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

Weld, 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 Weld surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Weld in America

Weld is the 21459th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Weld surname appeared 1,218 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Weld.

We can also compare 2010 data for Weld 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 Weld

The surname WELD is of Anglo-Saxon origin and derives from the Old English word "weld" meaning "to govern" or "to rule". It is believed to have originated in the northern counties of England, particularly in Yorkshire and Lancashire, during the early medieval period.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Welda" in the county of Yorkshire. This entry suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by the time of the Norman Conquest.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name was also found in various forms, such as "Welde", "Weld", and "Wealde", in various parts of England, indicating its gradual spread across the country.

The Weld family has a long and distinguished history, with several notable members contributing to various fields over the centuries. One of the earliest known members was Sir Humphrey Weld (c.1490-1537), a prominent lawyer and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament during the reign of Henry VIII.

Another notable figure was Thomas Weld (1750-1810), a wealthy English Catholic landowner and philanthropist who played a significant role in establishing the first Catholic seminary in England after the Reformation.

In the 19th century, Isaac Weld (1774-1856) was a notable Irish-born explorer and author who travelled extensively in North America and wrote several books about his experiences, including "Travels Through the States of North America and the Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, During the Years 1795, 1796, and 1797".

The name Weld has also been associated with several place names in England, such as Weld Bank in Yorkshire and Weld Estate in Dorset.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Weld family gained prominence in the United States, with several members serving in various political and military capacities. One notable figure was Lewis Weld (1786-1853), who served as a brigadier general in the Massachusetts militia during the War of 1812.

Throughout its long history, the surname WELD has been carried by many accomplished individuals across various fields, reflecting its deep roots and rich heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Weld

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

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

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

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