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

Maddox, 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 Maddox surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Maddox in America

Maddox is the 959th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Maddox surname appeared 36,250 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 Maddox.

We can also compare 2010 data for Maddox 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 Maddox

The surname Maddox has its origins in England, where it emerged during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English personal name Maddoc, itself a Brythonic name meaning "fortunate" or "having good omen." The earliest recorded instances of the surname date back to the 13th century, with variations in spelling such as Madoc, Madoke, and Madox.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Madoc ap Meredith, a Welsh prince who purportedly led an expedition to the Americas in the late 12th century, several centuries before Christopher Columbus. While the veracity of this claim is debated, it remains a notable part of the name's history.

In the Domesday Book, a survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, there are several entries for individuals with the name Madoc, suggesting the name's presence in the region at that time.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Maddox was particularly prevalent in the counties of Shropshire and Herefordshire, where it is believed to have originated. These areas were once part of the Welsh Marches, a region with strong Welsh influence, which may explain the name's Brythonic roots.

One notable bearer of the name was Sir John Maddox (1570-1650), a prominent English soldier and politician who served as Governor of the Isle of Man and as a Member of Parliament during the reign of Charles I.

Another historically significant individual was William Maddox (1604-1653), an English Puritan clergyman and author who played a role in the religious conflicts of the English Civil War.

In the literary world, John Maddox (1759-1833) was a Welsh historian and writer who authored several works on the history of Wales and its people.

During the 19th century, Isaac Maddox (1813-1887) was a notable American minister and educator who served as the president of several colleges in the southern United States.

More recently, John Maddox (1925-2009) was a renowned British science writer and editor who served as the editor of the prestigious scientific journal Nature from 1966 to 1973.

These examples demonstrate the widespread presence of the surname Maddox throughout history, spanning various fields and regions, all tracing their origins back to the medieval Welsh Marches of England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Maddox

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

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

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

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