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

Paladin, 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 Paladin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Paladin in America

Paladin is the 91981st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Paladin surname appeared 200 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 Paladin.

We can also compare 2010 data for Paladin 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 Paladin

The surname Paladin originated in France and Italy during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Latin word "palatinus," which means "palace official" or "courtier." The name likely referred to individuals who served in royal or noble households.

In France, the name Paladin can be traced back to the 11th century, particularly in the regions of Normandy and Brittany. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Domesday Book, a famous manuscript compiled in 1086 under the order of William the Conqueror, which documented landholders in England.

The name Paladin also has connections to the literary works of the Carolingian era, particularly the French epic poem "The Song of Roland." In this famous work, the character Roland is accompanied by a group of noble warriors known as the Paladins, who served under Charlemagne.

One notable Paladin from the 12th century was Geoffroy de Paladin, a French knight who participated in the Third Crusade (1189-1192) and fought alongside Richard the Lionheart. Another prominent individual was Guillaume Paladin (c. 1270-1345), a French jurist and scholar who served as a counselor to King Philip VI of France.

In Italy, the name Paladin can be traced back to the 13th century, particularly in the regions of Tuscany and Umbria. One of the earliest recorded examples is Guglielmo Paladin, a nobleman from Florence who lived in the late 13th century.

During the Renaissance period, the name Paladin gained further recognition through the works of Italian writers such as Ludovico Ariosto and Matteo Maria Boiardo, who featured Paladins as brave knights in their epic poems.

One notable Italian figure with the surname Paladin was Giovanni Battista Paladin (1548-1628), a renowned architect and engineer who worked on various projects in Venice and other parts of Italy.

In the 17th century, the Paladin family established themselves in the Republic of Venice, with several members holding important positions in the government and military. One notable figure was Niccolò Paladin (1653-1718), a Venetian admiral who played a significant role in the Ottoman-Venetian Wars.

Throughout history, the surname Paladin has been associated with nobility, valor, and service in royal or noble households, reflecting its roots in the medieval concept of the Paladin as a brave and loyal knight.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Paladin

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

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

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

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