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

Gladden, 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 Gladden surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gladden in America

Gladden is the 4846th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gladden surname appeared 7,271 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Gladden.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gladden 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 Gladden

The surname Gladden is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "gladden," meaning "to gladden" or "to make happy." It first appeared in the historical records during the late 12th century.

The name is believed to have originated in the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire, where it was commonly found among families residing in these regions. Some early documented references to the name include William le Glade, recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire in 1176, and Ode Gladden, listed in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1195.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Gladden can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, which mentions a person named Richard Gladden. Additionally, the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327 include a reference to a certain John Gladden.

During the medieval period, the name Gladden was often associated with occupations related to entertainment or bringing joy to others. For instance, some individuals bearing this name may have been jesters, minstrels, or performers who entertained nobility and commoners alike.

Notable individuals with the surname Gladden throughout history include William Gladden (1536-1618), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Awliscombe in Devon. Another prominent figure was Sir John Gladden (1680-1754), a British merchant and politician who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1744.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Gladden is Samuel Gladden, who was born in Massachusetts in 1663. Later, in the 19th century, Washington Gladden (1836-1918) was a prominent American clergyman, author, and social reformer from Ohio.

Other notable individuals with the surname Gladden include British author Reginald Gladden (1880-1946), known for his works on English literature, and American baseball player Fred Gladden (1889-1942), who played for the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees in the early 20th century.

The name Gladden has also been associated with various place names, such as Gladden Brook in Cheshire, England, and Gladden Meadows, a nature reserve in West Sussex, England. These place names may have been derived from or influenced by individuals bearing the surname Gladden who resided in or were associated with these locations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gladden

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

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

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

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