2000
#149,328
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Speiden
A surname derived from a place name, possibly referring to someone from Speiden or Spaden in Germany.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 126 Americans carry the last name Speiden. That puts it at #149,446 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,720,273 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Speiden surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
126
1 in 2,720,273
Census rank
#149,446
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
110
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 110 bearers of the surname Speiden in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 149446th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Speiden, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Black (0.9%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Speiden
The surname SPEIDEN has its origins in the northern English regions. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "spæden," which referred to a spade or a tool used for digging. This connection suggests that the name may have been an occupational name given to individuals involved in agricultural or mining activities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name SPEIDEN can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Spedene." This reference indicates that the name was already well-established in England by the late 11th century.
During the Middle Ages, the name SPEIDEN was often associated with various locations in northern England, such as the village of Speiden in Lancashire and the town of Speiden in Yorkshire. These place names likely influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.
In the 14th century, historical records mention a notable figure named John Speiden, who was a landowner and minor nobleman in the county of Lancashire. Another individual of note was Sir Thomas Speiden, born in 1520, who served as a military commander during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
As the surname spread across England, it underwent various spelling variations, including Spedden, Spedding, and Speden. One of the earliest recorded instances of the Speiden spelling can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Bury, Lancashire, dating back to the late 16th century.
During the 17th century, the SPEIDEN name gained prominence with several notable individuals. One such person was Sir John Speiden, born in 1615, who was a renowned lawyer and Member of Parliament. Another significant figure was Sir Edward Speiden, born in 1637, who served as a military officer and played a role in the English Civil War.
As the centuries progressed, the SPEIDEN surname continued to be represented by various individuals across different professions. Notable examples include John Speiden, born in 1782, who was a prominent architect responsible for designing several landmarks in London, and William Speiden, born in 1845, who was a renowned author and journalist.
Throughout its history, the surname SPEIDEN has maintained a strong presence in northern England, particularly in the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire. However, it has also spread to other parts of the United Kingdom and beyond, carried by individuals who have left their mark in various fields.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Speiden
Among Census respondents with the surname Speiden, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Black (0.9%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Speiden bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Speiden surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.3% · 107
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Speiden
Speiden appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#159,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 10,384 places
2020
#149,446
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+9 bearers (+8.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 10,266 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #149,328 | 101 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #159,712 | 101 | 0.03 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 10,384 places |
| 2020 | #149,446 | 110 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+8.9%) | Up 10,266 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Speiden surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #159,712 | #149,446 | 6.4% |
| Count | 101 | 110 | 8.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 22.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Speiden bearers went from 101 to 110 (+8.9% change). The surname moved up 10,266 positions in the national ranking, going from #159,712 to #149,446.
FAQ
Speiden surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Speiden?
Name Census estimates that about 126 living Americans carry the surname Speiden. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,720,273 residents.
How common is Speiden?
Speiden ranks #149,446 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 110 people with the surname Speiden. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (126), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Speiden.
Has Speiden become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Speiden went from 101 recorded bearers to 110. That is an increase of 9 (+8.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #159,712 to #149,446.
What does the Census say about the background of Speiden?
Among Census respondents with the surname Speiden, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Black (0.9%) and Hispanic (0.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Speiden in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.3% (107 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Speiden appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.3%), Black (0.9%), Hispanic (0.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Speiden (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Speiden mean?
A surname derived from a place name, possibly referring to someone from Speiden or Spaden in Germany. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Speiden (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Speiden?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.