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

Twaddell, 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 Twaddell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Twaddell in America

Twaddell is the 49365th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Twaddell surname appeared 426 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 Twaddell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Twaddell 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 Twaddell

The surname Twaddell is believed to have originated in Scotland, with its roots tracing back to the 14th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "twaddle," which means idle or foolish talk, or the Middle English word "twadelen," meaning to chatter or prattle.

The earliest known record of the name dates back to 1379, when a John Twaddell was mentioned in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland. This document recorded financial transactions and accounts of the Scottish Crown. The name was primarily concentrated in the Scottish Lowlands, particularly in the regions of Ayrshire and Lanarkshire.

In the 16th century, the name Twaddell appeared in various historical records, including the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which listed Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name was also found in the Bute Heraldry of 1512, which documented the coats of arms of prominent Scottish families.

One notable figure in the history of the Twaddell name was Sir John Twaddell of Lanarkshire, who was knighted in 1603 for his service to King James VI of Scotland (later James I of England). Another prominent individual was Robert Twaddell, born in 1675, who was a renowned Scottish mathematician and astronomer.

As the Twaddell family spread across Scotland and beyond, variations in the spelling of the name emerged, including Twaddle, Twaddell, and Twaddill. Some records also suggest that the name may have had connections to place names like Tweeddale, a region in the Scottish Borders.

Among the notable people who bore the Twaddell surname throughout history are:

1. William Twaddell (1607-1673), a Scottish minister and theologian.
2. James Twaddell (1705-1768), an Irish Presbyterian minister and educator.
3. John Twaddell (1720-1786), a Scottish-born American merchant and politician.
4. Margaret Twaddell (1856-1937), a Scottish artist and painter.
5. William Twaddell (1916-1994), an American linguist and philologist.

While the surname Twaddell may have originated from a word associated with idle chatter, it has since become a part of the rich tapestry of Scottish and British history, with numerous individuals bearing the name leaving their mark across various fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Twaddell

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

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

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

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