Woulard last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Woulard

A surname derived from the Old French term "wulder" meaning "to wish" or "to desire".

Woulard, 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 Woulard surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Woulard in America

Woulard is the 55619th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Woulard surname appeared 369 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 Woulard.

We can also compare 2010 data for Woulard 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 55619 53047 4.73%
Count 369 366 0.82%
Proportion per 100k 0.13 0.14 -7.41%

The history of the last name Woulard

The surname Woulard has its origins in medieval England, dating back to the early Middle Ages. It is believed to have emerged around the 12th and 13th centuries, a common period for the development of hereditary surnames in England. The name likely originated in the county of Lancashire or its neighboring areas. The regions of England where this surname was initially found were typically agricultural communities, which allowed the name to evolve from occupational or descriptive origins.

The name Woulard is thought to be derived from older words in Old English or Old Norse. It may be a variant of the Old English personal name Wulfheard, composed of the elements 'wulf,' meaning wolf, and 'heard,' meaning hardy or brave. Such a name would have conferred a sense of strength and bravery onto its bearer, indicative of the warrior culture of the time. Another possibility is a derivation from the Old Norse name Ulleif, blending 'ulf' (wolf) and 'leifr' (descendant or heir). The surname could also be associated with the Anglo-Saxon tradition of naming based on characteristics or occupational roles.

Historical records indicate mentions of the surname Woulard in medieval manuscripts and records. One of the earliest examples is found in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire in 1193, where a William Woulard is documented as holding land. This record suggests that the Woulard family was of some standing, likely involved in local governance or landholding. Another early instance appears in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, listing a John Woulard in Yorkshire, pointing to the spread of the surname beyond its initial locale.

Notably, the name appears in various spellings over the centuries, reflecting the shifts in language and record-keeping practices. By the 14th century, the surname is seen in parish records, often with varied spelling such as Wulard, Wollard, and Wolard. These variations are typical of the period, as spelling was not standardized and often reflected phonetic interpretations by scribes.

An influential historical figure with the surname was Richard Woulard, born in 1538 and recorded in the annals of Lancashire as a prominent landowner and magistrate. Another notable bearer was Anne Woulard, who lived from 1604 to 1672; she is mentioned in local histories for her charitable works and contributions to the construction of a church in her village.

During the 17th century, a significant family member was Thomas Woulard, born in 1645, who migrated to the American colonies, contributing to the spread of the surname beyond England. His descendants continued to use the name, and records from the early 18th century show Woulard families establishing homesteads in Virginia and later, North Carolina.

In the 19th century, the name continued to feature prominently in local English records. Sarah Woulard, born in 1821, became known for her part in the suffrage movement in Manchester, advocating for women's rights. She is recorded in various historical narratives and was an inspirational figure in local circles.

The surname Woulard encapsulates a rich history of resilience and adaptability, seen in its medieval origins and subsequent spread to other parts of the world. In conclusion, the Woulard name is a fascinating example of how medieval surnames developed, persisted, and adapted through centuries of change.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Woulard

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

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 Woulard was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 4.34% 16
Non-Hispanic Black Only 92.41% 341
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 2.17% 8

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 Woulard has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 4.34% 4.92% -12.53%
Black 92.41% 91.80% 0.66%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% 0.00% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races (S)% 3.01% (S)%
Hispanic 2.17% (S)% (S)%

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Woulard last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/woulard-surname-popularity/.

"Woulard last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/woulard-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 November, 2024

Woulard last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/woulard-surname-popularity/.

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.