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

Wilford, 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 Wilford surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wilford in America

Wilford is the 11279th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wilford surname appeared 2,801 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 Wilford.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wilford 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 Wilford

The surname Wilford is of English origin and dates back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from the place name Wilford, which can be found in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. The name is thought to be composed of the Old English elements "wil" meaning "willow" and "ford" meaning a shallow river crossing.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Wilford can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and wealth undertaken by order of William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book references a place called "Willeford" in Nottinghamshire.

In the 13th century, records show a Walter de Wilford in Derbyshire and a John de Wylford in Nottinghamshire. These early spellings, "Wylford" and "Wileford," highlight the evolution of the name from its Old English roots.

A notable early bearer of the surname was Sir Thomas Wilford (c. 1455 - 1529), who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1491. He played a significant role in the construction of the famous Baynard's Castle in London.

Another prominent figure was Sir Ralph Wilford (c. 1614 - 1679), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for East Retford in Nottinghamshire during the 17th century.

In the literary realm, Francis Wilford (1761 - 1822) was an English Orientalist and scholar of Sanskrit and ancient Indian history. He made significant contributions to the study of Hindu mythology and culture.

The surname Wilford has also been associated with various place names, such as Wilford Village in Nottinghamshire and Wilford Hill in Nottingham. These locations may have influenced the spread and distribution of the surname over time.

While the surname Wilford is not among the most common surnames in English-speaking countries, it has a rich historical legacy spanning several centuries and continues to be borne by individuals across various regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wilford

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

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

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

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