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

Padden, 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 Padden surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Padden in America

Padden is the 19138th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Padden surname appeared 1,420 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Padden.

We can also compare 2010 data for Padden 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 Padden

The surname Padden is of English origin, believed to have originated in the northern counties of England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "pædd," meaning "frog" or "toad," and may have been an occupational surname for someone who caught or sold frogs.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Padden can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire from 1332, where a William Padden is mentioned. The name also appears in various other historical records from the 14th and 15th centuries, such as the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379, where a Johannes Padden is listed.

The name Padden is closely associated with the Lancashire region, particularly the town of Padden, which is believed to have taken its name from the surname. This town is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is recorded as "Padene."

Notable individuals with the surname Padden include John Padden (c. 1510-1572), an English Catholic martyr who was executed during the Protestant Reformation for his religious beliefs. Another notable figure is Sir William Padden (1585-1658), a Member of Parliament for Lancashire during the English Civil War.

In the 17th century, the name Padden is found in various parish records and legal documents across northern England. One example is Robert Padden (1632-1701), a landowner and farmer from Yorkshire, whose will is preserved in the Borthwick Institute for Archives.

Moving into the 18th century, the name Padden appears in the records of the East India Company, with a James Padden (1712-1782) serving as a captain in the company's naval forces. Another significant figure is Thomas Padden (1765-1838), a renowned poet and playwright from Lancashire.

In the 19th century, the name Padden continued to be prevalent in northern England, with individuals such as Elizabeth Padden (1820-1892), a prominent philanthropist and social reformer, and John Padden (1842-1912), a successful businessman and industrialist from Manchester.

Throughout its history, the surname Padden has maintained its strong ties to northern England, particularly the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire, where it has been most commonly found. While variations in spelling, such as Paddin and Padden, have existed over time, the core meaning and origins of the name remain rooted in its Old English derivation.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Padden

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

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

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

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