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

Wooldridge, 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 Wooldridge surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wooldridge in America

Wooldridge is the 4550th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wooldridge surname appeared 7,788 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 Wooldridge.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wooldridge 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 Wooldridge

The surname Wooldridge is of English origin, originating in the county of Gloucestershire during the 13th century. It is a locational name derived from the Old English words "wudu" meaning wood and "hrycg" meaning ridge, referring to a person who lived near a wooded ridge.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "de Wolderigge." This early spelling variation highlights the locational nature of the name and its connection to a specific place.

In the 14th century, the name is found in various records from Gloucestershire, such as the Subsidy Rolls of 1327, where it appears as "Wolderigge." This suggests that the name was well-established in the region during this period.

The Wooldridge surname is also mentioned in the Inquisitiones Post Mortem records from the 15th century, which were legal inquiries conducted after the death of a landholder. These records provide insights into the landholdings and family connections of those bearing the name.

One notable bearer of the Wooldridge surname was John Wooldridge (c. 1564-1637), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Warden of New College, Oxford, in the early 17th century.

Another significant figure was Samuel Wooldridge (1619-1694), an English composer and organist who composed church music and served as the organist of Salisbury Cathedral.

In the 18th century, Francis Wooldridge (1734-1805) was a notable English actor and playwright who performed at various theaters in London, including the Covent Garden Theatre.

The 19th century saw the birth of John Wooldridge (1836-1917), a British businessman and politician who served as the Mayor of Southampton and was involved in various charitable organizations.

Lastly, Rupert Wooldridge (1917-2003) was a British naval officer and author who served in World War II and later wrote several books on naval history and strategy.

These examples demonstrate the longevity and geographical spread of the Wooldridge surname, with bearers making notable contributions in various fields throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wooldridge

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

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

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

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