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

Watterson, 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 Watterson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Watterson in America

Watterson is the 8873rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Watterson surname appeared 3,690 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 Watterson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Watterson 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 Watterson

The surname Watterson is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to have emerged as a locational name, referring to individuals who hailed from a place called Waterton or a similar variation.

The name is derived from the Old English words "waeter" and "tun," which together translate to "water town" or "settlement near water." This suggests that the earliest bearers of the Watterson surname likely resided near a prominent body of water, such as a river, lake, or stream.

Historical records indicate that the Watterson surname was present in various parts of England, particularly in the northern regions. One of the earliest documented mentions of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, dated 1198, where a certain Richard de Waterton is listed.

Another notable early reference comes from the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1273, which mentions a John de Waterton. This suggests that the name had already established itself in multiple counties by the 13th century.

Among the notable figures bearing the Watterson surname throughout history are:

1. William Watterson (c. 1555-1622), an English clergyman and author who served as the Dean of Armagh Cathedral in Ireland.
2. Thomas Watterson (1572-1635), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious texts.
3. Henry Watterson (1840-1921), an American journalist and politician who served as the editor of the Louisville Courier-Journal and was a prominent figure in the Democratic Party.
4. Bill Watterson (born 1958), the renowned American cartoonist and author, best known for creating the beloved comic strip "Calvin and Hobbes."
5. Renée Watterson (born 1975), an Australian businesswoman and entrepreneur, recognized for her work in promoting sustainable fashion.

It is worth noting that variations in the spelling of the surname, such as Waterton, Watterton, and Waterson, were common in earlier times due to inconsistencies in record-keeping and regional dialects.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Watterson

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

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

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

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