2000
#150,436
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Widdoss
Derived from a nickname for someone with wide or large features.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Widdoss. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Widdoss 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
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Widdoss in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Widdoss, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.8%) and Two or More Races (5.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Widdoss
The surname Widdoss is believed to have its origins in England, likely emerging during the medieval period. This name points to a rural or agrarian origin, perhaps derived from an area associated with wooded lands or pastures. Similar surnames such as Widdows or Widdowson suggest a geographical connection, possibly referring to someone who lived near or tended woods.
The earliest recorded instance of a name similar to Widdoss can be traced back to documents from the late 13th to early 14th centuries in England. Manuscripts and parish records from this time often featured variations in spelling, reflecting the less standardized approach to surnames in that period. One of the earliest known references is in a 1304 record from the county of Yorkshire, where a Richard Wydowes is mentioned.
As with many surnames of this vintage, Widdoss has undergone several spelling changes over the centuries. Variations such as Wyddowes, Widdowes, and Wyddoss can be found in older texts, suggesting a common phonetic origin. By the 16th century, the spelling started to stabilize, but regional dialects and literacy levels still influenced its written form.
Noteworthy individuals with the surname appear sporadically in historical records. In the year 1578, John Widdoss is recorded as a landholder in the parish of Haverhill in Suffolk. His family held significant tracts of land and were quite well-known for their contributions to the local agronomy. Another early record cites Ann Widdoss, born in 1620 and a known contributor to local community efforts in Essex.
Robert Widdoss, born in 1765, is another key figure, documented as a carpenter and town official in Kent. His name appears in civic records, indicating a reputable position within his community. Historical references also mention Mary Widdoss, who lived from 1840 to 1898; she was a renowned herbalist in her local village in Sussex, known for her contributions to traditional medicine.
By the 19th century, the Widdoss surname had spread to other regions, retaining its historical roots but expanding in social contexts. Anthony Widdoss, born in 1867, became an influential figure in early industrial Britain, known for his innovation in textile manufacturing in Manchester. His contributions marked a shift from the rural, pastoral origins of the surname to a more urban and industrial setting.
The surname Widdoss, while not exceedingly common, encapsulates a rich tapestry of English history, tracing its lineage from rural woods to industrial towns. The name has evolved over centuries, with its bearers contributing significantly to various facets of English society.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Widdoss
Among Census respondents with the surname Widdoss, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.8%) and Two or More Races (5.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Widdoss 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 Widdoss surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.6% · 101
- Hispanic or Latino6.8% · 8
- Two or more races5.1% · 6
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Widdoss
Widdoss 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
#151,532
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
+8 bearers (+8.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,096 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+10 bearers (+9.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 8,021 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #150,436 | 100 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #151,532 | 108 | 0.04 | +8 bearers (+8.0%) | Down 1,096 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | +10 bearers (+9.3%) | Up 8,021 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 Widdoss 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 | #151,532 | #143,511 | 5.3% |
| Count | 108 | 118 | 9.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Widdoss bearers went from 108 to 118 (+9.3% change). The surname moved up 8,021 positions in the national ranking, going from #151,532 to #143,511.
FAQ
Widdoss surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Widdoss?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Widdoss. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Widdoss?
Widdoss ranks #143,511 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 118 people with the surname Widdoss. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Widdoss.
Has Widdoss become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Widdoss went from 108 recorded bearers to 118. That is an increase of 10 (+9.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #151,532 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Widdoss?
Among Census respondents with the surname Widdoss, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.8%) and Two or More Races (5.1%). 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 Widdoss in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.6% (101 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Widdoss appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.6%), Hispanic (6.8%), Two or More Races (5.1%). 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 Widdoss (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 Widdoss mean?
Derived from a nickname for someone with wide or large features. 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 Widdoss (0.04 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 Widdoss?
You can see how many people have the surname Widdoss on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.