Macfadden
A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "mac Phadain" meaning "son of Padan".
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 514 Americans carry the last name Macfadden. That puts it at #46,725 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.15 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 666,837 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Macfadden 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
514
1 in 666,837
Census rank
#46,725
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
455
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 455 bearers of the surname Macfadden in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.15 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 46725th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Macfadden, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.7%. The next largest groups are Black (9.2%) and Hispanic (4.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Macfadden
The surname MACFADDEN is of Scottish origin and dates back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name "Paidean" or "Padden," which means "little Patrick." The prefix "Mac" means "son of," so MACFADDEN literally translates to "son of Padden" or "son of little Patrick."
The earliest recorded instances of the MACFADDEN surname can be found in various Scottish historical records and documents from the late 16th and early 17th centuries. One notable early reference is in the Clan Chattan Confederation Roll of 1597, which lists several individuals with the MACFADDEN surname.
In the 17th century, the MACFADDEN family was prominent in the Scottish Highlands, particularly in the areas of Inverness-shire and Aberdeenshire. The name is closely associated with the Clan Mackintosh, a powerful Highland clan with which many MACFADDEN families were closely allied.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the MACFADDEN surname was John MACFADDEN, who was born in Inverness-shire around 1610. Another notable early bearer of the name was Angus MACFADDEN, a Scottish soldier who fought in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms in the mid-17th century.
In the 18th century, the MACFADDEN surname began to spread beyond Scotland as many Scottish emigrants settled in various parts of the British Empire, including North America and the Caribbean. One famous individual with the MACFADDEN surname from this period was Benjamin MACFADDEN (1749-1828), a Scottish-born merchant and plantation owner who settled in Jamaica.
Another notable MACFADDEN was Robert MACFADDEN (1798-1870), a Scottish-born civil engineer who played a key role in the construction of the Erie Canal in New York State. In the late 19th century, Bernarr MACFADDEN (1868-1955), a prominent American publisher and physical culture enthusiast, helped popularize the MACFADDEN surname in the United States.
Throughout history, the MACFADDEN surname has been spelled in various ways, including MacFadden, McFadden, and McFadyen, reflecting the diverse dialects and regional variations in Scottish naming traditions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Macfadden
Among Census respondents with the surname Macfadden, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.7%. The next largest groups are Black (9.2%) and Hispanic (4.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Macfadden 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 Macfadden surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.7%
- Black or African American9.2%
- Hispanic or Latino4.2%
- Two or more races1.8%
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Macfadden 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 | #46,725 | #46,725 | 0.0% |
| Count | 455 | 455 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Macfadden bearers went from 455 to 455 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #46,725 to #46,725.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Macfadden
FAQ
Macfadden surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Macfadden?
The surname Macfadden holds position #46,725 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 514 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.15 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Macfadden surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Macfadden, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.7%. The next largest groups are Black (9.2%) and Hispanic (4.2%). 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.