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

Caudill, 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 Caudill surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Caudill in America

Caudill is the 1913th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Caudill surname appeared 18,822 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Caudill.

We can also compare 2010 data for Caudill 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 Caudill

The surname Caudill is believed to have originated in the region of modern-day France and England during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French word "caudel," which means "warm drink" or "caudle." This name likely referred to an occupation or profession related to the preparation or serving of warm beverages.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Caudill can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholdings and taxable resources in England compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book mentions a person named Richard Caudell, which is believed to be an early spelling variation of the Caudill surname.

In the 13th century, records show a William Caudel residing in Buckinghamshire, England. During this time, the name was also found in various forms, such as Caudell, Caudwell, and Caudray, reflecting the regional variations in spelling and pronunciation.

As time passed, the Caudill surname spread across different parts of Europe and eventually made its way to the Americas. One notable bearer of this name was John Caudill, who was born in Virginia in the late 17th century and played a significant role in the early settlement of the American frontier.

Another individual of historical importance was William Caudill (1809-1874), a prominent American politician and lawyer from Kentucky. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives and was a vocal advocate for the Union during the American Civil War.

In the realm of literature, the name Caudill is associated with Rebecca Caudill (1899-1985), an American author and teacher renowned for her children's books, including the Newbery Honor-winning novel "Tree of Freedom."

Other notable figures with the Caudill surname include Harry Milton Caudill (1922-1990), an American author and historian known for his works on the Appalachian region, and William Waitman Caudill (1857-1926), a West Virginia politician who served as a United States Senator.

While the Caudill name has undergone various spelling changes throughout history, its origins can be traced back to the Old French word "caudel," reflecting the rich cultural and linguistic influences that have shaped this surname over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Caudill

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

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

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

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