2000
#2,363
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 14,038
First available Census row
Per 100,000 5.20
Uncommon Last name
Worthington
A locational surname referring to a town in England meaning "estate of Worth's people."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 15,888 Americans carry the last name Worthington. That puts it at #2,542 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 4.64 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 21,573 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Worthington surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Worthington with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
16K
1 in 21,573
Census rank
#2,542
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
4.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
14K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 13,855 bearers of the surname Worthington in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 4.64 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2542nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Worthington, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.3%. The next largest groups are Black (6.8%) and Two or More Races (4.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Worthington
The surname Worthington is of English origin, derived from the place name Worthington, which is found in several counties across England. The name has its roots in the Old English words "worð" meaning "enclosure" or "estate" and "tun" meaning "farm" or "settlement." The combination of these two words suggests that the name likely referred to a settlement or farmstead within an enclosed area or estate.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Worthington can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Werthinton" and "Uuordinctun." This ancient record provides evidence of the name's existence and its connection to specific locations during the Norman Conquest of England.
In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Wurdinton," "Wortington," and "Worthington," reflecting the evolving spellings and pronunciations of the time. During this period, the name was associated with several notable individuals, including Sir William Worthington (c. 1235-1311), a prominent landowner and knight from Cheshire.
As the surname spread across England, it became associated with different geographical locations, leading to variations in spelling and pronunciation. For example, in Lancashire, the name was often spelled "Worthington," while in Yorkshire, it was commonly written as "Warthington."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Worthington can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which documented landowners and their holdings. In this record, a Robert de Worthington is listed as holding property in Cheshire.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Worthington. One such person was Thomas Worthington (1549-1622), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the President of Douai College, a Catholic seminary in France.
Another prominent figure was John Worthington (1618-1671), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Jesus College, Cambridge. He was known for his theological writings and his efforts to promote religious tolerance during a period of significant religious upheaval in England.
In the realm of politics, Thomas Worthington (1773-1827) was an American statesman and the sixth Governor of Ohio. He played a significant role in the early development of the state and was instrumental in the establishment of several educational institutions, including Ohio University.
Moving into the 20th century, one notable bearer of the name was Edgar Burton Worthington (1905-1993), an American chemist and inventor known for his contributions to the development of the modern disposable razor blade.
These examples illustrate the diverse backgrounds and achievements of individuals who have carried the surname Worthington throughout history, reflecting the name's enduring presence across various fields and geographical regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Worthington
Among Census respondents with the surname Worthington, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.3%. The next largest groups are Black (6.8%) and Two or More Races (4.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Worthington bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Worthington surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White84.3% · 11,677
- Black or African American6.8% · 937
- Two or more races4.1% · 574
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 482
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 106
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 79
Timeline
Historical Census data for Worthington
Worthington appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#2,503
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 14,452
+414 bearers (+2.9%)
Per 100,000 4.90
Rank movement Down 140 places
2020
#2,542
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 13,855
-597 bearers (-4.1%)
Per 100,000 4.64
Rank movement Down 39 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,363 | 14,038 | 5.20 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,503 | 14,452 | 4.90 | +414 bearers (+2.9%) | Down 140 places |
| 2020 | #2,542 | 13,855 | 4.64 | -597 bearers (-4.1%) | Down 39 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Worthington surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,503 | #2,542 | -1.6% |
| Count | 14,452 | 13,855 | -4.1% |
| Per 100K | 4.90 | 4.64 | -5.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Worthington bearers went from 14,452 to 13,855 (-4.1% change). The surname moved down 39 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,503 to #2,542.
FAQ
Worthington surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Worthington?
Name Census estimates that about 15,888 living Americans carry the surname Worthington. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 21,573 residents.
How common is Worthington?
Worthington ranks #2,542 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 4.64 per 100,000 residents, which is about 5 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 13,855 people with the surname Worthington. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (15,888), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 4.64 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 4.64 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 5 of them to have the surname Worthington.
Has Worthington become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Worthington went from 14,452 recorded bearers to 13,855. That is a decrease of 597 (-4.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #2,503 to #2,542.
What does the Census say about the background of Worthington?
Among Census respondents with the surname Worthington, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.3%. The next largest groups are Black (6.8%) and Two or More Races (4.1%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Worthington in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.3% (11,677 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Worthington appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (84.3%), Black (6.8%), Two or More Races (4.1%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Worthington (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Worthington mean?
A locational surname referring to a town in England meaning "estate of Worth's people." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Worthington (4.64 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Worthington?
Find out how many people have the last name Worthington on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.