2000
#4,080
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,031
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.98
Rare Last name
Caudle
An occupational surname for a maker or seller of warm, sweetened drinks, particularly spiced ale or wine.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 8,857 Americans carry the last name Caudle. That puts it at #4,452 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.58 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 38,699 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Caudle 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Caudle with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
8.9K
1 in 38,699
Census rank
#4,452
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
7.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 7,724 bearers of the surname Caudle in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.58 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 4452nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Caudle, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.5%. The next largest groups are Black (13.8%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Caudle
The surname CAUDLE has its origins in the medieval English language. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "caudel" or "caudell", which referred to a warm, nourishing drink made from gruel or oatmeal that was often spiced and sweetened.
The name CAUDLE is thought to have first appeared in the English counties of Norfolk and Suffolk during the 13th century. These areas were known for their agricultural traditions, and it is likely that the name was initially associated with individuals who were involved in the production or preparation of the caudel drink.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the CAUDLE surname can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Norfolk from 1327, which list a William Caudel as a taxpayer. The name also appears in various other medieval records, including the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1387, where a John Caudell is mentioned.
During the 15th century, the CAUDLE surname began to spread across England, with notable bearers of the name emerging in different regions. One such person was Robert Caudle, a merchant from Bristol who was born around 1440 and played a significant role in the city's trade with France and Spain.
In the 16th century, the CAUDLE surname was further established, and it is recorded in various parish registers and historical documents. One notable figure from this period was John Caudle, a Protestant martyr who was burned at the stake in Norwich in 1555 during the reign of Queen Mary I.
The 17th century saw the emergence of several noteworthy individuals with the CAUDLE surname. One of them was Thomas Caudle, a renowned English printer and publisher who was active in London between 1630 and 1670. He was responsible for printing numerous important works, including texts by renowned authors such as John Milton and John Bunyan.
Another prominent figure from this era was Sir William Caudle, a member of the English gentry who lived in Hertfordshire. He was born in 1620 and served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Hertford in the late 17th century.
As the CAUDLE surname continued to spread across England and into other parts of the British Isles, it underwent various spelling variations, including Caudell, Caudill, and Cauldwell. These variations often reflected regional dialects and differences in pronunciation.
While the CAUDLE surname may have originated from a humble association with a simple drink, it has since been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including merchants, printers, politicians, and even martyrs. The name's rich history and diverse bearers reflect the fascinating tapestry of English heritage and cultural traditions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Caudle
Among Census respondents with the surname Caudle, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.5%. The next largest groups are Black (13.8%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Caudle 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 Caudle surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White76.5% · 5,909
- Black or African American13.8% · 1,066
- Two or more races4.7% · 366
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 260
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 73
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 50
Timeline
Historical Census data for Caudle
Caudle 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
#4,346
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,167
+136 bearers (+1.7%)
Per 100,000 2.77
Rank movement Down 266 places
2020
#4,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,724
-443 bearers (-5.4%)
Per 100,000 2.58
Rank movement Down 106 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #4,080 | 8,031 | 2.98 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #4,346 | 8,167 | 2.77 | +136 bearers (+1.7%) | Down 266 places |
| 2020 | #4,452 | 7,724 | 2.58 | -443 bearers (-5.4%) | Down 106 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 Caudle 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 | #4,346 | #4,452 | -2.4% |
| Count | 8,167 | 7,724 | -5.4% |
| Per 100K | 2.77 | 2.58 | -6.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Caudle bearers went from 8,167 to 7,724 (-5.4% change). The surname moved down 106 positions in the national ranking, going from #4,346 to #4,452.
FAQ
Caudle surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Caudle?
Name Census estimates that about 8,857 living Americans carry the surname Caudle. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 38,699 residents.
How common is Caudle?
Caudle ranks #4,452 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.58 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 7,724 people with the surname Caudle. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (8,857), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.58 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.58 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Caudle.
Has Caudle become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Caudle went from 8,167 recorded bearers to 7,724. That is a decrease of 443 (-5.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #4,346 to #4,452.
What does the Census say about the background of Caudle?
Among Census respondents with the surname Caudle, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.5%. The next largest groups are Black (13.8%) and Two or More Races (4.7%). 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 Caudle in the 2020 Census, accounting for 76.5% (5,909 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Caudle appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (76.5%), Black (13.8%), Two or More Races (4.7%). 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 Caudle (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 Caudle mean?
An occupational surname for a maker or seller of warm, sweetened drinks, particularly spiced ale or wine. 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 Caudle (2.58 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 share the surname Caudle?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.