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

Wensell, 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 Wensell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wensell in America

Wensell is the 149395th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wensell surname appeared 110 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 Wensell.

The history of the last name Wensell

The surname WENSELL is of English origin and dates back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words "wynn" meaning joy or pleasure, and "sele" meaning a hall or dwelling. The name likely referred to someone who lived in a joyful or pleasant hall or dwelling.

In its early days, the name was found primarily in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire in northern England. Variations of the spelling included Wynsell, Wynnsell, and Wynsill. The name appeared in records such as the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1297, where it was listed as Wynsill.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname was John Wensell, who was born in Yorkshire around 1325. Another notable figure was Richard Wensell, a landowner in Lancashire who was mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Duchy of Lancaster in 1412.

During the 16th century, the WENSELL surname began to spread beyond its northern English roots. In 1568, a Thomas Wensell was recorded in the Parish Registers of St. Martin's in London. Around the same time, a William Wensell was listed as a resident of Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire, the birthplace of William Shakespeare.

In the 17th century, the name appeared in various parts of England, including the counties of Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Somerset. One notable individual from this period was John Wensell (1632-1697), a merchant and landowner from Bristol who served as a member of the city's Common Council.

As the name spread further in the 18th and 19th centuries, it also began to appear in various parts of the United States, likely due to immigration from England. Some notable Americans with the WENSELL surname included James Wensell (1765-1842), a farmer and Revolutionary War veteran from Virginia, and Samuel Wensell (1813-1887), a lawyer and judge from Pennsylvania.

Throughout its history, the WENSELL surname has been associated with various occupations and professions, including merchants, landowners, farmers, lawyers, and public servants. While not a particularly common name, it has left its mark on the historical records of England and the United States.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wensell

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

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 Wensell 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.

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

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

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