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

Weathersby, 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 Weathersby surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Weathersby in America

Weathersby is the 8570th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Weathersby surname appeared 3,844 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 Weathersby.

We can also compare 2010 data for Weathersby 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 Weathersby

The surname Weathersby is of English origin, deriving from the Old English phrase "wether" meaning a male sheep and "by" meaning a town or village. It suggests that the name originated as a locational surname, referring to someone who lived in or came from a place where wethers (castrated rams) were raised.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of England, particularly in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William de Wethersbi, mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in 1275.

During the medieval period, the name appeared in various spellings, such as Wethersbie, Wethersby, and Wethersbye, reflecting the lack of standardized spelling conventions at the time. It is also possible that the name is derived from a now-lost or obscure place name containing the elements "wether" and "by."

In the 16th century, the surname Weathersby is found in various records, including the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1585, which mentions a Robert Wethersby. Another notable bearer of the name was John Weathersby, a landowner in Lincolnshire born around 1590.

Over the centuries, the Weathersby family spread across different parts of England, and the name has been associated with several notable individuals. One such person was Sir Robert Weathersby (1617-1692), a member of the English gentry and a member of Parliament for Grantham in the late 17th century.

Another prominent figure was Thomas Weathersby (1683-1762), an English architect and surveyor who was involved in the construction of several notable buildings in London, including St. Martin-in-the-Fields and the Radcliffe Observatory.

In the 19th century, John Weathersby (1801-1876) gained recognition as a respected educator and author of several textbooks on mathematics and geography. He served as the headmaster of the Wakefield Proprietary School for many years.

Additionally, the name has been carried by military figures, such as Major General Edward Weathersby (1876-1964), who served in the British Army during World War I and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his service.

While the Weathersby surname is not among the most common in England, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, contributing to the cultural and historical tapestry of the country.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Weathersby

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

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

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

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