Ladd
A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a watercourse, stream, or ditch.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 18,714 Americans carry the last name Ladd. That puts it at #2,256 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 5.46 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 18,315 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ladd 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
19K
1 in 18,315
Census rank
#2,256
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
5.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
16K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 16,112 bearers of the surname Ladd in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 5.46 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2256th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ladd, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.7%. The next largest groups are Black (6.8%) and Hispanic (2.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ladd
The surname Ladd is of English origin and dates back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "lad," which means a path or a way. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a path or road.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Ladd can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1166, where a person named Robert Lad is mentioned. The surname was also found in various other medieval records, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "Ladde."
In some cases, the name Ladd may have also been a variant spelling of the surname Laidlaw, which is of Scottish origin and derived from the Old English words "lad" and "hlaw," meaning a path and a hill, respectively. This surname likely referred to someone who lived near a path on a hill.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Ladd was John Ladd, who was born around 1480 in Wingham, Kent, England. He was a prominent merchant and landowner during the reign of King Henry VIII.
Another historical figure was William Ladd (1778-1841), an American philanthropist and peace activist from New Hampshire. He was a pioneer in the anti-slavery and peace movements and founded the American Peace Society in 1828.
In the 17th century, several Ladd families emigrated from England to the American colonies, settling in various regions, including Massachusetts and Virginia. One of these early settlers was Daniel Ladd (1618-1693), who arrived in Massachusetts in 1638 and later became a prominent landowner and member of the General Court.
Other notable individuals with the surname Ladd include Christine Ladd-Franklin (1847-1930), an American philosopher and logician who made significant contributions to the study of color vision and logic, and George Trumbull Ladd (1842-1921), an American philosopher and psychologist who served as the president of Yale University from 1888 to 1898.
The name Ladd has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Laddingford in Kent and Ladd's Garden in Surrey, which may have derived their names from individuals with the surname Ladd who lived in or owned those areas.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ladd
Among Census respondents with the surname Ladd, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.7%. The next largest groups are Black (6.8%) and Hispanic (2.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Ladd 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 Ladd surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.7%
- Black or African American6.8%
- Hispanic or Latino2.4%
- Two or more races1.7%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Ladd 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 | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,096 | #2,256 | -7.6% |
| Count | 15,898 | 16,112 | 1.3% |
| Per 100K | 5.89 | 5.46 | -7.3% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Ladd bearers went from 15,898 to 16,112 (+1.3% change). The surname moved down 160 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,096 to #2,256.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Ladd
FAQ
Ladd surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Ladd?
The surname Ladd holds position #2,256 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 18,714 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 5.46 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Ladd surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ladd, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.7%. The next largest groups are Black (6.8%) and Hispanic (2.4%). 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.