2000
#83,618
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 209
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.08
Very Rare Last name
Widdoes
A surname derived from an Old English word meaning "widow" or "widower."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 214 Americans carry the last name Widdoes. That puts it at #102,571 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.06 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,601,656 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Widdoes surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
214
1 in 1,601,656
Census rank
#102,571
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
187
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 187 bearers of the surname Widdoes in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.06 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 102571st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Widdoes, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Widdoes
The surname Widdoes finds its origins in England, specifically in the region of southern England, such as Sussex and Kent, during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th centuries. It is derived from the Old English words wyd, meaning wood, and daes, meaning clearing, implying that it originally referred to someone who lived by or near a cleared area in a wood or forest.
In historical records, Widdoes can be seen in various spellings, often influenced by local dialects and the evolving nature of the English language. The spellings include Wyddes, Wydes, and Widus. The name is notably absent from the Domesday Book of 1086, suggesting that it likely emerged later.
One of the earliest recorded instances of a variation of this surname appears in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a Simon Wydes is listed in Cambridgeshire. This document was a census-like record prepared for tax assessment purposes in England.
In 1522, William Widus was documented in Kent's local tax records, signifying the spread or established presence of the name in southeast England. These tax records provide a glimpse into the name's presence in everyday life and commerce during the Tudor period.
Another significant figure in history bearing the surname was John Widdoes, who served as a church warden in Sussex around 1590. His responsibilities and involvement in local ecclesiastical affairs highlight the integration of the name into community and regional structures.
Widdoes has also been present as a family name in the later centuries. One notable individual was Thomas Widdoes, an 18th-century farmer and landowner in Gloucestershire. His records, preserved in local parish registries, indicate land transactions and ownership, underscoring the socio-economic standing of the name's bearers.
In the 19th century, Elizabeth Widdoes, born in 1824 in Sussex, became known for her charitable works and involvement in local education initiatives. Her activities reflect the continued local significance and contribution of individuals with this surname.
Lastly, George Widdoes, an industrialist from the Midlands, born in 1870, became prominent for his involvement in the burgeoning coal mining industry. His efforts in improving working conditions and advocating for worker rights mark a notable chapter in the history of the surname.
Throughout its history, the surname Widdoes has evolved in both spelling and regional distribution while maintaining its roots in medieval English topography and society. Prominent individuals bearing the name have contributed to various aspects of community life, from ecclesiastical roles to industrial advancements.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Widdoes
Among Census respondents with the surname Widdoes, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Widdoes bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Widdoes surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.4% · 171
- Two or more races5.9% · 11
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.1% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino0.5% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Widdoes
Widdoes appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#86,314
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 216
+7 bearers (+3.3%)
Per 100,000 0.07
Rank movement Down 2,696 places
2020
#102,571
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 187
-29 bearers (-13.4%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Down 16,257 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #83,618 | 209 | 0.08 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #86,314 | 216 | 0.07 | +7 bearers (+3.3%) | Down 2,696 places |
| 2020 | #102,571 | 187 | 0.06 | -29 bearers (-13.4%) | Down 16,257 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Widdoes surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #86,314 | #102,571 | -18.8% |
| Count | 216 | 187 | -13.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.07 | 0.06 | -10.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Widdoes bearers went from 216 to 187 (-13.4% change). The surname moved down 16,257 positions in the national ranking, going from #86,314 to #102,571.
FAQ
Widdoes surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Widdoes?
Name Census estimates that about 214 living Americans carry the surname Widdoes. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,601,656 residents.
How common is Widdoes?
Widdoes ranks #102,571 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.06 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 187 people with the surname Widdoes. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (214), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.06 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.06 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Widdoes.
Has Widdoes become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Widdoes went from 216 recorded bearers to 187. That is a decrease of 29 (-13.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #86,314 to #102,571.
What does the Census say about the background of Widdoes?
Among Census respondents with the surname Widdoes, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.1%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Widdoes in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.4% (171 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Widdoes appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.4%), Two or More Races (5.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.1%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Widdoes (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Widdoes mean?
A surname derived from an Old English word meaning "widow" or "widower." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Widdoes (0.06 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Widdoes?
You can see how many Americans have the surname Widdoes on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.