Find out how popular the last name Badger is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Badger.

Badger, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Badger surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Badger in America

Badger is the 4442nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Badger surname appeared 7,987 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Badger.

We can also compare 2010 data for Badger to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Badger

The surname BADGER is of English origin, derived from the Middle English word "bager" or "badger," which referred to the small furry mammal known for digging burrows. The name likely emerged as a descriptive nickname or occupational name for someone who trapped or hunted badgers.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname BADGER date back to the 13th century. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William le Badger, mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1273. The Hundred Rolls of 1275 also record a Richard le Badgere from Oxfordshire.

The BADGER surname is believed to have originated in various regions of England, particularly in counties such as Staffordshire, Oxfordshire, and Derbyshire, where badgers were more prevalent. The name may have also derived from certain place names containing the word "badger," such as Badger Hill in Shropshire or Badger's Cross in Somerset.

In the 14th century, the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire mentioned a John Badger in 1327. The name also appeared in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, with a record of Johanna Badgere.

One notable early bearer of the BADGER surname was Sir John Badger (c. 1460-1518), an English landowner and member of the gentry from Wolverton, Dorset. He served as Sheriff of Dorset and Somerset in 1497.

Another well-known figure with the BADGER surname was Richard Badger (c. 1575-1635), an English printer and bookseller from London. He was a prominent publisher of theological works and served as the printer to the University of Cambridge.

In the 17th century, a significant bearer of the name was Thomas Badger (c. 1612-1685), an English clergyman and academic. He was a fellow of Wadham College, Oxford, and served as the vicar of Britwell Salome in Oxfordshire.

The BADGER surname has also had notable bearers in more recent centuries. John Badger (1788-1846) was an English engraver and artist known for his landscape paintings and engravings of English scenery.

Another prominent individual with the surname was Algernon Badger (1823-1889), an English scientist and chemist. He was a fellow of the Royal Society and made significant contributions to the study of organic chemistry.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Badger

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Badger.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Badger was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Badger has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Badger was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Badger, please contact us.

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