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

Elden, 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 Elden surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Elden in America

Elden is the 48060th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Elden surname appeared 440 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 Elden.

We can also compare 2010 data for Elden 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 Elden

The surname Elden is of English origin and dates back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from a place name derived from the Old English word "eld," meaning "old" or "ancient," and the suffix "-en," denoting a location. This suggests that the name may have referred to someone who lived near an ancient or long-standing settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Elden can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landowners and their holdings commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry mentions an individual named Alfric Elden, who held land in Warwickshire, England.

In the 13th century, there are records of a family named Elden residing in the village of Eldon, located in County Durham, England. This place name is thought to be a variation of the surname, and it is possible that the family took their name from this location.

Notable individuals with the surname Elden include Sir John Elden (1568-1639), an English politician and landowner who served as a member of parliament for Wiltshire. Another prominent figure was Sir Ralph Elden (1612-1685), a successful merchant and landowner in Suffolk, England.

In the 17th century, a branch of the Elden family emigrated to the American colonies, with records showing the arrival of William Elden in Massachusetts in 1635. Over time, the name underwent various spellings, such as Eldyn, Eldon, and Elding, before settling on the modern form of Elden.

One of the most renowned individuals with the surname Elden was Sir Ralph Elden (1801-1879), a British naval officer and explorer who made significant contributions to the mapping of the Arctic regions. He served as the commander of several expeditions and was knighted for his achievements.

Another notable figure was John Elden (1853-1925), a British architect who designed numerous churches and public buildings in the Victorian and Edwardian eras, including the famous St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel in London.

In more recent times, the surname Elden has been associated with individuals such as Mark Elden (1942-2016), an American actor and director known for his work in theater and television, and Robert Elden (born 1955), a distinguished professor of philosophy and ethics at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Elden

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

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

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

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