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

Colden, 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 Colden surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Colden in America

Colden is the 46138th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Colden surname appeared 462 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Colden.

We can also compare 2010 data for Colden 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 Colden

The surname Colden is of English origin and dates back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "cald," meaning cold, and was likely an occupational name for someone who lived or worked in a cold area, such as a hill or exposed region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Colden can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions a landowner named Coluine de Colden in Derbyshire. This suggests that the name was already established by the 11th century and may have been associated with a particular location or estate.

In the 13th century, records show a family named Colden residing in Lancashire, where they held lands near the town of Colden. This place name, which shares its roots with the surname, further reinforces the connection between the name and a geographic location.

During the 16th century, the surname Colden gained prominence with the birth of Cadwallader Colden (1688-1776), a Scottish-American physician, philosopher, and lieutenant governor of New York. He was a prominent figure in colonial America and made significant contributions to the scientific community.

Another notable individual bearing the surname Colden was Sir John Colden (1646-1701), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for the constituency of Essex in the late 17th century.

In the 18th century, the name Colden appeared in various records across England, with variations in spelling such as Coldan, Coldaine, and Coldane. This suggests that the name had spread to different regions and underwent minor alterations over time.

Other individuals of historical significance with the surname Colden include:

1. Reverend Cadwallader Colden II (1722-1797), son of Cadwallader Colden and a prominent Anglican clergyman in New York.
2. David Colden (1733-1834), an American soldier and politician who served in the American Revolutionary War.
3. Alexander Colden (1748-1828), a British military officer and surveyor who served in Canada during the late 18th century.
4. Jane Colden (1724-1766), an American botanist and the daughter of Cadwallader Colden, known for her contributions to the study of plant life in colonial America.

While the surname Colden has evolved over time and spread to various parts of the world, its origins can be traced back to medieval England, where it likely emerged as a descriptive name reflecting geographic or occupational associations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Colden

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

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

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

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