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

Willeford, 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 Willeford surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Willeford in America

Willeford is the 18486th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Willeford surname appeared 1,495 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 Willeford.

We can also compare 2010 data for Willeford 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 Willeford

The surname Willeford has its origins in England, and it likely emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th to 15th centuries. The name is thought to be locational, deriving from a place name that may have been spelled Willeford or a similar variant in Old or Middle English. The components of the name suggest it could be a compound of "Wille," a personal name or abbreviation of "William," and "ford," referring to a shallow river crossing.

Willeford likely originates from regions in England where small settlements or manorial estates were named Willeford or something phonetically similar. During the medieval period, it was common for surnames to be derived from geographic locations to help distinguish individuals with common first names. Areas like Devonshire, Yorkshire, and other parts of rural England might have had settlements or landmarks that contributed to the surname's formation.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname Willeford appears in historical records during the 13th century. The spelling variations include Williford, Wilford, and Willaford. Manuscripts like the Feet of Fines, a collection of court records from medieval England, may have an early instance of the name. Another important early reference could be found in subsidy rolls and poll tax records, which documented taxpayers and landholders.

William Willeford was one of the first historically significant bearers of the surname, documented in the 14th century as a landholder in Devonshire. Another notable individual is Richard Willeford, who appears in the 15th-century records as a church warden in Yorkshire, indicating a position of local importance.

The Willeford surname also appears in early American records, suggesting that bearers of the name emigrated during the colonial period. Thomas Willeford, born in 1624, was an early settler in the American colonies, establishing roots in Virginia. Elizabeth Willeford, born circa 1650, is documented in records from the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

In the 18th century, Reverend John Willeford, born in 1698 and died in 1764, was known for his contributions to early American religious communities. His sermons and writings circulated among settlers, marking him as a figure of moral and spiritual influence.

By the 19th century, figures like Samuel Willeford, a noted figure in Tennessee politics born in 1832 and died in 1891, paved the way for the name's association with public service in the United States. His involvement in state legislature and community service highlights the evolving legacy of the Willeford name.

Throughout its history, the Willeford surname has retained a connection to its English roots while branching out to other parts of the world, notably the United States where many descendants of early emigrants continued to carry the name into various fields and public records.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Willeford

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

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

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

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