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

Williford, 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 Williford surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Williford in America

Williford is the 4248th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Williford surname appeared 8,352 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Williford.

We can also compare 2010 data for Williford 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 Williford

The surname Williford is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from a place name that was likely made up of Old English personal name elements such as "Will" or "Willi" combined with the word "ford," meaning a shallow river crossing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions a landowner named Willfrid holding estates in Nottinghamshire. This suggests that the name may have emerged from this region in the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, there are records of individuals with the surname Williford residing in various parts of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Gloucestershire. The name appeared with various spellings, such as Wilford, Wylford, and Wylliford, reflecting the regional dialects and scribal variations of the time.

One notable individual bearing the name was Sir John Williford, a landowner and member of the gentry in Warwickshire during the 14th century. He was recorded as a participant in the Battle of Crécy in 1346 during the Hundred Years' War.

Another prominent figure was William Williford, a merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol in the late 15th century. He was known for his involvement in the wool trade and his philanthropic contributions to the city.

In the 16th century, the Williford family established roots in Devonshire, where they held estates and played a role in local affairs. One member of this branch, Thomas Williford (1525-1596), served as a magistrate and was known for his strict enforcement of Elizabethan laws against religious nonconformists.

As the centuries passed, the Williford surname spread across various regions of England, with some branches eventually making their way to other parts of the British Isles and beyond. The name has been associated with a number of notable individuals throughout history, reflecting its enduring presence in the English-speaking world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Williford

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

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

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

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