Kidd
A nickname-derived surname referring to a young goat, or a child or young man.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 38,560 Americans carry the last name Kidd. That puts it at #1,060 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 11.25 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 8,889 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kidd surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
39K
1 in 8,889
Census rank
#1,060
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
11.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
33K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 33,186 bearers of the surname Kidd in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 11.25 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 1060th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kidd, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.1%. The next largest groups are Black (19.5%) and Hispanic (2.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kidd
The surname Kidd originated in England and Scotland during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Middle English word "kid" or "kyd," which means "young goat." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who worked with goats or had some association with these animals.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kidd can be found in the Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, a collection of inquisitions held after the death of English landowners, where a John Kyd was mentioned in Yorkshire in 1379.
The Kidd surname is also found in various historical records, such as the Pipe Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1230, which lists a William Kyd, and the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296, where a Walter Kyd is recorded.
In Scotland, the name Kidd is believed to have originated in the Lowlands, particularly in the areas of Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, and Lanarkshire. The earliest known Scottish bearer of the name was John Kyd, who was mentioned in the records of the Burgh of Glasgow in 1454.
Notable individuals with the surname Kidd throughout history include:
1. William Kidd (c. 1645-1701), a Scottish sailor who was tried and executed for piracy after returning from a voyage to the Indian Ocean. He is one of the most famous pirates in history.
2. Thomas Kidd (1733-1804), a Scottish-American captain and early settler in New Jersey, who played a role in the American Revolutionary War.
3. John Kidd (1775-1851), a Scottish theologian and philosopher who served as a minister in the Church of Scotland and wrote several influential works.
4. Samuel Kidd (1804-1843), an English civil engineer who played a significant role in the construction of the London and Birmingham Railway.
5. William Kidd (1839-1923), a Scottish-American inventor and businessman who founded the Kidd Brothers Dash Company, a manufacturer of carriage and automobile hardware.
The Kidd surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Kiddington in Oxfordshire, England, and Kidderminster in Worcestershire, which may have contributed to the development of the surname in certain regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kidd
Among Census respondents with the surname Kidd, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.1%. The next largest groups are Black (19.5%) and Hispanic (2.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Kidd bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Kidd surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White75.1%
- Black or African American19.5%
- Hispanic or Latino2.3%
- Two or more races2.0%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Kidd surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,060 | #1,060 | 0.0% |
| Count | 33,186 | 33,186 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 11.25 | 11.25 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Kidd bearers went from 33,186 to 33,186 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #1,060 to #1,060.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Kidd
FAQ
Kidd surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Kidd?
The surname Kidd holds position #1,060 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 38,560 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 11.25 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Kidd surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kidd, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.1%. The next largest groups are Black (19.5%) and Hispanic (2.3%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.