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

Waden, 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 Waden surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Waden in America

Waden is the 86645th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Waden surname appeared 215 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 Waden.

We can also compare 2010 data for Waden 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 Waden

The surname Waden has its origins in England, tracing back to the 14th century. It is derived from the Old English word 'waeden', meaning 'path' or 'road'. This suggests that the name was initially given to someone who lived near a well-trodden path or roadway.

Early records show variations in the spelling, including Waden, Wadyn, and Waydyn. The name is found in the Subsidy Rolls for Worcestershire in 1327, where it is listed as Waydyn. This is one of the earliest documented instances of the surname.

In the 15th century, the name appears in the Paston Letters, a collection of correspondences from the influential Paston family of Norfolk. A certain William Waden is mentioned in a letter dated 1472, indicating the presence of the surname in that region during that time.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Waden. However, it does include several place names that could have influenced the surname's development, such as Wadebridge in Cornwall and Wadenhoe in Northamptonshire.

One notable figure with the surname was John Waden (c. 1495 - 1556), an English clergyman who served as Dean of Arches, a prestigious ecclesiastical court position, during the reign of King Henry VIII.

Another historical figure was Thomas Waden (1598 - 1664), a English merchant and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Salisbury in the 1640s.

In the literary realm, there was William Waden (1601 - 1685), an English poet and playwright who wrote several works, including "The Life and Death of Sir Thomas More" and "The Monumental Columne".

The surname also appears in military records, with Captain John Waden (1627 - 1698) serving in the English Civil War and later becoming a prominent landowner in Hertfordshire.

Lastly, Thomas Waden (1718 - 1786) was a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Church of St. Mary Woolnoth and St. Andrew's Church in Holborn.

These examples illustrate the presence of the surname Waden across various professions and social strata throughout English history, from clergymen and politicians to merchants, writers, and architects.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Waden

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

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

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

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