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

Willford, 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 Willford surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Willford in America

Willford is the 28704th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Willford surname appeared 830 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Willford.

We can also compare 2010 data for Willford 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 Willford

The surname Willford has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is an example of a locational surname, derived from a place name that typically signifies where the original bearers of the name lived or hailed from. The earliest references to the name can be found in the southwestern counties of England, particularly in areas like Devon and Somerset. The name itself is believed to be derived from the Old English elements "wil," meaning "spring" or "stream," and "ford," signifying a shallow crossing place over a river. Thus, Willford would originally denote someone who lived by a ford near a stream or spring.

Historical records show that the surname Willford first appeared in written form in the 13th century. Manuscripts from this period, such as tax registers and legal documents, contain entries for individuals bearing this last name. One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Somerset in 1332, where a Robert de Willford is listed, indicating his residence or association with a place called Willford.

A notable figure bearing the surname Willford was Richard Willford, who lived during the 14th century and is mentioned in multiple legal documents relating to land transactions in Devon. His presence provides evidence of the name's establishment in the region by that time. Similarly, John Willford, recorded in the 16th century, served as a merchant in London, illustrating the name’s spread beyond its original locality and its association with various professions beyond agrarian roots.

The surname also appears in ecclesiastical records, such as parish registers, which chronicle baptisms, marriages, and burials. William Willford, born in 1591 and baptised at St. Mary’s Church in Devon, is an example of the name’s continuity through generations. His descendants continued to use the surname, which helped to preserve the name's presence in historical records.

Another significant individual was Thomas Willford, who lived in the 17th century and emigrated to the American colonies. Born around 1615, Thomas served in the military and participated in several expeditions, making notable contributions to the early colonial efforts in Virginia. His descendants established familial lines in the New World, further propagating the surname across different continents.

In the 18th century, James Willford, a prominent landowner in Somerset, further anchored the name in English history through his extensive estates and involvement in local governance. This time period also saw references to variations in the spelling of the surname, such as Wilford, due to the less standardized nature of spelling practices. Despite these variations, the core family name remained recognizable.

Throughout its history, the surname Willford has maintained a consistent presence in historical records, reflecting its origins and evolution over centuries. Each recorded instance and notable individual bearing the name contributes to the rich tapestry of its etymological and genealogical heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Willford

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

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

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

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