Westerfield
A surname built from the elements “west” and “field,” likely referring to someone from or near a western field or settlement.
The #8,753 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 82,376 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Westerfield is an English surname formed from west + field. In its simplest sense, it means “western field” or “field to the west,” and it may originally have referred to a person who lived by such a place or came from one. The name could also be tied to a minor locality or farm-name built from the same elements.
History
The available historical excerpt only mentions Westerfield in a list of related surnames, not as a full dictionary entry, so the derivation here is based on standard surname patterns. Names of this type were especially prone to independent formation in England and later in North America. Modern U.S. bearers likely descend from one or more unrelated family lines rather than a single medieval founder.
Origin
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Fun fact
Westerfield is part of a larger family of “West-” surnames that often describe direction, location, or landscape rather than kinship.
From the historical record
“its preacher Wesley. Rev. Mr. Westbrook is settled at Philadelphia. In New York I find families of Westbrook, Westall, Wester, Westerfield, West- ERMAN, Westfall, Westfield, W^estlake, Westman, Westwood, &c. Our Mr. Westwood died in 1758. Mr. NoRTHWooD lives at Thamesville, C.W. ; Mr. SouTHwooD, at Toronto, C.W. …”
— Suffolk Surnames (3rd ed.)