2000
#148,244
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Bawdon
A locative surname derived from a place name, potentially referring to someone from Bowdon, Cheshire or Bawdon, West Yorkshire.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Bawdon. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bawdon 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Bawdon with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Bawdon in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bawdon, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (13.4%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bawdon
The surname Bawdon is of English origin, with roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from a place name, potentially derived from the Old English words "bald" and "dun," which together could mean "bold hill" or "bare hill." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with a geographic location characterized by a prominent, sparsely vegetated hill or elevated terrain.
Records indicate that the earliest known instances of the surname Bawdon can be found in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable example is the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1297, which mentions a John de Baldon, likely an early spelling variation of the name. Additionally, the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire from 1335 reference a William Bawdon, providing further evidence of the surname's usage during that era.
In the 15th century, the name Bawdon appeared in various historical records, such as the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where a Thomas Bawdon was mentioned in 1465. This suggests that individuals bearing this surname may have resided in or had connections to the Yorkshire region during that time period.
One notable individual with the surname Bawdon was Sir Henry Bawdon (1545-1612), who served as a Member of Parliament for Aldborough in Yorkshire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He was a prominent figure in local politics and held positions of authority in his community.
Another historically significant figure was Thomas Bawdon (1630-1696), a Catholic priest and historian who authored several works on the history of the Catholic Church in England. His contributions to documenting the religious landscape of his era make him a notable individual associated with this surname.
In the 18th century, the name Bawdon appeared in various parish records and legal documents across various counties in England, including Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, and Derbyshire. This suggests that individuals bearing this surname had established themselves in various regions of the country by that time.
One noteworthy individual from this period was John Bawdon (1735-1811), a successful merchant and landowner who amassed considerable wealth through his business ventures. His descendants continued to hold influence and prominence in their local communities, further solidifying the Bawdon name in the historical records.
As the centuries progressed, the surname Bawdon maintained its presence in various regions of England, with individuals bearing this name contributing to various fields and professions. While the exact origins of the name may be subject to scholarly debate, its enduring presence in historical records attests to its significance and longevity as a surname within English society.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bawdon
Among Census respondents with the surname Bawdon, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (13.4%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Bawdon 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 Bawdon surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.9% · 94
- Hispanic or Latino13.4% · 15
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.8% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bawdon
Bawdon 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
#149,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+8 bearers (+7.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,151 places
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
+2 bearers (+1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 1,441 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #148,244 | 102 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | +8 bearers (+7.8%) | Down 1,151 places |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.8%) | Up 1,441 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 Bawdon 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 | #149,395 | #147,954 | 1.0% |
| Count | 110 | 112 | 1.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bawdon bearers went from 110 to 112 (+1.8% change). The surname moved up 1,441 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #147,954.
FAQ
Bawdon surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bawdon?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Bawdon. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Bawdon?
Bawdon ranks #147,954 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 112 people with the surname Bawdon. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Bawdon.
Has Bawdon become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bawdon went from 110 recorded bearers to 112. That is an increase of 2 (+1.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #149,395 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Bawdon?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bawdon, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (13.4%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.8%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Bawdon in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.9% (94 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bawdon appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (83.9%), Hispanic (13.4%), American Indian/Alaska Native (1.8%). 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 Bawdon (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 Bawdon mean?
A locative surname derived from a place name, potentially referring to someone from Bowdon, Cheshire or Bawdon, West Yorkshire. 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 Bawdon (0.04 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 are called Bawdon?
See how many people have the last name Bawdon on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.