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

Bradshaw, 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 Bradshaw surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bradshaw in America

Bradshaw is the 818th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bradshaw surname appeared 42,465 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 14 people would have the surname Bradshaw.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bradshaw 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 Bradshaw

The surname Bradshaw has its origins in England and is derived from the Old English words "brad" and "sceaga", which together mean "broad wood" or "broad clearing in a wood". It is believed to have originated as a locational name, referring to someone who lived near a broad wooded area or clearing.

The name can be traced back to the 13th century, with early records showing variations in spelling such as Bradshawe, Bradshaghe, and Bradshaw. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir John Bradshaw, who was born in Cheshire, England, around 1300.

The Bradshaw name appears in the 1086 Domesday Book, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This suggests that the name was well-established by the 11th century.

One notable historical figure with the surname Bradshaw was John Bradshaw (1602-1659), an English lawyer and judge who became famous for presiding over the trial of King Charles I in 1649, which ultimately led to the monarch's execution.

In the 16th century, a branch of the Bradshaw family settled in Marple, Cheshire, where they became prominent landowners. One member of this family was Henry Bradshaw (1517-1568), who served as a Justice of the Peace and was known for his involvement in local affairs.

Another noteworthy individual was John Bradshaw (1602-1659), an English lawyer and judge who gained notoriety for presiding over the trial of King Charles I in 1649, which resulted in the monarch's execution.

In the 18th century, a famous bearer of the Bradshaw name was Henry Bradshaw (1734-1813), a British naturalist and collector of antiquities, who made significant contributions to the study of natural history and archaeology.

During the 19th century, a prominent figure was John Bradshaw (1786-1878), a British railway engineer who played a crucial role in the development of the early railway system in England, including the construction of the London and Birmingham Railway.

It is worth mentioning that the Bradshaw name has also been associated with several place names in England, such as Bradshaw Chapel in Lancashire and Bradshaw Brook in Cheshire, further solidifying its ties to the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bradshaw

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

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

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

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