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

Kidman, 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 Kidman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kidman in America

Kidman is the 40745th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kidman surname appeared 536 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Kidman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kidman 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 Kidman

The surname Kidman is of English origin, with roots dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "cydda" or "cydde," meaning "famous" or "renowned," and "mann," meaning "man." This combination suggests that the name may have initially referred to a well-known or prominent individual.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, a survey of landholdings conducted in 1273-1274. The entry mentions a "William Kydeman" from the village of Ickleton. This suggests that the surname was already established in parts of eastern England by the late 13th century.

Throughout the medieval and early modern periods, variations in spelling were common due to inconsistencies in record-keeping and regional dialects. Some alternative spellings of the name included Kidman, Kiddeman, Kiddiman, and Kydeman.

While the Kidman name does not appear in the renowned Domesday Book of 1086, it is possible that some of the earliest bearers of the name were landowners or individuals of note in their local communities during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest known individuals with the Kidman surname was John Kidman, born in Wymondham, Norfolk, in 1544. He was a prominent merchant and served as a member of the local government.

Another notable figure was William Kidman, born in Lincolnshire in 1632. He was a scholar and clergyman who published several works on religious and philosophical topics.

In the 18th century, Thomas Kidman (1720-1798), a successful businessman from Yorkshire, was instrumental in establishing a thriving textile trade in the region.

During the 19th century, the Kidman name gained recognition through individuals like Sir Sydney Kidman (1857-1935), an Australian pastoralist and businessman who amassed a vast cattle empire across the outback.

Another well-known bearer of the name was Margery Kidman (1876-1958), a pioneering female journalist and author from New Zealand, who wrote extensively on social and political issues.

While the Kidman surname may have originated in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including Australia, New Zealand, and North America, reflecting the migration patterns of its bearers over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kidman

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

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

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

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