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

Winding, 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 Winding surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Winding in America

Winding is the 44193rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Winding surname appeared 487 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 Winding.

We can also compare 2010 data for Winding 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 Winding

The surname Winding has its origins in the Scandinavian region, particularly Denmark, around the medieval period. The name is believed to be derived from the Old Norse word "vindr" meaning "wind," combined with the suffix "-ing," which denotes belonging or association. This etymology suggests that the original bearers of the surname may have lived in a windy area or had some occupation related to the wind, such as sailor or miller.

One of the earliest references to the surname Winding appears in Danish historical records from the 13th century. Manuscripts from this period often contain Latinized forms of names, making the precise identification of Winding somewhat challenging. Nevertheless, the name was likely recorded in medieval church registers and local governance documents as these institutions meticulously kept records of the population.

A historical figure bearing the surname Winding is Rasmus Winding, a Danish nobleman who lived in the early 15th century. Born in 1403 and passing away in 1467, Rasmus was noted for his involvement in the Danish court and had substantial influence in local governance. Another early example is Mikkel Winding, born in 1475, who was a prominent landowner in Jutland, Denmark.

The village of Winding in Denmark serves as a geographical reference that may have contributed to the surname. This village, known from records dating back to the 14th century, likely provided the name to inhabitants who later adopted it as their surname.

Anders Winding, a soldier born in 1520, is another notable historical figure. He served in King Christian III's army during the wars of the 16th century and his name appears in several military documents. The Winding lineage continued to flourish with figures like Niels Winding, born in 1590, who was a prominent trader and civic leader in Copenhagen.

In the 18th century, Jens Winding, born in 1712 and died in 1779, made significant contributions to Danish agriculture through his innovations in farming techniques. His achievements were documented in agricultural journals of the time, indicating the prominence and continued presence of the Winding name in Danish society.

The Winding surname, with its deep roots in Danish history and its possible connections to geographical features, occupational roles, and noble lineage, provides a fascinating glimpse into the medieval and early modern eras of Scandinavia. By examining figures such as Rasmus, Mikkel, Anders, Niels, and Jens Winding, one gains insight into the evolution and significance of this unique surname through the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Winding

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

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

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

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