname appeared 8,471 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Wasson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wasson 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 Wasson

The surname Wasson originated in England during the medieval period, derived from the Old English words "wasso" meaning "to wash" and "sunu" meaning "son." It is believed to have been an occupational surname given to those who worked as washers or launders, particularly those involved in the wool trade.

The earliest known record of the name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Wassonesune" in Lincolnshire. This entry suggests that the name was already established in England by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, including Wassone, Wasson, and Watsone, in records from Yorkshire, Northumberland, and Cumbria. These regions were known for their thriving wool and textile industries, further supporting the occupational origin of the name.

One notable early bearer of the name was Sir John Wasson, a knight from Northumberland who fought alongside King Edward III in the Battle of Crécy during the Hundred Years' War (1346-1353).

In the 16th century, the Wasson family established themselves in Scotland, particularly in the Borders region. One significant figure was Robert Wasson (c. 1550-1610), a prominent landowner and magistrate in Jedburgh, Scotland.

The Wassons also had a presence in Ireland, with records showing the name in County Antrim and County Down as early as the 17th century. Patrick Wasson (1680-1745), a successful merchant from Belfast, was one of the earliest known Irish bearers of the name.

Moving into the 18th century, the name Wasson gained prominence in the United States as Scottish and Irish immigrants settled in various parts of the country. One notable figure was David Wasson (1772-1848), a Revolutionary War veteran and early settler in Ohio.

In the 19th century, Isaac Wasson (1813-1888) was a prominent American educator and author who served as the president of several colleges and published works on philosophy and religion.

Another influential bearer of the name was James Wasson (1826-1898), a Scottish-born railway engineer who played a crucial role in the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway, connecting British Columbia to the rest of Canada.

These are just a few examples of individuals who carried the surname Wasson throughout history, demonstrating its longstanding presence and significance in various regions and fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wasson

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Wasson, 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!