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

Wentworth, 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 Wentworth surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wentworth in America

Wentworth is the 4428th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wentworth surname appeared 8,023 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 Wentworth.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wentworth 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 Wentworth

The surname Wentworth is of English origin, deriving from the town of Wentworth in South Yorkshire. The name is believed to have emerged during the 11th century, stemming from the Old English words "Went" and "worth," meaning "district by the winding stream."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is mentioned as "Vuentuurt" or "Wentuurde." This entry refers to a settlement in the West Riding of Yorkshire, likely the modern-day Wentworth.

During the Middle Ages, the Wentworth family held significant influence and landholdings in Yorkshire. Notable members include William de Wentworth, who was appointed as a Justice of the King's Bench in 1326 under King Edward III.

In the 15th century, the Wentworth name gained prominence through Sir Roger Wentworth (c. 1455-1539), a member of the Wentworth family of Nettlestead in Suffolk. He served as a member of the Privy Council under King Henry VIII and played a crucial role in the dissolution of the monasteries.

Another notable figure was Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford (1593-1641), a prominent statesman and advisor to King Charles I. He served as Lord Deputy of Ireland and was later executed for his support of the King during the English Civil War.

The Wentworth surname also has connections to the United States, with William Wentworth (1616-1697) being one of the early settlers in New Hampshire. He served as a military leader and held various government positions in the colony.

Over the centuries, the surname has been associated with various place names, such as Wentworth Woodhouse, a grand country house in South Yorkshire, and Wentworth Castle, a stately home in Stainborough, Yorkshire.

Other notable individuals bearing the Wentworth surname include:

1. Benning Wentworth (1696-1770), colonial governor of New Hampshire.
2. Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham (1730-1782), British statesman and Prime Minister.
3. William Charles Wentworth (1790-1872), an Australian explorer, journalist, and politician.
4. Patricia Wentworth (1878-1961), a British crime fiction writer.
5. Lorna Wentworth (1891-1986), an American novelist and playwright.

The Wentworth surname has a rich history rooted in English nobility, landholdings, and influential individuals across various fields, spanning multiple centuries and regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wentworth

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

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

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

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