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

Wool, 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 Wool surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wool in America

Wool is the 29041st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wool surname appeared 817 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 Wool.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wool 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 Wool

The surname Wool has its roots primarily in the British Isles, particularly England, where it first emerged during the medieval period. Historically, surnames became common to distinguish individuals for taxation, legal, and other administrative purposes. The name Wool derives from the Old English word "wull," meaning wool, indicative of an occupational surname. This suggests that individuals bearing this name were likely involved in the wool trade, such as sheep farming, wool processing, or weaving.

Early records of the Wool name can be traced back to medieval English documentation. For example, a notable early instance includes a Wool family recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, where the name appears as "Wulle." This ancient manuscript, commissioned by William the Conqueror, was essentially a great survey of England and parts of Wales, which provides a critical snapshot of landownership and resources at the time. The presence of the Wool name in this document signifies its early establishment and importance in rural, wool-producing regions.

One recorded individual of historical significance is John Wool, born circa 1275, whose family was noted in manorial records of Yorkshire. The Wool family was prominent within local agrarian communities, underlining their sustained connection to sheep farming and the wool trade. Over time, numerous variants of the surname have appeared, reflecting regional dialects and phonetic spelling differences. Variations such as Wolle, Wooel, and Wooll are seen in parish registers and rural censuses from the 13th to the 17th centuries.

In the context of place names, the village of Wool in Dorset, England, could have a connection to the surname, either as a place where the family settled or as an eponym arising from the wool trade. While direct evidence is scant, the correlation between occupational surnames and place names during this period is well-documented in onomatology studies.

Another significant bearer of the Wool surname was Thomas Wool, born in 1642, who is recorded in maritime logs and merchant records from the late 17th century. Thomas Wool was noted as a prominent wool merchant who expanded his trade networks beyond England into continental Europe, highlighting the economic significance of the wool industry and those involved in it during that era.

In the arts, Mary Wool, born in 1729 and died in 1797, was a noted composer and musician from London. Her contributions to the musical landscape of her time reflect the cultural diversification of those bearing the Wool surname, marking a departure from strictly occupational associations.

Legal and civic records from the early 19th century cite William Wool, a magistrate from Cornwall, born in 1785 and died in 1859. His judiciary role and local influence provide insight into the social mobility of the Wool family across generations.

Finally, Elizabeth Wool, born in 1810, noted for her philanthropy and educational advocacy in Oxfordshire, represents the wide-ranging impact of families bearing the Wool surname. Her establishment of the Wool Trust, aimed at improving education for impoverished children, signifies the legacy and societal contributions extending beyond their initial occupational roots.

The surname Wool, through its historical journey, captures the evolution of social roles, economic influence, and cultural contributions of those who bore it from the medieval period to more recent centuries, grounded deeply in the fabric of England's history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wool

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

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

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

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