Wylde last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Wylde

An English surname derived from the Old English word "wilde" meaning wild or savage.

Wylde, 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 Wylde surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wylde in America

Wylde is the 51396th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wylde surname appeared 405 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 Wylde.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wylde 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 51396 51583 -0.36%
Count 405 379 6.63%
Proportion per 100k 0.14 0.14 0.00%

The history of the last name Wylde

The surname Wylde has its origins in England and is primarily found in regions such as Yorkshire and Derbyshire. It dates back to the Middle Ages, with its earliest origins rooted in the Old English word "wilde," which means wild or untamed. This suggests that the name was likely used to describe someone who was untamed in spirit or lived near a wilderness.

The Wylde surname appears in several historical records and manuscripts, including the Domesday Book of 1086, which was commissioned by William the Conqueror. This extensive record listed many families and estates in England following the Norman Conquest. Although the surname Wylde itself is not directly mentioned in the Domesday Book, the name's usage began to emerge in subsequent centuries as surnames became more common.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the Wylde surname was in the 13th century. William Wylde is noted in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1273, which were a census-like record of property owners. This period marked the growing use of surnames for taxation and legal documentation purposes.

The 14th-century records show Thomas Wylde as a landowner in Derbyshire. His name appears in the 1327 Subsidy Rolls, which were tax records used by the crown. Such records help trace the movement and establishment of the Wylde family in various counties across England.

In the 16th century, Sir Edmund Wylde, born in 1490 and dying in 1560, served as a notable figure associated with the Wylde surname. He was a country gentleman and held significant landholdings, highlighting the family's continued prominence.

A later individual of note is Sir Robert Wylde, who lived during the reign of King James I. Born in 1562 and dying in 1622, he was a wealthy landowner and held the title of Knight. His presence in the socio-political landscape of his time underscores the lasting influence of the Wylde family.

The surname also appears in association with specific place names. Wylde Green, located in the West Midlands, is a notable example where the family's name is believed to have influenced the area's designation. This suggests a long-standing connection between the Wylde family and various localities within England.

In summary, the Wylde surname has deep roots in English history, originating from Old English and being associated with characteristics of the wild or untamed. The name appears in various historical records from the 13th century onwards, with individuals such as William Wylde, Thomas Wylde, Sir Edmund Wylde, and Sir Robert Wylde marking notable points of reference in its lineage. The association with place names like Wylde Green further reflects the family's historical significance and geographical spread.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wylde

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

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 Wylde was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 92.59% 375
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 1.23% 5
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 2.22% 9
Hispanic Origin 2.47% 10

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

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 92.59% 94.99% -2.56%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 1.23% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 2.22% 2.37% -6.54%
Hispanic 2.47% 1.58% 43.95%

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

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

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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!

"Wylde last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 16, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/wylde-surname-popularity/.

"Wylde last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/wylde-surname-popularity/. Accessed 16 July, 2025

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

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