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

Wingfield, 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 Wingfield surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wingfield in America

Wingfield is the 5466th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wingfield surname appeared 6,362 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Wingfield.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wingfield 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 Wingfield

The surname Wingfield originates from England, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 11th century. The name is believed to have derived from the Old English words "wingefeld" or "wingfeld," which translate to "windy field" or "field by the winding stream." This suggests that the name likely originated from a place name, as was common during that era.

One of the earliest known mentions of the Wingfield name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of land ownership and taxation compiled in 1086 under the orders of William the Conqueror. This entry refers to a place called "Wincfelt" in Derbyshire, which is thought to be the ancestral home of the Wingfield family.

In the 13th century, the Wingfield family held significant landholdings in Suffolk, where they established themselves as influential nobles. Sir John de Wingfield (c. 1300-1389) was a prominent knight during the reign of Edward III and served as a member of Parliament for Suffolk. His son, Sir Robert Wingfield (c. 1347-1420), also played a notable role in the Hundred Years' War against France.

During the 15th century, the Wingfield family gained further prominence with the rise of Sir Robert Wingfield (c. 1430-1481), who served as the Lord Chancellor of England under King Edward IV. He was succeeded by his son, Sir John Wingfield (c. 1470-1509), who held the prestigious position of Captain of the Guard for King Henry VII.

Another notable figure with the Wingfield surname was Sir Anthony Wingfield (c. 1490-1552), who served as a courtier and diplomat during the reigns of King Henry VIII and Edward VI. He played a key role in the negotiations that led to the marriage of King Henry VIII to Anne of Cleves.

In the realm of literature, the Wingfield name is associated with the 17th-century writer Edward Maria Wingfield (1550-1631), who is considered one of the first English settlers in the Virginia colony. His account, "A Discourse of Virginia," provided valuable insights into the early colonization efforts in North America.

These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals who have borne the Wingfield surname throughout history, reflecting the name's deep roots and influential presence across various fields and eras in England and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wingfield

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

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

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

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