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

Weed, 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 Weed surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Weed in America

Weed is the 4442nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Weed surname appeared 7,987 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Weed.

We can also compare 2010 data for Weed 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 Weed

The surname Weed has its roots in England, originating in the 13th century. It is thought to have derived from the Old English word "waed," which means "garment" or "clothing." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to a person involved in the textile trade or someone who made or sold clothing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Weed can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "Wydo le Wede." This document was a census of landowners and their holdings, indicating that individuals bearing this surname were already established in medieval England.

The name Weed is also believed to have connections to various place names in England, such as Weedon in Buckinghamshire and Weedon Bec in Northamptonshire. These locations may have influenced the development of the surname or vice versa.

In the 16th century, the Weed surname appeared in the records of the Parish of St. Dunstan in the East, London. One notable entry from 1577 mentions a certain John Weed, whose occupation is listed as a "clothworker," further solidifying the connection between the name and the textile industry.

Among the notable individuals bearing the surname Weed throughout history are:

1. Thomas Weed (1577-1643), an English colonist who settled in Massachusetts Bay Colony and was one of the founders of the town of Amesbury.
2. Thurlow Weed (1797-1882), an influential American publisher and political leader who played a significant role in the formation of the Republican Party.
3. Mary Weed (1822-1912), an American educator and activist who advocated for women's rights and helped establish several schools and colleges.
4. Lewis Weed (1847-1923), an American physician and author who made significant contributions to the field of dermatology.
5. Charles Richmond Weed (1856-1952), an American architect known for his work on various educational and institutional buildings in New York City.

While the surname Weed may have humble beginnings related to the textile industry, it has since evolved and been associated with various professions and achievements throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Weed

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

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

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

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