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

Works, 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 Works surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Works in America

Works is the 10857th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Works surname appeared 2,934 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 Works.

We can also compare 2010 data for Works 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 Works

The surname "Works" is of English origin and can be traced back to the late 13th century. It is an occupational name derived from the Middle English word "werk," which means "work" or "labor." The name likely referred to someone who worked in a specific trade or craft, such as a builder, carpenter, or blacksmith.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire from 1273, which mentions a person named Robert le Werk. The use of the prefix "le" before the surname indicates that it was an occupational name at the time.

Another early record of the name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which lists a person named John Werke. This variation in spelling was common during the Middle Ages, as surnames were not standardized until much later.

The surname "Works" may also have been derived from the place name Werk in Norfolk, which is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Werc." Some individuals may have taken the name from their place of origin or residence.

One notable historical figure with the surname "Works" was John Works (c. 1592-1645), an English Puritan clergyman and author who wrote several religious treatises. Another was George Works (1688-1753), a British politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Northampton from 1722 to 1727.

In the 17th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, such as Worke, Woorke, and Wourke. For example, Edward Worke (1610-1651) was an English clergyman and author who wrote against the Quakers.

Later on, in the 18th century, we find John Works (1701-1762), a Scottish minister and author who wrote on religious topics. In the same century, there was also Thomas Works (1742-1823), an English engraver and painter known for his portrait engravings.

As the centuries progressed, the surname "Works" spread across different regions of England and beyond, with individuals from various backgrounds and occupations bearing this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Works

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

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

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

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