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

Work, 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 Work surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Work in America

Work is the 8599th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Work surname appeared 3,828 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 Work.

We can also compare 2010 data for Work 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 Work

The surname "Work" is of English origin and dates back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "wyrc," which means "work" or "labor." This suggests that the name was initially used as an occupational surname for someone who performed manual labor or worked in a particular trade.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1197, where a person named William le Werk was mentioned. The prefix "le" was a common addition to surnames during that time, indicating the person's occupation or place of origin.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various spellings, such as "Werke," "Wurke," and "Wyrke," reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions of the time. These variations can be found in historical records like the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which mentions a Robert le Werke.

The surname "Work" has also been associated with place names, particularly in areas where there were significant settlements or communities of people with this occupation. For instance, in the Domesday Book of 1086, a place called "Werc" is mentioned, which could be related to the surname.

Notable individuals with the surname "Work" include:

1. John Work (c. 1470 - c. 1520), an English composer and church musician during the Renaissance period.
2. Robert Work (1550 - 1612), an English printer and publisher known for his work on the Geneva Bible.
3. Thomas Work (1611 - 1692), an English nonconformist minister and author.
4. Henry Work (1832 - 1916), an American composer best known for the hymn "Sweetly Sings the Donkey."
5. Hubert Work (1860 - 1942), an American politician who served as the United States Postmaster General and Secretary of the Interior.

Over time, the surname "Work" has spread across various regions and countries, particularly in areas where English settlers and immigrants established communities. While the name may have evolved slightly in spelling and pronunciation, its origins remain rooted in the occupational traditions of medieval England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Work

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

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

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

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