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

Madden, 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 Madden surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Madden in America

Madden is the 982nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Madden surname appeared 35,438 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 12 people would have the surname Madden.

We can also compare 2010 data for Madden 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 Madden

The surname Madden has its origins in Ireland, stemming from the Irish Gaelic name O'Madaidhin, which means "descendant of the little dog." This name likely arose as a descriptive nickname for an ancestor who possessed traits likened to a small dog.

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 13th century in County Galway, Ireland. Historical records indicate that the Madden family held lands in the parish of Annaghdown in that region. The name appears in the Annals of Connacht, a medieval Irish chronicle, in references from the 14th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Madden name spread throughout Ireland, with notable families settling in counties such as Mayo, Sligo, and Roscommon. The name also underwent various spelling variations, including Maddin, Maden, and Maddyn.

One of the earliest documented examples of the name is Sir John Madden (c. 1310-1348), an Irish nobleman and landowner from County Galway. He served as Lord Chancellor of Ireland and was a prominent figure during the reign of Edward III.

Another notable individual was Sir Samuel Molyneux Madden (1686-1765), an Irish author, playwright, and philanthropist. He founded the Madden Prize for the promotion of Protestant interests and authored works such as "Memoirs of the Twentieth Century" and "Themistocles, the Lover of his Country."

In the 19th century, Thomas More Madden (1844-1902) gained recognition as a noted Irish historian and author. His works included "The Life and Martyrdom of Savonarola" and "The Constitutional and Parliamentary History of Ireland till the Union."

The name Madden also has ties to the United States, with Edward R. Madden (1805-1856) serving as a Congressman from Pennsylvania in the mid-1800s. He was a prominent figure in the Democratic Party and held various political offices.

Another American figure with the surname was Martin B. Madden (1872-1944), a Congressman from Illinois who played a significant role in the development of labor legislation during the early 20th century.

Throughout its history, the surname Madden has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including politicians, authors, historians, and landowners, all contributing to the rich tapestry of this Irish name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Madden

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

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

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

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