2000
#121,780
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 131
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Woffard
An English occupational surname denoting someone who guarded wolves or wolfs.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 131 Americans carry the last name Woffard. That puts it at #146,495 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,616,445 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Woffard surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
131
1 in 2,616,445
Census rank
#146,495
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
114
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 114 bearers of the surname Woffard in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 146495th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Woffard, the largest self-reported group is Black at 45.6%. The next largest groups are White (41.2%) and Two or More Races (9.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Woffard
The surname Woffard is believed to have originated in England, with its roots stretching back to the medieval period. The name is thought to have originated in the West Midlands, an area known for its complex interplay of Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Norman cultures. The surname Woffard may be derived from an Old English personal name such as Wulfheard or Wulfric, which were common during the Anglo-Saxon period. The elements "wulf," meaning wolf, and "heard," meaning hard or brave, were often used in combination to form personal names.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Woffard can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where similar names like Wulfheard and Wulfric appear in various regions. The Domesday Book was a comprehensive survey of England ordered by William the Conqueror, aimed at assessing the wealth and resources of his kingdom. This record provides evidence that the components of the name were in usage during the 11th century.
Throughout history, several variations of the surname Woffard have appeared in records. These include Wofferd, Wooford, and Wolford. These variations can be attributed to the phonetic spelling practices of the time, as literacy was not widespread and record-keeping was often inconsistent. One notable individual with a variation of this surname is John Wofferd, a local lord in the Midlands during the late 12th century, whose influence was documented in property and tax records of the era.
Another significant figure is Sir Richard Woffard, who lived in the 14th century and was known for his military service during the Hundred Years' War. He was knighted by Edward III for his valor in the Battle of Crécy in 1346. Sir Richard's contributions to the war effort were significant, and his name appears in several military rosters and commendations from the period.
During the late 15th century, Thomas Woffard served as a prominent merchant in the bustling market town of Coventry. Historical records indicate that he traded extensively in wool, a crucial commodity during the medieval period. Court documents from 1482 mention Thomas in connection with a trade dispute, underscoring his involvement in the local economy.
In the early 17th century, Elizabeth Woffard was a noted figure in the county of Warwickshire. A philanthropist, she is recorded in parish registers for her generous donations to local churches and her support for the poor. Her charitable efforts were well-recognized in her community, and her death in 1627 was marked by a significant outpouring of public grief.
By the 18th century, the surname Woffard had begun to spread to other regions, including the Americas, as people migrated for various reasons such as economic opportunities and religious freedom. Samuel Woffard is an example of an early American settler bearing the name. Born in 1695 in England, he emigrated to the American colonies in 1717 and is documented in early colonial records as a farmer and landowner in Virginia.
These instances span several centuries and regions, illustrating the enduring presence and evolution of the Woffard surname. Each individual provides a window into the socio-economic and cultural landscapes of their times, contributing to a rich tapestry of history associated with the name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Woffard
Among Census respondents with the surname Woffard, the largest self-reported group is Black at 45.6%. The next largest groups are White (41.2%) and Two or More Races (9.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Woffard bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Woffard surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American45.6% · 52
- White41.2% · 47
- Two or more races9.6% · 11
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Woffard
Woffard appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#114,424
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 153
+22 bearers (+16.8%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 7,356 places
2020
#146,495
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
-39 bearers (-25.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 32,071 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #121,780 | 131 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #114,424 | 153 | 0.05 | +22 bearers (+16.8%) | Up 7,356 places |
| 2020 | #146,495 | 114 | 0.04 | -39 bearers (-25.5%) | Down 32,071 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Woffard surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #114,424 | #146,495 | -28.0% |
| Count | 153 | 114 | -25.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -23.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Woffard bearers went from 153 to 114 (-25.5% change). The surname moved down 32,071 positions in the national ranking, going from #114,424 to #146,495.
FAQ
Woffard surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Woffard?
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the surname Woffard. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,616,445 residents.
How common is Woffard?
Woffard ranks #146,495 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 114 people with the surname Woffard. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (131), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Woffard.
Has Woffard become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Woffard went from 153 recorded bearers to 114. That is a decrease of 39 (-25.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #114,424 to #146,495.
What does the Census say about the background of Woffard?
Among Census respondents with the surname Woffard, the largest self-reported group is Black at 45.6%. The next largest groups are White (41.2%) and Two or More Races (9.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Woffard in the 2020 Census, accounting for 45.6% (52 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Woffard appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (45.6%), White (41.2%), Two or More Races (9.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Woffard (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Woffard mean?
An English occupational surname denoting someone who guarded wolves or wolfs. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Woffard (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Woffard?
If you just want to know how many people have the surname Woffard, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.