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

Warden, 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 Warden surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Warden in America

Warden is the 3244th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Warden surname appeared 11,135 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Warden.

We can also compare 2010 data for Warden 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 Warden

The surname Warden originated in England during the medieval period. It is an occupational name derived from the Old English word "weard" or "wearden," which means "watchman" or "guardian." The name is believed to have been given to individuals who were responsible for guarding or overseeing specific areas, such as forests, parks, or estates.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Warden can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled as "Wardeyn." This ancient record indicates that people with this surname were already present in England during the Norman Conquest.

In the 12th century, the name appeared in various forms, including "Wardein," "Wardene," and "Wardun." These variations reflect the different dialects and spellings used in different regions of England at that time.

One notable example of an early bearer of the surname Warden is John Warden (c. 1320-1384), who was an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Oxfordshire during the reign of Edward III.

The surname Warden is also associated with several place names in England, such as Warden Hill in Bedfordshire and Warden Abbey in Northamptonshire. These locations likely derived their names from individuals with the surname Warden who held positions of authority or owned land in those areas.

Another prominent figure with the surname Warden was Sir John Warden (c. 1485-1543), who served as the Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer during the reign of Henry VIII. He was involved in important legal matters and played a significant role in the dissolution of the monasteries in England.

In the 17th century, the name appears in various records, including those of William Warden (1621-1681), an English clergyman and author who wrote about religious topics.

During the 18th century, the Warden family established themselves as landowners and influential figures in various parts of England. One notable member was John Warden (1736-1801), a British Army officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and later became the Governor of Bombay.

The 19th century saw the surname spread to other parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia, as people with the name Warden immigrated and settled in these countries.

Throughout history, the surname Warden has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including landowners, military officers, clergymen, and authors, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and roles associated with this occupational name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Warden

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

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

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

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