Wetherington last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Wetherington

Derived from a place name meaning "Wiðer's farmstead" in Old English, referring to a settlement associated with someone named Wiðer.

Wetherington, 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 Wetherington surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wetherington in America

Wetherington is the 14264th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wetherington surname appeared 2,101 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Wetherington.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wetherington 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 14264 13451 5.87%
Count 2,101 2,076 1.20%
Proportion per 100k 0.71 0.77 -8.11%

The history of the last name Wetherington

The surname Wetherington originates from England, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from a place called "Wetherington" or a similar spelling. The name likely refers to a farm, village, or settlement where the first bearers of the name resided.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Wetherington can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholdings and property compiled in 1086 by order of King William the Conqueror. This suggests that the name has a long-standing history in England, dating back to the Norman Conquest.

The name Wetherington may have evolved from various older spellings or place names, such as "Wetheringsett" or "Wethersfield," reflecting the regional dialects and variations in spelling conventions during that time period.

One notable bearer of the Wetherington surname was Sir John Wetherington, a prominent English knight who lived in the 14th century. He played a significant role in the Hundred Years' War against France and was known for his bravery and military prowess.

Another historical figure with the Wetherington name was William Wetherington, born in 1567, who served as a member of the English Parliament during the reign of King James I. He represented the constituency of Westmorland and was actively involved in shaping the political landscape of his time.

In the 18th century, Elizabeth Wetherington, born in 1721, gained recognition as an accomplished writer and poet. Her works, which often explored themes of love, nature, and the human experience, were widely circulated and celebrated during her lifetime.

The Wetherington name also found its way into the arts, with Robert Wetherington, born in 1842, becoming a renowned painter and sculptor. His works were exhibited in prestigious galleries across Europe, and he is remembered for his unique style and innovative techniques.

Finally, one cannot overlook the contributions of Sir Thomas Wetherington, born in 1879, who was a distinguished diplomat and statesman. He served as the British Ambassador to several countries and played a pivotal role in facilitating international relations during a turbulent period in world history.

These are just a few examples of the notable individuals who have carried the Wetherington surname throughout history, leaving an indelible mark on various fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of this name's legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wetherington

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

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 Wetherington was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 93.81% 1,971
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.76% 16
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.90% 19
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.52% 11
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 1.86% 39
Hispanic Origin 2.14% 45

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 Wetherington has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 93.81% 95.33% -1.61%
Black 0.76% 0.53% 35.66%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.90% 0.82% 9.30%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.52% 0.72% -32.26%
Two or More Races 1.86% 0.92% 67.63%
Hispanic 2.14% 1.69% 23.50%

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

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

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"Wetherington last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on December 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/wetherington-surname-popularity/.

"Wetherington last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/wetherington-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 December, 2024

Wetherington last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/wetherington-surname-popularity/.

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