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

Peden, 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 Peden surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Peden in America

Peden is the 7099th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Peden surname appeared 4,716 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Peden.

We can also compare 2010 data for Peden 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 Peden

The surname PEDEN is believed to have originated in Scotland, with its roots tracing back to the 16th century. It is a locational name derived from the lands of Peden, located in the parish of Tundergarth, Dumfriesshire. The name is likely derived from the Old English words "pædan" or "pædan," meaning "a small enclosed valley" or "a secluded place."

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name PEDEN can be found in the records of the Privy Council of Scotland in the late 16th century, where a certain Alexander Peden is mentioned. This Alexander Peden was a prominent Covenanter and Presbyterian minister who lived from 1626 to 1686 and was known for his preaching and religious fervor during the turbulent times of the Scottish Reformation.

In the 17th century, the name PEDEN also appears in the parish records of Tundergarth, where several families with this surname were recorded as residing in the area. This further strengthens the connection between the name and the lands of Peden in Dumfriesshire.

Another notable figure with the surname PEDEN was John Peden, a Scottish minister and religious leader who lived from 1624 to 1685. He was a prominent Covenanter and played a significant role in the religious struggles of the time, facing persecution and imprisonment for his beliefs.

In the 18th century, the PEDEN name continued to be found in various records, including the Old Parochial Registers of Scotland. One notable individual from this period was Alexander Peden, a Scottish poet and teacher who lived from 1737 to 1807 and was known for his work on Scottish poetry and literature.

The 19th century saw the PEDEN name spread beyond Scotland, with individuals bearing this surname appearing in various records and documents in England and other parts of the United Kingdom. One notable figure from this time was Robert Peden, a Scottish-born businessman and philanthropist who lived from 1819 to 1895 and made significant contributions to the development of Glasgow.

Throughout its history, the PEDEN surname has maintained a strong connection to its Scottish roots and the lands from which it originated. While the name may have spread to other regions over time, it remains a testament to the rich cultural and historical heritage of Scotland.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Peden

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!