Explore the Family Name Welford
The meaning of Welford
English: 1. habitational name from any of the places called Welford, of which there are instances in Berkshire, Gloucestershire, Northamptonshire, and elsewhere. The first is named from Old English welig ‘willow’ + ford ‘ford’; the latter two seem to have the first element well(a) ‘spring, stream’ + ford. 2. in north eastern England it is an altered form of Middle English wel (y)fed ‘well fed’, via intermediate forms such as Welfett, Welfit, and Welfoot.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Welford in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Welford has seen a slight downward trend between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the surname ranked 37,640 in terms of popularity, but by 2010 it had slipped to 42,640—a decrease of 13.28 percent. The count of individuals with this surname likewise decreased from 556 to 508, a drop of 8.63 percent. The proportion of people named Welford per 100,000 members of the population also declined, falling from 0.21 in 2000 to 0.17 in 2010, a dip of 19.05 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #37,640 | #42,640 | -13.28% |
| Count | 556 | 508 | -8.63% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.21 | 0.17 | -19.05% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Welford
Turning to the ethnic identity associated with the surname Welford, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some shifts over the decade. In 2000, the majority of those with the last name Welford identified as White (85.25 percent), but by 2010, that percentage had decreased to 78.35 percent. There was an increase in those identifying as Black, rising from 12.41 percent in 2000 to 16.93 percent in 2010. Those identifying with two or more races also saw a significant rise, jumping from 1.08 percent in 2000 to 1.97 percent in 2010. Similarly, the proportion of people with the surname Welford identifying as Hispanic nearly doubled from 1.08 percent in 2000 to 2.36 percent in 2010. No change was noted in the categories of Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 85.25% | 78.35% | -8.09% |
| Black | 12.41% | 16.93% | 36.42% |
| Hispanic | 1.08% | 2.36% | 118.52% |
| Two or More Races | 1.08% | 1.97% | 82.41% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |