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

Wooster, 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 Wooster surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wooster in America

Wooster is the 12757th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wooster surname appeared 2,419 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Wooster.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wooster 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 Wooster

The surname Wooster is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "Wudu-ceaster," meaning "wood-town" or "forest-town," referring to a settlement surrounded by or situated near a wooded area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England and parts of Wales commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a landowner named "Wudecestre" in the county of Worcestershire.

The name Wooster is closely linked to the city of Worcester, located in the West Midlands region of England. The city's name evolved from the Old English "Wudu-ceaster" to its modern form over the centuries. It is likely that some early bearers of the Wooster surname hailed from or had ties to this area.

During the 13th century, variations of the name such as "Wudecestre" and "Wodecestre" were commonly used. In the 14th century, spellings like "Wodechester" and "Wodecestr" appeared in historical records. By the 15th century, the spelling had become more standardized, with forms like "Wooster" and "Worcester" emerging.

Notable individuals with the surname Wooster include:

1. Sir Thomas Wooster (c. 1490-1554), an English politician and diplomat who served as Ambassador to France during the reign of Henry VIII.

2. John Wooster (1610-1678), an early settler in New England and one of the founders of the town of Milford, Connecticut.

3. David Wooster (1711-1777), an American soldier who served as a Brigadier General during the American Revolutionary War.

4. Mary Ann Wooster (1787-1859), a British writer and translator known for her work on French literature.

5. John Wooster (1846-1921), an American banker and philanthropist who donated funds for the establishment of Wooster College (now known as The College of Wooster) in Ohio.

The surname Wooster has maintained a presence throughout history, with bearers making contributions in various fields, including politics, military service, literature, and philanthropy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wooster

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

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

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

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