2000
#10,657
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,755
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.02
Rare Last name
Gadd
An English occupational surname for a cattle driver or one who uses a goad to herd animals.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,995 Americans carry the last name Gadd. That puts it at #11,523 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.87 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 114,442 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gadd 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 Gadd with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.0K
1 in 114,442
Census rank
#11,523
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.6K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,612 bearers of the surname Gadd in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.87 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 11523rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gadd, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and Hispanic (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gadd
The surname Gadd is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "gad," meaning a goad or metal-tipped stick used for driving cattle or oxen. This connection suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname for someone who worked as a herder or drover.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Gadd can be found in various historical records from the 13th century onwards. One notable mention appears in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire in 1273, where a certain William Gad is listed. Another early reference is in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which includes the name John Gadde.
During the 14th century, the name appears to have spread across various regions of England, with variations in spelling such as Gad, Gadde, and Gadd emerging. Some examples include Thomas Gad, recorded in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, and John Gadde, mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Somerset from 1384.
As for place names associated with the surname, there are several localities in England that may have contributed to its development or adoption. For instance, the village of Gadd in Hertfordshire, as well as Gaddesby in Leicestershire, could have served as sources for the name.
Notable individuals bearing the surname Gadd throughout history include:
1. Thomas Gadd (c. 1570-1638), an English clergyman and author, known for his works on theology and philosophy.
2. John Gadd (1590-1657), an English MP who served as a member of Parliament for Midhurst in the 17th century.
3. Phineas Gadd (1649-1718), a prominent English clockmaker and inventor, credited with several innovations in clock design.
4. Sir Archibald Gadd (1801-1876), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a rear admiral.
5. Henry Gadd (1839-1919), a British architect and surveyor, known for his work on several notable buildings in London and the surrounding areas.
The Gadd surname has a rich history and has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including clergymen, politicians, inventors, military officers, and architects, among others. Its origins can be traced back to the occupational ties of medieval England, where it may have initially been associated with those who worked as herders or drovers.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gadd
Among Census respondents with the surname Gadd, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and Hispanic (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Gadd 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 Gadd surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.4% · 2,413
- Two or more races2.9% · 77
- Hispanic or Latino2.0% · 52
- Black or African American1.6% · 41
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 18
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 11
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gadd
Gadd 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
#11,308
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,793
+38 bearers (+1.4%)
Per 100,000 0.95
Rank movement Down 651 places
2020
#11,523
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,612
-181 bearers (-6.5%)
Per 100,000 0.87
Rank movement Down 215 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #10,657 | 2,755 | 1.02 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #11,308 | 2,793 | 0.95 | +38 bearers (+1.4%) | Down 651 places |
| 2020 | #11,523 | 2,612 | 0.87 | -181 bearers (-6.5%) | Down 215 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 Gadd 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 | #11,308 | #11,523 | -1.9% |
| Count | 2,793 | 2,612 | -6.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.95 | 0.87 | -8.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gadd bearers went from 2,793 to 2,612 (-6.5% change). The surname moved down 215 positions in the national ranking, going from #11,308 to #11,523.
FAQ
Gadd surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gadd?
Name Census estimates that about 2,995 living Americans carry the surname Gadd. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 114,442 residents.
How common is Gadd?
Gadd ranks #11,523 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.87 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 2,612 people with the surname Gadd. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,995), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.87 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.87 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 Gadd.
Has Gadd become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gadd went from 2,793 recorded bearers to 2,612. That is a decrease of 181 (-6.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #11,308 to #11,523.
What does the Census say about the background of Gadd?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gadd, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and Hispanic (2.0%). 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 Gadd in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.4% (2,413 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gadd appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.4%), Two or More Races (2.9%), Hispanic (2.0%). 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 Gadd (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 Gadd mean?
An English occupational surname for a cattle driver or one who uses a goad to herd animals. 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 Gadd (0.87 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 have the surname Gadd?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.