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

Wooler, 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 Wooler surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wooler in America

Wooler is the 144141st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wooler surname appeared 115 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 Wooler.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wooler 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 Wooler

The surname Wooler is of English origin and appears to date back to the medieval period. The name is believed to have originated from geographical features or occupations, particularly linked to the wool trade, a significant industry in medieval England. The name could be a variant of the occupational term "wooler," meaning a worker or trader of wool, aligning with the importance of the wool trade in England's history.

The regions where the Wooler surname would likely have originated include areas known for wool production such as Yorkshire and East Anglia. Historically, the word “wool” in Old English is "wull," and the trade of wool was a central part of the economy. The suffix "-er" would denote someone who was engaged in the profession, making "Wooler" essentially mean wool trader or worker.

The earliest recorded references to the surname Wooler can be traced back to medieval records and manuscripts. For instance, the name is found in parish records and early tax rolls from the 14th century. One of these early mentions is in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, where a Roger Woller is documented.

One area closely associated with the name is Wooler, a small town in Northumberland, England. The name of this town, which also has an association with wool production, could have influenced the adoption of the surname. The early spellings of the name could include "Woller" or "Wullere," reflecting phonetic variations in historical documents.

Notable individuals with the surname Wooler include William Wooler, a prominent 16th-century wool merchant based in London, who significantly contributed to the economy of the time. Another prominent figure is Thomas Wooler, a political radical born in 1786 and known for his role in the reform movements of the early 19th century. His work as a pamphleteer and social activist had a lasting impact on English political life.

In the arts, Ann Wooler, an actress born in 1897, appeared in numerous theatre productions in the early 20th century, reflecting the surname's spread beyond its occupational origins. William Wooler, a 17th-century clergyman from Lancashire, made substantial contributions to local religious and community life, illustrating the surname's presence in various professional fields.

A more tragic figure is Samuel Wooler, a sailor born in 1823 who perished in a shipwreck off the coast of Nova Scotia. His grave site in Halifax is a testament to the reach of the surname beyond England due to migration and maritime activity.

The name Wooler, with its deep roots in English occupational terminology linked to the wool trade, reflects both a geographical and professional history that underscores its historical significance and spread across different regions and professions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wooler

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

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

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

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