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

Westcott, 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 Westcott surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Westcott in America

Westcott is the 6097th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Westcott surname appeared 5,626 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Westcott.

We can also compare 2010 data for Westcott 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 Westcott

The surname Westcott has its origins in England, with its earliest known spellings emerging during the 13th century. The name is derived from the Old English words "west" meaning "west" and "cot" meaning "cottage" or "dwelling." It likely originated as a locational surname, given to individuals residing in a westward-facing dwelling or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where it appears as "Westkote." This document, a census-like record commissioned by King Edward I, provides valuable insights into the prevalence and distribution of surnames during that era.

The Westcott surname has also been documented in various historical records, including the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Buckinghamshire from 1524, which mentions a John Westcott. This surname may have been influenced by place names such as Westcott in Buckinghamshire or Westcott in Dorset, both of which existed during the medieval period.

A notable figure bearing the Westcott surname was Thomas Westcott (c. 1567-1637), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of St. Bartholomew's Church in London. Another prominent individual was Brooke Westcott (1825-1901), an English bishop and biblical scholar who co-authored the Westcott and Hort text of the New Testament.

Other individuals of historical significance with the Westcott surname include Edward Noyes Westcott (1846-1898), an American historian and author, and William Wynn Westcott (1848-1925), a British occultist and co-founder of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.

Lastly, Fanny Westcott (1875-1957) was a notable American stage actress who performed on Broadway and in various theatrical productions throughout the early 20th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Westcott

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

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

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

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