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

Windy, 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 Windy surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Windy in America

Windy is the 135593rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Windy surname appeared 124 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 Windy.

We can also compare 2010 data for Windy 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 Windy

The surname Windy is believed to have its origins in medieval England. The name likely emerged around the 12th or 13th century, coinciding with common practices of using elements of nature to form surnames. One prevailing theory suggests that the surname Windy may be derived from the Old English word "wind," which means "air in motion,” combined with the suffix "y" or "ey," which was often used as a diminutive or locational suffix. Thus, the name might have originally described a person who lived in an area particularly noted for being windy.

Geographically, the surname is thought to have originated in the rural areas of England, possibly in regions known for their exposed and breezy conditions, such as the moorlands of Yorkshire or the coasts of East Anglia. Early records indicate that various spellings of the name existed, including Wynde, Wyndey, and Windey, which reflect regional dialects and the lack of standardized spelling in medieval England.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Windy appears in the 1327 Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk, where a Roger Windey is listed as a taxpayer. This indicates the presence and establishment of the name in East Anglia during the early 14th century. The name also appears in ecclesiastical records; for example, a John Wyndy is noted as a rector in the parish records of St. Peter’s Church in Norfolk around 1380.

Another notable appearance in historical documents is found in the 15th century, where a William Windy is recorded as a landowner in the Manor Rolls of Lancashire in 1475. The presence of the surname in different parts of England by the late medieval period suggests some degree of migration and the name’s wider adoption.

Throughout history, individuals with the surname Windy have made their mark. Thomas Windy, born in 1534, served as a juror in the trial of Joan of Kent, a significant case in Tudor England. In the 17th century, Anne Windy, born in 1602 and deceased in 1671, was a noted midwife in the county of Cornwall, recognized for her extensive work in the local community. Robert Windy, born in 1715, became a merchant in Bristol, contributing to the city’s burgeoning maritime trade in the 18th century.

As the name carried forward into the modern era, another prominent figure was Henry Windy, a noted agriculturalist born in 1823 in Lincolnshire, who published several works on crop rotation and soil management. Isabella Windy, born in 1856, gained acclaim as an early feminist writer and suffragette, advocating for women's rights in London during the late Victorian period.

The surname Windy, with its naturalistic roots and medieval origins, offers a fascinating glimpse into the history and evolution of English surnames. With a presence in diverse records and regions, the name reflects the linguistic and social changes that have shaped England over centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Windy

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

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

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

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