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

Kidder, 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 Kidder surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kidder in America

Kidder is the 5179th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kidder surname appeared 6,746 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 Kidder.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kidder 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 Kidder

The surname Kidder is of English origin, traced back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "kidde," meaning a young goat or kid. This name was likely an occupational name for someone who worked with goats or a nickname for someone perceived to have goat-like qualities.

The earliest recorded instance of the name is found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1273, where it appears as "Nicholaus le Kiddere." This suggests the name was initially an occupational descriptor before evolving into a hereditary surname.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various forms in historical records, such as "Kiddere," "Kydder," and "Kider." These variations were likely due to regional dialects and spelling inconsistencies common during that time.

The surname Kidder has also been associated with certain place names, such as Kidderminster in Worcestershire, England. This town's name is derived from the Old English "Kidda's mynstre," meaning "the monastery of Kidda." It is possible that some Kidders may have originated from or resided in this area.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Kidder include:

1. Richard Kidder (1633-1703), an English clergyman and writer who served as the Bishop of Bath and Wells.
2. James Kidder (1736-1805), an American Revolutionary War soldier and early settler in Vermont.
3. Frederick Kidder (1804-1885), an American geologist and naturalist known for his work in Brazil and the United States.
4. Alfred Vincent Kidder (1885-1963), an American archaeologist and anthropologist renowned for his excavations in the American Southwest.
5. Margot Kidder (1948-2018), a Canadian-American actress best known for her portrayal of Lois Lane in the Superman film series.

The surname Kidder has been present in various regions of England and later spread to other parts of the world, including North America, through immigration. While its origins can be traced back to medieval times, the name continues to hold significance as a testament to occupational and regional heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kidder

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

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

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

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