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

Layden, 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 Layden surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Layden in America

Layden is the 16273rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Layden surname appeared 1,772 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Layden.

We can also compare 2010 data for Layden 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 Layden

The surname Layden is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval era. It is believed to have originated from the Old English words 'leah' meaning a meadow or clearing, and 'denu' meaning a valley or hollow. This suggests that the name was likely initially a locational surname, referring to someone who resided in a meadow or valley.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Layden can be found in various historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries, often appearing under slightly different spellings such as Leyden, Laydon, or Laydon. One notable early reference is in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, a census-like document from 1279, which mentions a William de Leydene.

In the 15th century, the surname appears to have gained prominence in the county of Suffolk, where several Layden families were recorded in various villages and towns. One of the earliest known individuals with this surname was John Layden, born around 1420 in Ipswich, Suffolk.

As the name spread across England, it also took on various localized spellings, reflecting the region's dialect and naming conventions. For instance, in the northern counties, it was often spelled as Leyden or Leydon, while in the south, Layden was more common.

One notable historical figure bearing this surname was Sir Thomas Layden (1558-1625), an English politician and member of Parliament who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1618. Another prominent individual was William Layden (1625-1698), a clergyman and author who served as the Archdeacon of Carlisle.

In later centuries, the Layden surname continued to be found throughout England, with some families migrating to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to the United States and other English-speaking countries. Notable individuals include John Layden (1770-1837), an Irish-born military officer who served in the British Army, and Joseph Layden (1823-1889), a British-born American architect known for designing several notable buildings in New York City.

While the surname Layden is not among the most common surnames in the English-speaking world, it has a rich history and can be traced back to its origins in the medieval English landscape, where it likely referred to those who lived in meadows or valleys.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Layden

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

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

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

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