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

Windsor, 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 Windsor surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Windsor in America

Windsor is the 4652nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Windsor surname appeared 7,621 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 Windsor.

We can also compare 2010 data for Windsor 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 Windsor

The surname Windsor has its origins in England, specifically in the county of Berkshire. The name is derived from the Old English words "windles" and "oran," which together mean "winding river bank." This is a reference to the location of the royal town of Windsor, situated on the banks of the River Thames.

The earliest recorded usage of the name Windsor can be found in the Domesday Book, a manuscript compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. This document mentions several individuals with the surname Windsor, indicating that the name was already established in the region.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Windsor was Walter Windsor, who lived in the 12th century and served as a royal falconer to King Henry II. Another notable figure was William de Windsor, a 13th-century English prelate who served as Bishop of Winchester from 1305 to 1337.

In the 14th century, the name Windsor gained prominence due to its association with the royal House of Windsor, which traces its lineage back to the medieval Plantagenet dynasty. The first monarch of this house was King Edward III, who was born in 1312 and reigned from 1327 to 1377.

During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603), the name Windsor was further popularized by the construction of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British monarchy. This grand castle, located in the town of Windsor, became a symbol of royal power and prestige.

Over the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the surname Windsor. These include Edward Windsor (1894-1972), better known as the Duke of Windsor, who famously abdicated the British throne in 1936 to marry Wallis Simpson. Another prominent figure was Henry Windsor (1838-1900), a British naval officer and explorer who served as Governor of Newfoundland and Bermuda.

Other famous Windsors include Francis Windsor (1592-1634), an English courtier and politician during the reign of King Charles I, and Robert Windsor (1923-2004), a British peer and member of the House of Lords.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Windsor

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

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

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

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