The West surname
In the 2010 U.S. Census, 195,818 people carried this name — #125 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 1,510 people counted. That is up 4% from 188,464 in 2000.
In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890
Ireland registered 26 births for the West name in 1890.
They were registered in all four provinces, most of all in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 1,200 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they were born, 1890
Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.
In Argentina’s national register
At least 361 people named West live in Argentina.
RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they live today
RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.
In France’s civil register
France’s register of deaths holds 164 people named West.
63 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 20 départements, most often Nord.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they were born
Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.
In Switzerland’s population statistics
148 people named West live in Switzerland.
They live in 14 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.
In Belgium’s population register
At least 78 people named West live in Belgium.
Statbel only publishes a name in a municipality when five or more people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in East Flanders.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
Statbel (Statistics Belgium), family names of the population by municipality, 1 January 2026 — CC BY 4.0.
In Poland’s population register
48 people named West have a registered home in Poland.
Of the 120 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in 10 of Poland’s 16 voivodeships, most of all in Łódź.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
PESEL register, Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland (dane.gov.pl) — CC0 · living people by voivodeship of permanent residence, 20 January 2026.
In the Nordic population registers
1,338 people named West are counted in Sweden and Finland.
Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published. Finland counts its citizens, at home or abroad.
Counted, by country
Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown) · Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland, surname statistics, August 2026 — CC BY 4.0.
In print
West in American newspapers,
1903–1909.
Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 14,211,568 pages in all carry the name.
Who carried it
People named West,
with a public archive behind them.
-
Benjamin West 1738–1820 · artist -
Hans West 1758–1811 · botanist -
Sarah West 1790–1876 · actor -
Henry F. West 1796–1856 · politician -
William West 1801–1861 · painter
Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons (CC0) · 178 lives in all are documented under this name.
Nearby in the index
Surnames next to West.
- Wertheimer 1,116 · U.S. census
- Werts 1,993 · U.S. census
- Wertz 8,198 · U.S. census
- Wery 607 · U.S. census
- Wesolek 414 · U.S. census
- Wesolowski 3,204 · U.S. census
- Wester 5,187 · U.S. census
- Westermann 761 · U.S. census
- Westermeyer 462 · U.S. census
- Westphal 7,101 · U.S. census
- Westrich 480 · U.S. census
- Wetta 243 · U.S. census
When the index is not enough
This page says where West is.
A volume says what happened to it.
Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.