2000
#10,059
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,956
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.10
Rare Last name
Cadwell
Derived from a place name meaning "cold spring" in Old English, referring to someone who lived near such a spring.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,298 Americans carry the last name Cadwell. That puts it at #10,621 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.96 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 103,928 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Cadwell 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Cadwell with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.3K
1 in 103,928
Census rank
#10,621
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,876 bearers of the surname Cadwell in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.96 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10621st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Cadwell, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.3%. The next largest groups are Black (5.5%) and Two or More Races (3.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Cadwell
The surname Cadwell is of English origin, and its earliest known roots can be traced back to the medieval period in England. The name is believed to have derived from the Old English words "cad" meaning "toad" and "well" referring to a water source or spring, thus suggesting that the name may have originated as a topographic surname describing someone who lived near a well or water source frequented by toads.
The Cadwell surname is found scattered throughout various historical records and manuscripts from England, such as the Pipe Rolls of Cambridgeshire from the 13th century, where a Robert de Cadewell was mentioned. Additionally, the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273 make reference to a John de Cadewelle, indicating the early variations in spelling of the name.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Cadwell surname can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1327, where a John Cadewell was listed. This suggests that the name had already established itself as a hereditary surname by the 14th century.
Throughout the centuries, the Cadwell surname has been associated with several notable individuals. One such figure was Sir Thomas Cadwell, a prominent merchant and Member of Parliament for the city of Bristol in the late 16th century (born around 1550). Another remarkable individual bearing this surname was John Cadwell, a celebrated English architect and stonemason who lived in the early 18th century (born circa 1680) and was responsible for the construction of several iconic buildings in London.
Moving forward in time, we encounter Samuel Cadwell, a renowned British painter and portraitist who flourished during the late 18th century (born in 1760). He was renowned for his skillful depictions of aristocratic figures and landscapes.
In the realm of literature, one cannot overlook the contributions of novelist and playwright William Cadwell, who made his mark in the early 19th century (born in 1810). His works, which often explored themes of social commentary and human nature, were widely acclaimed during his lifetime.
Finally, we come to Sir Edward Cadwell, a distinguished British diplomat and statesman who served as Ambassador to several countries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries (born in 1865). His diplomatic efforts and negotiation skills were highly regarded, and he played a significant role in shaping international relations during a tumultuous period in history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Cadwell
Among Census respondents with the surname Cadwell, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.3%. The next largest groups are Black (5.5%) and Two or More Races (3.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Cadwell 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 Cadwell surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.3% · 2,454
- Black or African American5.5% · 158
- Two or more races3.7% · 107
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 104
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 27
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 26
Timeline
Historical Census data for Cadwell
Cadwell 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
#10,638
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,009
+53 bearers (+1.8%)
Per 100,000 1.02
Rank movement Down 579 places
2020
#10,621
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,876
-133 bearers (-4.4%)
Per 100,000 0.96
Rank movement Up 17 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #10,059 | 2,956 | 1.10 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,638 | 3,009 | 1.02 | +53 bearers (+1.8%) | Down 579 places |
| 2020 | #10,621 | 2,876 | 0.96 | -133 bearers (-4.4%) | Up 17 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 Cadwell 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 | #10,638 | #10,621 | 0.2% |
| Count | 3,009 | 2,876 | -4.4% |
| Per 100K | 1.02 | 0.96 | -5.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Cadwell bearers went from 3,009 to 2,876 (-4.4% change). The surname moved up 17 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,638 to #10,621.
FAQ
Cadwell surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Cadwell?
Name Census estimates that about 3,298 living Americans carry the surname Cadwell. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 103,928 residents.
How common is Cadwell?
Cadwell ranks #10,621 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.96 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 2,876 people with the surname Cadwell. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,298), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.96 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.96 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 Cadwell.
Has Cadwell become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Cadwell went from 3,009 recorded bearers to 2,876. That is a decrease of 133 (-4.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #10,638 to #10,621.
What does the Census say about the background of Cadwell?
Among Census respondents with the surname Cadwell, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.3%. The next largest groups are Black (5.5%) and Two or More Races (3.7%). 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 Cadwell in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.3% (2,454 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Cadwell appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.3%), Black (5.5%), Two or More Races (3.7%). 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 Cadwell (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 Cadwell mean?
Derived from a place name meaning "cold spring" in Old English, referring to someone who lived near such a spring. 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 Cadwell (0.96 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 Cadwell?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.