2000
#8,789
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,433
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.27
Rare Last name
Tadlock
An English occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of tacks or nails.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,859 Americans carry the last name Tadlock. That puts it at #9,281 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.13 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 88,819 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Tadlock 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
3.9K
1 in 88,819
Census rank
#9,281
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,365 bearers of the surname Tadlock in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.13 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9281st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Tadlock, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.9%) and Black (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Tadlock
The surname TADLOCK has its origins in England, specifically in the counties of Gloucestershire and Somerset. It dates back to the late Middle Ages, around the 14th or 15th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English word "tæddel," meaning "toad," and the suffix "-loc," referring to a plot of land or enclosure. This suggests that the name may have originated from a location where toads were commonly found or a particular area known for its abundance of these amphibians.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the TADLOCK surname can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1523, where it appears as "Tadloke." This historical record provides evidence of the name's existence and its association with the region during the Tudor period. Another notable reference is in the parish records of Hinton Blewett, Somerset, where the name is listed as "Tadlock" in 1598.
The TADLOCK name has been associated with several individuals throughout history. One notable figure was John Tadlock, a yeoman farmer who lived in the village of Portbury, Somerset, in the late 16th century. Records indicate that he was involved in local disputes over land ownership and grazing rights.
Another individual of note was William Tadlock, born in Gloucestershire in 1674. He was a prominent merchant and landowner who played an active role in the local community. His descendants continued to reside in the region for several generations.
In the 18th century, a TADLOCK family settled in the county of Wiltshire, where they established themselves as successful clothiers. One member of this family, Thomas Tadlock (1745-1821), became a respected figure in the local textile industry and served as a magistrate in his community.
Moving into the 19th century, the TADLOCK surname spread beyond its traditional heartland in the west of England. One notable individual from this period was Sarah Tadlock (1810-1892), a teacher and advocate for women's education. She founded a school for girls in London and was recognized for her efforts to promote educational opportunities for women.
While the TADLOCK name may not be as prevalent as some other English surnames, it has a rich history deeply rooted in the rural communities of the West Country. Its origins and early documented references provide a glimpse into the lives of those who bore this name throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Tadlock
Among Census respondents with the surname Tadlock, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.9%) and Black (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Tadlock 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 Tadlock surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.4% · 2,940
- Two or more races4.9% · 164
- Black or African American3.4% · 116
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 94
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 28
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 23
Timeline
Historical Census data for Tadlock
Tadlock 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
#9,237
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,523
+90 bearers (+2.6%)
Per 100,000 1.19
Rank movement Down 448 places
2020
#9,281
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,365
-158 bearers (-4.5%)
Per 100,000 1.13
Rank movement Down 44 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,789 | 3,433 | 1.27 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,237 | 3,523 | 1.19 | +90 bearers (+2.6%) | Down 448 places |
| 2020 | #9,281 | 3,365 | 1.13 | -158 bearers (-4.5%) | Down 44 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 Tadlock 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 | #9,237 | #9,281 | -0.5% |
| Count | 3,523 | 3,365 | -4.5% |
| Per 100K | 1.19 | 1.13 | -5.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Tadlock bearers went from 3,523 to 3,365 (-4.5% change). The surname moved down 44 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,237 to #9,281.
FAQ
Tadlock surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Tadlock?
Name Census estimates that about 3,859 living Americans carry the surname Tadlock. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 88,819 residents.
How common is Tadlock?
Tadlock ranks #9,281 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.13 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,365 people with the surname Tadlock. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,859), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.13 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.13 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Tadlock.
Has Tadlock become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Tadlock went from 3,523 recorded bearers to 3,365. That is a decrease of 158 (-4.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #9,237 to #9,281.
What does the Census say about the background of Tadlock?
Among Census respondents with the surname Tadlock, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.9%) and Black (3.4%). 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 Tadlock in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.4% (2,940 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Tadlock appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.4%), Two or More Races (4.9%), Black (3.4%). 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 Tadlock (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 Tadlock mean?
An English occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of tacks or nails. 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 Tadlock (1.13 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 Tadlock?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.