2010
#160,975
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Gladhart
An English surname derived from glad and hart, meaning "cheerful deer".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Gladhart. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gladhart 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
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Gladhart in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gladhart, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Black (4.7%) and Hispanic (3.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gladhart
The surname Gladhart is of English origin and dates back to the 13th century. It is believed to have originated from the Old English words 'glæd,' meaning 'bright' or 'shining,' and 'heort,' meaning 'heart.' The name likely referred to someone with a cheerful or bright disposition.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Gladhart can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275, where a William Gladhart is mentioned. The Pipe Rolls were a series of financial records maintained by the English Exchequer in the medieval period.
In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Gladhert, Gladharte, and Gladehart, which were likely regional variations. One notable bearer was John Gladhart, a merchant from Bristol who is mentioned in the Guild Records of 1382.
The Gladhart family had a strong presence in the county of Gloucestershire, particularly in the village of Bibury. In the 16th century, there are records of a Thomas Gladhart, born in 1521, who served as the village constable.
During the English Civil War, a Captain Richard Gladhart fought for the Parliamentarian forces under Oliver Cromwell. He was known for his bravery and leadership at the Battle of Naseby in 1645.
In the 18th century, the Gladhart family expanded their reach, with some members settling in the American colonies. One such individual was William Gladhart, who was born in 1725 in Gloucestershire and later immigrated to Virginia, where he became a successful farmer.
Another notable figure was Elizabeth Gladhart, a renowned writer and poet from London, born in 1782. Her works, including "Verses on Nature" and "Reflections on Life," were widely acclaimed during her lifetime.
In the 19th century, the Gladhart family continued to thrive, with several members achieving success in various fields. One such individual was Sir Edward Gladhart, born in 1828, who served as the Mayor of Bristol and was knighted for his contributions to the city's development.
Overall, the surname Gladhart has a rich history spanning several centuries, with its origins rooted in the Old English language and its bearers playing significant roles in various aspects of society, from commerce and military service to literature and local governance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gladhart
Among Census respondents with the surname Gladhart, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Black (4.7%) and Hispanic (3.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Gladhart 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 Gladhart surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.7% · 94
- Black or African American4.7% · 5
- Hispanic or Latino3.8% · 4
- Two or more races2.8% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gladhart
Gladhart appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
+6 bearers (+6.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 8,636 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #160,975 | 100 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+6.0%) | Up 8,636 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 Gladhart 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 | #160,975 | #152,339 | 5.4% |
| Count | 100 | 106 | 6.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 18.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gladhart bearers went from 100 to 106 (+6.0% change). The surname moved up 8,636 positions in the national ranking, going from #160,975 to #152,339.
FAQ
Gladhart surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gladhart?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Gladhart. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Gladhart?
Gladhart ranks #152,339 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 106 people with the surname Gladhart. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Gladhart.
Has Gladhart become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gladhart went from 100 recorded bearers to 106. That is an increase of 6 (+6.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #160,975 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Gladhart?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gladhart, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Black (4.7%) and Hispanic (3.8%). 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 Gladhart in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.7% (94 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gladhart appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.7%), Black (4.7%), Hispanic (3.8%). 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 Gladhart (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 Gladhart mean?
An English surname derived from glad and hart, meaning "cheerful deer". 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 Gladhart (0.04 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 common is the surname Gladhart?
Want to know how many people have the surname Gladhart? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.