Washington

From WikiName

 |male

ORIGIN AND HISTORY

The surname Washington is a regional surname for people from the settlement of Wassa. “Ton” means “town,” and “Washing” derives from “Wassa,” which may have been a given name meaning “hunt” or “victory.” There were several places in Old England named Washington, including one in West Sussex and one in Tyne and Wear.^[1] The surname Washington can be traced back to Lancashire shortly after the Norman Conquest of 1066.^[1]

Other sources cite the meaning of the name as “clever man’s settlement.”^[1]

Washington was a surname taken on by many freed slaves after the Civil War. It was common for former slaves to take the name of a prominent historical figure: in this case George Washington, the first American president.^[1]

Children with the first name Washington are likely namesakes to George Washington.

POPULARITY

As a first name, Washington was popular in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In 1880 it ranked number 355, indicating that it had likely been popular for many years before records began to be kept. Washington last appeared on the chart in 1921 at number 907.^[1]

As a surname, Washington is very common in the United States. According to WhitePages.com, it ranks as the 229th most common name. The highest concentration of people with the last name Washington is in Texas, followed by Louisiana, Georgia and South Carolina.^[1] Within Texas, it is the 143rd most common surname.^[1]

In the late 19th century, most people with the last name Washington in the UK could be found in the northern part of England, especially in Yorkshire, Lancashire and Cheshire.^[1]

FACTS

• Washington D.C. is the capital of the United States. D.C. stands for "District of Columbia," and it is located on the Potomac River between Virginia and Maryland. In addition to the capital building, Washington D.C. houses the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institution, the White House and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, as well as numerous other important government buildings and memorials.^[1]
• Washington is a state in the northwest area of United States. It became a state in 1889, and is the only U.S. state that is named after a President. The capital is Olympia, and the highest mountain in Mount Rainer (elevation 14,410 feet). Washington is also the home of Seattle (population 582,174^[1]) and the famous volcano Mount St. Helens.^[1]

NAMESAKES

• There are more than 30 cities in the United States named Washington, as well as several islands, lakes and mountains. There are also cities named Washington in Argentina, Bolivia, Cuba, Ireland and South Africa.^[1]
• Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri
• Washington College, Maryland
• Washington and Lee University, Virginia

FAMOUS PERSONS

• George Washington: first president of the United States (born February 22, 1732)
• Martha Washington: first US first lady (born June 2, 1731)
• Booker T. Washington: civil rights leader (born April 5, 1856)
• Denzel Washington: actor (born December 28, 1954)
• Grover Washington Jr.: Jazz musician (born December 12, 1943)
• Herb Washington: baseball player (born December 16, 1951)
• Isaiah Washington: actor (born August 3, 1963)
• George Washington Carver: botanist (born July 12, 1864)
• Washington Irving: author (born April 3, 1783)
• Washington Luís Pereira de Sousa: Brazilian president (born October 26, 1869)
• Washington César Santos: Brazilian soccer player (born January 3, 1960)

NOTES

OTHER WASHINGTON'S

Washington Acosta, Washington Ahl, Washington Alava, Washington Alban, Washington Ale, Washington Alesia, Washington Ali, Washington Alulema, Washington Alvarado, Washington Alves, Washington Alvez, Washington Alvia, Washington Ameperosa, Washington Ampudia, Washington Andia, Washington Andrew, Washington Annemarie, Washington Annette, Washington Anthony, Washington Antunez, Washington Apunte, Washington Adams, Washington Aellen, Washington Ainzua, Washington Albarracin, Washington Alexander, Washington Alexis, Washington Alton, Washington Amy, Washington Andrades, Washington Angela, Washington Aragon, Washington Aramburo, Washington Abanto, Washington Acuna, Washington Aguilar, Washington Aguirre, Washington Agurto, Washington Albano, Washington Alice, Washington Allen, Washington Almeida, Washington Anderson, Washington Andrade, Washington Andrea, Washington Angelita, Washington Angell, Washington Angulo, Washington Aquanetta, Washington Badger, More results

Author: Sarena Emily Levinson