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

Madison, 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 Madison surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Madison in America

Madison is the 1241st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Madison surname appeared 28,411 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 10 people would have the surname Madison.

We can also compare 2010 data for Madison 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 Madison

The surname MADISON is an English habitational name derived from the town of Maidstone in Kent, England. Historically, the place name Maidstone was recorded as Medwegestun in around 835 AD, which translates from Old English to mean "the estate among the meadows". The name evolved over time, with variations including Mædwæstān, Maidestan, and eventually Maidstone by the 14th century.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a landmark survey of lands and properties commissioned by William the Conqueror, the town of Maidstone is recorded as Meddestane. This early written record provides evidence of the name's origins and evolution.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname MADISON was John Madyston, who was mentioned in the Calendarium Inquisitionum Post Mortem in 1398. This document recorded the findings of inquests held after the death of landholders in medieval England.

During the 16th century, the surname MADISON began to appear more frequently in various records. Notable individuals from this period include William Madison (c. 1530-1598), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Middlesex in 1588.

In the 17th century, the surname MADISON was carried to the American colonies by English settlers. One of the most famous individuals with this name was James Madison (1751-1836), the fourth President of the United States and one of the Founding Fathers. He was a key figure in the drafting of the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

Another prominent figure was George Madison (1763-1816), an American politician and the sixth Governor of Kentucky. He was also the younger brother of President James Madison.

In the 19th century, Jesse Madison (1817-1892) was an American circus performer and contortionist who achieved fame for his remarkable flexibility and ability to twist his body into unusual positions.

The name MADISON is also associated with several place names, including Madison County in various states such as Alabama, Arkansas, and Illinois, as well as the city of Madison, Wisconsin, which was named in honor of President James Madison.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Madison

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

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

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

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