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

Dread, 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 Dread surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dread in America

Dread is the 133048th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dread surname appeared 127 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 Dread.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dread 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 Dread

The surname Dread originated from the Old English word "drēd" or "drǣd," meaning fear, dread, or terror. It is believed to have first emerged in England during the Anglo-Saxon period, around the 5th to 11th centuries AD. The name likely referred to someone who possessed a fearsome or formidable demeanor or personality.

During the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century, the surname Dread was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and their holdings commissioned by William the Conqueror. This suggests that individuals bearing this surname were established landowners or influential figures at the time.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Dread can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire, dated around 1182, where a certain Richard Dread is listed. Another early record is from the Curia Regis Rolls of Norfolk in 1201, which mentions a John Dread.

In the 13th century, the surname Dread was associated with various place names in England, such as Dread Hall in Gloucestershire and Dread Court in Kent. These place names likely derived from individuals bearing the surname Dread who owned or resided in those locations.

Notable individuals with the surname Dread throughout history include:

1. Sir Thomas Dread (c. 1350 - 1410), an English knight and landowner during the reign of King Richard II.
2. William Dread (c. 1480 - 1558), a prominent merchant and alderman in the City of London during the Tudor period.
3. Elizabeth Dread (c. 1520 - 1586), an English noblewoman and landowner known for her involvement in religious disputes during the Protestant Reformation.
4. John Dread (c. 1605 - 1672), an English Puritan minister and author who wrote extensively on theological matters.
5. Samuel Dread (c. 1670 - 1738), a renowned English architect and surveyor who designed several churches and public buildings in London in the early 18th century.

The surname Dread has evolved over time, with various spellings emerging, such as Dredde, Dreddy, and Dreddie. However, the core meaning and origin of the name have remained consistent, reflecting its Anglo-Saxon roots and association with a fearsome or formidable presence.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dread

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

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

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

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