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

Waterfield, 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 Waterfield surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Waterfield in America

Waterfield is the 23485th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Waterfield surname appeared 1,082 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Waterfield.

We can also compare 2010 data for Waterfield 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 Waterfield

The surname Waterfield is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is derived from the Old English words "waeter" meaning water and "feld" meaning field. It is an occupational surname that originally referred to someone who lived near a field or meadow with a stream or river running through it.

The earliest known record of the surname Waterfield dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Waterfelde" in the county of Sussex, England. This suggests that the name was already well-established in certain parts of England by the late 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the name was found in various forms, including Watrefelde, Watirfelde, and Watyrfeld, reflecting the regional variations in spelling and pronunciation at the time. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name include Robert de Waterfelde in Oxfordshire in 1273 and John de Waterfeld in Leicestershire in 1327.

In the late 14th century, the surname Waterfield began to appear in the records of several English counties, such as Berkshire, Gloucestershire, and Suffolk. This indicates that the name had spread to different regions as families migrated or established new branches.

One notable bearer of the Waterfield surname was Sir William Waterfield (1592-1671), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Maldon, Essex, during the English Civil War. Another prominent figure was Sir Henry Waterfield (1788-1842), a British diplomat and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of Sierra Leone from 1834 to 1838.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, several Waterfields made significant contributions in various fields. Robert Waterfield (1714-1777) was an English painter and engraver, while Thomas Waterfield (1741-1819) was a noted English architect responsible for designing several country houses and churches.

The surname Waterfield has also been associated with literary figures, such as Reverend Rodolph Waterfield (1798-1878), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works, and Giles Waterfield (born 1949), a British art historian and author known for his books on English art and architecture.

Overall, the surname Waterfield has a rich history spanning centuries, originating from the Old English language and reflecting the occupational and geographical roots of its earliest bearers in medieval England. It has been carried by notable individuals in various fields, further contributing to its diverse legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Waterfield

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

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

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

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