2000
#7,193
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,279
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.59
Rare Last name
Eidson
Derived from the Old English given name "Eadsige," meaning "prosperous victory" or "happy victory."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,719 Americans carry the last name Eidson. That puts it at #7,746 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.38 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 72,633 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Eidson 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
4.7K
1 in 72,633
Census rank
#7,746
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,115 bearers of the surname Eidson in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.38 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7746th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Eidson, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.3%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Eidson
The surname Eidson has its origins in the Germanic region of Europe, dating back to the medieval period. The name is believed to be a variant of the German surname Eidson or Eideson, which is derived from the Old German personal name Eido or Eid, meaning "prosperous" or "wealthy."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Eidson" in this historic document, suggesting its presence in England during the Norman era.
In the 13th century, there are records of individuals bearing the name Eidson in various regions of Germany, such as the town of Eidenhausen in the state of Hesse. This indicates that the name was well-established in its place of origin before spreading to other parts of Europe.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Eidson surname began to appear more frequently in historical records across Europe, particularly in areas with significant German populations. One notable bearer of the name was Johann Eidson (1565-1632), a German theologian and author who wrote extensively on religious subjects.
As the name spread throughout the centuries, it underwent various spelling variations, including Eideson, Eidtson, and Eidsohn. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and local pronunciation patterns.
In the 18th century, the Eidson surname can be found in the records of early American settlers, particularly those of German descent who immigrated to the New World. One such individual was William Eidson (1730-1810), a pioneer and landowner in Virginia who played a role in the American Revolutionary War.
Another notable figure with the Eidson surname was Mary Eidson (1845-1920), a renowned educator and founder of the Eidson School for Girls in Georgia, which became an influential institution in the region.
John Eidson (1876-1958), an American businessman and philanthropist, made significant contributions to the development of the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma, through his various investments and charitable endeavors.
Throughout its history, the Eidson surname has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, from scholars and religious figures to pioneers and entrepreneurs, leaving an indelible mark on the communities and regions where they lived and worked.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Eidson
Among Census respondents with the surname Eidson, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.3%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Eidson 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 Eidson surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.9% · 3,742
- Two or more races4.3% · 178
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 113
- Black or African American0.9% · 36
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 27
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 19
Timeline
Historical Census data for Eidson
Eidson 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
#7,585
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,381
+102 bearers (+2.4%)
Per 100,000 1.49
Rank movement Down 392 places
2020
#7,746
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,115
-266 bearers (-6.1%)
Per 100,000 1.38
Rank movement Down 161 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #7,193 | 4,279 | 1.59 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,585 | 4,381 | 1.49 | +102 bearers (+2.4%) | Down 392 places |
| 2020 | #7,746 | 4,115 | 1.38 | -266 bearers (-6.1%) | Down 161 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 Eidson 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 | #7,585 | #7,746 | -2.1% |
| Count | 4,381 | 4,115 | -6.1% |
| Per 100K | 1.49 | 1.38 | -7.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Eidson bearers went from 4,381 to 4,115 (-6.1% change). The surname moved down 161 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,585 to #7,746.
FAQ
Eidson surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Eidson?
Name Census estimates that about 4,719 living Americans carry the surname Eidson. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 72,633 residents.
How common is Eidson?
Eidson ranks #7,746 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.38 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 4,115 people with the surname Eidson. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,719), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.38 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.38 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 Eidson.
Has Eidson become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Eidson went from 4,381 recorded bearers to 4,115. That is a decrease of 266 (-6.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #7,585 to #7,746.
What does the Census say about the background of Eidson?
Among Census respondents with the surname Eidson, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.3%) and Hispanic (2.7%). 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 Eidson in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.9% (3,742 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Eidson 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 (4.3%), Hispanic (2.7%). 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 Eidson (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 Eidson mean?
Derived from the Old English given name "Eadsige," meaning "prosperous victory" or "happy victory." 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 Eidson (1.38 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 Eidson?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.