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

Webster, 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 Webster surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Webster in America

Webster is the 453rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Webster surname appeared 72,625 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 25 people would have the surname Webster.

We can also compare 2010 data for Webster 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 Webster

The surname Webster is of English origin and dates back to the 13th century. It is an occupational name derived from the Old English word "webbere," meaning a weaver of cloth or tapestries. The name was commonly found in areas where the textile industry was prominent, such as Norfolk and Suffolk.

One of the earliest known references to the surname Webster can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1275, where it is recorded as "le Webstere." The name also appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327 as "Webstere."

During the 14th century, the surname Webster was found in various spellings, such as "Webstere," "Webester," and "Webbester." These variations reflect the different dialects and regional pronunciations of the time.

A notable mention of the name Webster is in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as a place name "Webbedestreu" in Hertfordshire. This place name is believed to be derived from the Old English words "webbe" (weaver) and "stræt" (street), suggesting an area where weavers lived or worked.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Webster is John Webster, a renowned English dramatist born in the late 16th century (c. 1580-1634). He is best known for his plays "The Duchess of Malfi" and "The White Devil."

Another notable figure is Noah Webster (1758-1843), an American lexicographer, textbook pioneer, and author of the famous "Webster's Dictionary." His work greatly influenced the standardization of the English language in the United States.

In the 19th century, Daniel Webster (1782-1852), an American statesman and orator from New Hampshire, gained prominence as a prominent political figure and served as the Secretary of State under three U.S. presidents.

The surname Webster also has connections to the literary world, with writers such as John Webster (1580-1625), an English dramatist known for his tragedies, and Augusta Webster (1837-1894), an English poet and novelist.

Additionally, Benjamin Dingley Webster (1797-1882), an English actor and theater manager, made significant contributions to the theatrical world during the 19th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Webster

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

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

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

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