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

Paradise, 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 Paradise surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Paradise in America

Paradise is the 7933rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Paradise surname appeared 4,170 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Paradise.

We can also compare 2010 data for Paradise 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 Paradise

The surname Paradise originated in England during the late Middle Ages. It is an English locational surname derived from the Old French phrase "paradis" meaning "paradise." This term likely referred to a pleasant or desirable location, suggesting that the earliest bearers of the surname hailed from a place with this descriptive name.

Records indicate that the Paradise surname first appeared in the historical county of Norfolk during the 13th century. One of the earliest known references is found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which mentions a Ralph de Paradys residing in Norfolk. This spelling variation highlights the surname's French roots and its evolution into the modern English form.

By the 14th century, the Paradise surname had spread to other parts of England, including Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. The Subsidy Rolls of 1327 list a John de Paradys in Yorkshire, while the Lincolnshire Subsidy Rolls of 1349 mention a Thomas Paradis, showcasing further spelling variations.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Paradise surname was William Paradise, born around 1420 in Norwich, Norfolk. He was a prominent merchant and served as the Mayor of Norwich in 1471. Another notable figure was John Paradise, born in 1508 in Hertfordshire, who became a celebrated theologian and scholar at the University of Cambridge.

In the 16th century, the Paradise surname gained prominence with the birth of Thomas Paradise (1529-1585), a renowned English composer and musician. He served as the Master of the Choristers at the Cathedral Church of Christ in Oxford and contributed significantly to the development of English church music during the Renaissance period.

Another significant individual was Sir Benjamin Paradise (1591-1658), a wealthy English merchant and politician who served as the Member of Parliament for Sandwich, Kent, during the reign of King Charles I. He played a pivotal role in the English Civil War, initially supporting the Royalist cause before switching allegiance to the Parliamentarians.

The Paradise surname also found its way to the American colonies in the 17th century. One of the earliest recorded instances was that of John Paradise, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 and later became a prominent landowner and planter in the colony.

These examples illustrate the rich history and geographical spread of the Paradise surname, which has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including merchants, musicians, scholars, and politicians, throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Paradise

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

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

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

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