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

Worlds, 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 Worlds surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Worlds in America

Worlds is the 37288th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Worlds surname appeared 598 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 Worlds.

We can also compare 2010 data for Worlds 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 Worlds

The surname Worlds has a history that is somewhat elusive, making its etymology and origins a fascinating subject for study. The name is thought to have originated from England, possibly during the Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th century. It is considered to be a locative surname, which means it was likely derived from a geographical feature or location. The base component of this name is "World," which could be traced back to the Old English word "weorold," meaning "world" or "age." It might have originated from a place perceived to be 'between worlds' or from an ancient term depicting a significant landmark or a public meeting area.

The surname Worlds is relatively rare and appears infrequently in medieval records. However, it can occasionally be found in old manuscripts and cartularies of the period. One early reference to a similar name appears in the Middle English parliamentary rolls, where a Thomas de Worreld was recorded in the late 13th century. This suggests that the name may have evolved from variations like Worreld, Worlde, or even Wurld.

Further evidence of its peculiar rarity can be found in the records of the Domesday Book, although the exact spelling Worlds is not documented. One of the earliest definite occurrences of the surname Worlds appears in parish records from the 16th century. In the year 1587, a John Worlds is noted in the church register in Kent, England. The mention indicates that the surname was recognized and registered within local governance at the time.

One notable figure bearing the surname Worlds was Edmund Worlds, born in 1611 and dying in 1688. He gained some prominence as a local landowner and benefactor in Sussex. Despite his moderate influence, not much is comprehensively documented about his legacy, though his contributions to local parish undertakings were noted in records from 1672.

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, the surname remained relatively scarce. However, records from this period identify individuals such as Catherine Worlds, born in 1763 in Lancashire, who had a noteworthy presence in regional historical documents due to her involvement in local businesses. Another record from the late 18th century mentions a Thomas Worlds, a barrister born in 1792, who became notable within legal circles in London.

In the American colonies, the name began appearing in the early 19th century. Charles Worlds, born in 1824, was an early settler in Pennsylvania. He is considered one of the progenitors of the Worlds family in America and engaged in local agriculture and trade, leaving behind a legacy captured in the 1850 federal records.

As the surname evolved, modifications and regional variations continued, but its unique presence has persisted through centuries, marking its bearers with a distinct heritage traceable to medieval England, albeit through sporadic and scattered documentation.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Worlds

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

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

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

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