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

Waddle, 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 Waddle surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Waddle in America

Waddle is the 7940th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Waddle surname appeared 4,167 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 Waddle.

We can also compare 2010 data for Waddle 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 Waddle

The surname WADDLE is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "wadel," meaning a wanderer or a messenger. It first appeared in the 13th century in the county of Yorkshire, where it was used as a descriptive name for someone who walked with a distinctive waddling gait.

The earliest recorded instance of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a Richard Wadel is listed as residing in the village of Waddington, near Lincoln. This village name is likely derived from the same root as the surname, further indicating its connection to the concept of wandering or traveling.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the name was primarily concentrated in the northern counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Westmorland. In the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1332, a Robert Wadell is listed in the West Riding of Yorkshire, while the Poll Tax Returns of 1379 record a John Wadell in Lincolnshire.

One notable historical figure bearing the WADDLE surname was Sir Thomas Waddle (1590-1670), a prominent merchant and landowner from Yorkshire. He served as the Sheriff of York in 1642 and played a role in supporting the Royalist cause during the English Civil War.

In the 17th century, the name began to spread more widely across England, with records showing WADDLE families in counties such as Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Somerset. A notable example is John Waddle (1644-1721), a Presbyterian minister and writer from Somerset.

As the British Empire expanded, the WADDLE name was carried to various corners of the globe. Captain James Waddle (1784-1858), a British naval officer, served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a prominent figure in the colonization of Australia.

Another significant historical figure was Sir Alfred Waddle (1818-1896), a British mathematician and astronomer. He made significant contributions to the fields of celestial mechanics and the theory of gravitational perturbations.

Throughout its history, the WADDLE surname has maintained its connection to the concept of wandering and movement, reflecting the migratory nature of its early bearers. While its origins lie in the northern English counties, the name has since spread across the globe, leaving its mark on various historical events and fields of study.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Waddle

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

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

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

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