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

Gaddy, 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 Gaddy surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gaddy in America

Gaddy is the 4251st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gaddy surname appeared 8,342 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Gaddy.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gaddy 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 Gaddy

The surname Gaddy has its origins in England, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "gad," which referred to a goad or a sharp stick used for driving cattle. This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname for a person who worked as a cattle herder or a drover.

One of the earliest records of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, where it is listed as "Gadd." Over the centuries, various spellings emerged, such as Gade, Gaddie, and Gaddye, reflecting the regional variations and evolution of the English language.

In the 13th century, the Gaddy surname appeared in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk, an important survey of landholdings and tenants conducted during the reign of King Edward I. This suggests that the Gaddy family had established themselves as landowners in the region by that time.

Notable individuals bearing the Gaddy surname include Sir John Gaddy (1565-1637), a prominent English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Lincolnshire. Another notable figure was Thomas Gaddy (1680-1754), a renowned clockmaker from London whose intricate timepieces were highly sought after by the nobility.

In the 17th century, the Gaddy family had a presence in the American colonies. William Gaddy (1620-1688) was one of the earliest settlers in Virginia, arriving in the colony in 1642. He and his descendants played a significant role in the development of the region.

Another notable figure was Samuel Gaddy (1745-1821), a patriot and soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War. He was recognized for his bravery and leadership during the Battle of Guilford Courthouse in 1781.

As the Gaddy family spread across England and later to the American colonies, they often adopted variations of the name based on local pronunciations and spellings. Some of these variations included Gaddis, Gaddess, and Gaddies, reflecting the diversity of the surname's evolution over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gaddy

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!