2000
#17,170
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,522
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.56
Rare Last name
Ardon
A toponymic surname of French origin, derived from a place name meaning "dwelling on a hillside."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,327 Americans carry the last name Ardon. That puts it at #10,542 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.97 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 103,022 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ardon surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
3.3K
1 in 103,022
Census rank
#10,542
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,901 bearers of the surname Ardon in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.97 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10542nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ardon, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.3%. The next largest groups are White (4.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ardon
The surname Ardon has its origins in France, tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "ard," which means "high ground" or "hill." This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with people who lived in elevated areas or near hills.
One of the earliest records of the surname Ardon can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "de Ardone," indicating that it was likely a locational name referring to a specific place.
During the 12th century, the name Ardon was commonly found in the regions of Normandy and Brittany in northern France. It is possible that the name originated from a particular village or hamlet bearing a similar name, as was common during that era.
In the 13th century, records show a man named Raoul Ardon, who was a landowner and nobleman in the Normandy region. His birth and death years are unknown, but his existence suggests that the name was well-established among the aristocracy of the time.
Another notable bearer of the surname Ardon was Jean Ardon, a French poet and writer who lived from 1486 to 1543. He is best known for his collection of sonnets and his contributions to the Renaissance literary movement in France.
In the 16th century, the surname Ardon can be found in various records, including those of Guillaume Ardon, a merchant and trader who lived in Paris from 1532 to 1598.
During the 17th century, the name Ardon gained prominence in the military circles of France. Jacques Ardon, born in 1621 and died in 1691, was a distinguished officer in the French army and participated in several important battles of the era.
Another notable figure was Pierre Ardon, a French explorer and adventurer who lived from 1678 to 1745. He is known for his expeditions to the Americas and his detailed accounts of the indigenous peoples and lands he encountered.
Throughout its history, the surname Ardon has maintained a strong connection to its French roots, although it has also been carried by individuals in other parts of Europe and beyond. The name's association with elevated terrain and its long-standing presence in various historical records highlight its enduring legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ardon
Among Census respondents with the surname Ardon, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.3%. The next largest groups are White (4.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Ardon bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Ardon surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino92.3% · 2,679
- White4.9% · 142
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.2% · 34
- Black or African American1.1% · 32
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 7
- Two or more races0.2% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ardon
Ardon appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#11,069
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,870
+1,348 bearers (+88.6%)
Per 100,000 0.97
Rank movement Up 6,101 places
2020
#10,542
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,901
+31 bearers (+1.1%)
Per 100,000 0.97
Rank movement Up 527 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #17,170 | 1,522 | 0.56 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #11,069 | 2,870 | 0.97 | +1,348 bearers (+88.6%) | Up 6,101 places |
| 2020 | #10,542 | 2,901 | 0.97 | +31 bearers (+1.1%) | Up 527 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Ardon surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #11,069 | #10,542 | 4.8% |
| Count | 2,870 | 2,901 | 1.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.97 | 0.97 | 0.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ardon bearers went from 2,870 to 2,901 (+1.1% change). The surname moved up 527 positions in the national ranking, going from #11,069 to #10,542.
FAQ
Ardon surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ardon?
Name Census estimates that about 3,327 living Americans carry the surname Ardon. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 103,022 residents.
How common is Ardon?
Ardon ranks #10,542 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.97 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,901 people with the surname Ardon. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,327), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.97 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.97 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Ardon.
Has Ardon become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ardon went from 2,870 recorded bearers to 2,901. That is an increase of 31 (+1.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #11,069 to #10,542.
What does the Census say about the background of Ardon?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ardon, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.3%. The next largest groups are White (4.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.2%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Ardon in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.3% (2,679 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ardon appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (92.3%), White (4.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.2%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Ardon (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Ardon mean?
A toponymic surname of French origin, derived from a place name meaning "dwelling on a hillside." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Ardon (0.97 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Ardon?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.