2000
#9,128
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,286
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.22
Rare Last name
Bridwell
Derived from a place name meaning "dweller by the bride's spring or stream" in Old English.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,280 Americans carry the last name Bridwell. That puts it at #10,670 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.96 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 104,498 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bridwell 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
3.3K
1 in 104,498
Census rank
#10,670
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,860 bearers of the surname Bridwell in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.96 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10670th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bridwell, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.1%) and Hispanic (2.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bridwell
The surname Bridwell is of English origin, with its roots tracing back to the medieval era. It is believed to have derived from a place name, likely a combination of two Old English words, "bri" meaning "bridge" and "well," signifying a water source or spring. This suggests that the name may have been associated with a location near a well or a settlement situated by a bridge.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a manuscript compiled in 1086 by order of King William the Conqueror, which documented landowners and tenants throughout England. This historical record mentions individuals bearing variations of the name, such as Bridewell and Brideswell, indicating the surname's longevity.
During the 13th century, the surname Bridwell appeared in various administrative and legal documents, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which listed individuals in various counties across England. This further solidified the name's presence in the region.
In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the surname Bridwell was John Bridwell (c. 1513-1573), an English Catholic priest and martyr who was executed during the Protestant Reformation for refusing to renounce his faith. His steadfastness in the face of persecution has become an integral part of the Bridwell family legacy.
Another historical figure was Sir Orlando Bridgeman Bridwell (1609-1674), an English lawyer and politician who served as Lord Keeper of the Great Seal during the reign of King Charles II. His contributions to the legal and political spheres of his time have been well-documented.
In the 18th century, the Bridwell name continued to appear in various records, with notable individuals such as Samuel Bridwell (1738-1823), an English clergyman and author who published several works on theology and ecclesiastical history.
The 19th century saw the emergence of John Bridwell (1801-1879), an American farmer and politician who served as a member of the Texas House of Representatives, representing Fayette County.
As the centuries progressed, the Bridwell surname spread across different regions, with variations in spelling and pronunciation emerging. However, its origin remained firmly rooted in the English tradition, reflecting the rich history and heritage of this distinctive family name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bridwell
Among Census respondents with the surname Bridwell, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.1%) and Hispanic (2.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Bridwell 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 Bridwell surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.9% · 2,601
- Two or more races3.1% · 88
- Hispanic or Latino2.4% · 69
- Black or African American1.9% · 53
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.1% · 31
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 18
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bridwell
Bridwell 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
#10,167
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,173
-113 bearers (-3.4%)
Per 100,000 1.08
Rank movement Down 1,039 places
2020
#10,670
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,860
-313 bearers (-9.9%)
Per 100,000 0.96
Rank movement Down 503 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,128 | 3,286 | 1.22 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,167 | 3,173 | 1.08 | -113 bearers (-3.4%) | Down 1,039 places |
| 2020 | #10,670 | 2,860 | 0.96 | -313 bearers (-9.9%) | Down 503 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 Bridwell 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 | #10,167 | #10,670 | -4.9% |
| Count | 3,173 | 2,860 | -9.9% |
| Per 100K | 1.08 | 0.96 | -11.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bridwell bearers went from 3,173 to 2,860 (-9.9% change). The surname moved down 503 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,167 to #10,670.
FAQ
Bridwell surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bridwell?
Name Census estimates that about 3,280 living Americans carry the surname Bridwell. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 104,498 residents.
How common is Bridwell?
Bridwell ranks #10,670 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.96 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,860 people with the surname Bridwell. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,280), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.96 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.96 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Bridwell.
Has Bridwell become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bridwell went from 3,173 recorded bearers to 2,860. That is a decrease of 313 (-9.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #10,167 to #10,670.
What does the Census say about the background of Bridwell?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bridwell, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.1%) and Hispanic (2.4%). 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 Bridwell in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.9% (2,601 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bridwell appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.9%), Two or More Races (3.1%), Hispanic (2.4%). 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 Bridwell (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 Bridwell mean?
Derived from a place name meaning "dweller by the bride's spring or stream" in Old English. 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 Bridwell (0.96 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 Bridwell?
Want to know how many people have the last name Bridwell? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.