2000
#134,929
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Breaden
An English habitation surname derived from a place called Breaden.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Breaden. 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 Breaden 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
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 Breaden 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 Breaden, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.8%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Breaden
The surname BREADEN is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "bræden", which means "to braid" or "to plait". This occupational surname was initially given to those who worked as braiders or makers of braided products, such as ropes, baskets, or woven fabrics.
The name is believed to have originated in the county of Yorkshire, England, where many early records of the surname can be found. One of the earliest documented instances of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, which mentions a William Breaden.
In the 13th century, the name was also recorded in various forms, including Braden, Brayden, and Braydon, reflecting the variations in spelling that were common during that period. These variations likely arose due to the lack of standardized spelling and the influence of local dialects.
The BREADEN surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such individual was John Breaden, a prominent merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Drapers in London during the 16th century. Another notable BREADEN was William Breaden, a renowned clockmaker who lived in London in the 17th century and was responsible for several innovative timepiece designs.
In the 18th century, the BREADEN name was connected to the village of Braydon in Wiltshire, England, where several families bearing the surname resided. This association with a specific location further reinforces the name's English origins.
Other notable individuals with the surname BREADEN include Thomas Breaden (1765-1831), an English clergyman and author, and John Breaden (1834-1901), a British naturalist and explorer who traveled extensively in South America.
While the BREADEN surname may not be as widely known as some other English surnames, it has a rich history and a strong connection to the traditional crafts and occupations of England's past.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Breaden
Among Census respondents with the surname Breaden, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.8%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Breaden 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 Breaden surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.7% · 96
- Two or more races9.8% · 11
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 3
- Black or African American1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Breaden
Breaden 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
#152,628
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-8 bearers (-7.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 17,699 places
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
+5 bearers (+4.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,674 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #134,929 | 115 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #152,628 | 107 | 0.04 | -8 bearers (-7.0%) | Down 17,699 places |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+4.7%) | Up 4,674 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 Breaden 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 | #152,628 | #147,954 | 3.1% |
| Count | 107 | 112 | 4.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Breaden bearers went from 107 to 112 (+4.7% change). The surname moved up 4,674 positions in the national ranking, going from #152,628 to #147,954.
FAQ
Breaden surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Breaden?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Breaden. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Breaden?
Breaden 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 Breaden. 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 Breaden.
Has Breaden become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Breaden went from 107 recorded bearers to 112. That is an increase of 5 (+4.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #152,628 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Breaden?
Among Census respondents with the surname Breaden, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.8%) and Hispanic (2.7%). 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 Breaden in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.7% (96 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Breaden appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.7%), Two or More Races (9.8%), Hispanic (2.7%). 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 Breaden (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 Breaden mean?
An English habitation surname derived from a place called Breaden. 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 Breaden (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 have the last name Breaden?
You can see how many Americans have the surname Breaden on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.