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

Wax, 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 Wax surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wax in America

Wax is the 15833rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wax surname appeared 1,838 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 Wax.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wax 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 Wax

The surname Wax originated in England in the late 12th century. It likely derived from the Old English word "weax" or the Middle English word "wax", referring to a person who was involved in the production or trade of beeswax. The name may have also been an occupational surname for a chandler or candle maker.

Wax was initially found in areas of England where beekeeping and wax production were prevalent, such as Kent, Sussex, and Dorset. In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, including Waxman, Waxer, and Waxere, reflecting its occupational origins.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, where a Robert le Waxere is mentioned. Additionally, the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1279, where a William le Waxer is listed.

In the 14th century, the Wax surname began to appear in other parts of England, suggesting the migration of individuals with this occupation. For instance, the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1301 include a reference to a John Wax.

A notable individual with the surname Wax was Richard Wax, a member of the House of Commons who represented Thetford, Norfolk, in 1421.

Another early record of the name is found in the Yorkshire Chantry Survey of 1546, which mentions a Thomas Wax as a chantry priest in the parish of Royston.

In the 17th century, the Wax surname spread further across England, with records showing individuals with this name in various counties, including Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, and Essex.

During the late 16th and early 17th centuries, several individuals with the surname Wax emigrated to the American colonies. One of the earliest known settlers was John Wax, who arrived in Virginia in 1635.

Other notable individuals with the Wax surname include:

1. Matthew Wax (1684-1758), an English merchant and landowner from Lincolnshire.
2. Samuel Wax (1722-1792), a British soldier who served in the American Revolutionary War.
3. Elizabeth Wax (1768-1833), an English novelist and poet from Cambridgeshire.
4. John Wax (1792-1857), an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania.
5. William Wax (1818-1892), a British industrialist and founder of the Wax Ironworks in Birmingham.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wax

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

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

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

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