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

Belden, 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 Belden surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Belden in America

Belden is the 7253rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Belden surname appeared 4,600 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Belden.

We can also compare 2010 data for Belden 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 Belden

The surname Belden is of English origin and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from a place name, originating from the Anglo-Saxon word "beld," meaning bold or prominent, and the word "dun," meaning hill or down. The name likely referred to someone who lived in the prominent hill or raised area.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Belden can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Beldedon." This entry suggests that the name may have originated from a settlement or location bearing the same or similar name.

In the 13th century, the name was commonly spelled as "Beldene" or "Beldon." Over time, it evolved into the modern spelling of "Belden." The name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, and Buckinghamshire in England.

One notable bearer of the Belden name was Sir Thomas Belden, who lived in the 15th century and served as a member of Parliament for Hertfordshire. Another early record of the name is found in the parish registers of St. Mary's Church in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, where a John Belden was baptized in 1562.

In the 17th century, the Belden family established themselves in New England, with William Belden being one of the first settlers of Wethersfield, Connecticut, in 1635. His descendants went on to become prominent members of the community, with several serving in various political and military roles.

Another notable figure with the Belden surname was Ezekiel Porter Belden (1824-1898), an American lawyer and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from New York from 1867 to 1871.

In the 19th century, Henry Belden (1800-1876) was a prominent American businessman and politician who served as the Mayor of Chicago from 1854 to 1855. He was also involved in the establishment of several railroads and played a crucial role in the development of the city.

The Belden surname has also been associated with various places and landmarks throughout history. For instance, Belden Hill in Connecticut and Belden Village in Ohio were named after individuals bearing the Belden name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Belden

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

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 Belden 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 Belden 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 Belden was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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