2000
#301
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 91,338
First available Census row
Per 100,000 33.86
Common Last name
Caldwell
From an English place name meaning "cold spring," or from a place name meaning "calves' spring."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 103,320 Americans carry the last name Caldwell. That puts it at #340 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 30.14 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,317 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Caldwell 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 Caldwell with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
103K
1 in 3,317
Census rank
#340
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
30.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
90K
common in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 90,100 bearers of the surname Caldwell in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 30.14 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 340th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Caldwell, the largest self-reported group is White at 65.5%. The next largest groups are Black (25.2%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Caldwell
The surname Caldwell has its origins in the Scottish Lowlands, deriving from the Old English words "cald" meaning "cold" and "well" referring to a spring or stream. It is believed to have originated as a place name, likely referring to a settlement near a cold water source.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which contains the names of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. In this document, the name is listed as "Caldewelle."
In the 14th century, the name appeared in various Scottish records, including the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, where it was spelled "Cauldwell" and "Caldwell." This suggests that the name had already begun to evolve and take on different spellings during this period.
A notable early bearer of the name was Sir John Caldwell (c. 1370-1432), a Scottish knight and landowner who served as a diplomat and ambassador for King James I of Scotland. He played a significant role in negotiations with England during the latter part of the Hundred Years' War.
Another prominent figure was James Caldwell (1639-1719), a Scottish minister and philosopher who served as the first Principal of the University of Glasgow. He was instrumental in establishing the university's curriculum and promoting the study of natural philosophy.
In the 18th century, the Caldwell family established itself in Ireland, with several members holding prominent positions. One such individual was Sir John Caldwell (1775-1842), an Irish politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for County Fermanagh.
The name also has a strong presence in the United States, with many bearers tracing their ancestry back to Scottish and Irish immigrants. One notable American with the surname was Erskine Caldwell (1903-1987), a critically acclaimed novelist and author known for works such as "Tobacco Road" and "God's Little Acre."
Another significant figure was Sarah Caldwell (1924-2006), an American conductor and opera director who founded the Opera Company of Boston and played a crucial role in promoting contemporary opera in the United States.
Throughout its history, the surname Caldwell has been associated with various occupations and achievements, from landowners and diplomats to philosophers, politicians, and artists, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who have borne this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Caldwell
Among Census respondents with the surname Caldwell, the largest self-reported group is White at 65.5%. The next largest groups are Black (25.2%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Caldwell 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 Caldwell surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White65.5% · 59,041
- Black or African American25.2% · 22,745
- Two or more races4.7% · 4,208
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 2,978
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 609
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 519
Timeline
Historical Census data for Caldwell
Caldwell 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
#327
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 93,944
+2,606 bearers (+2.9%)
Per 100,000 31.85
Rank movement Down 26 places
2020
#340
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 90,100
-3,844 bearers (-4.1%)
Per 100,000 30.14
Rank movement Down 13 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #301 | 91,338 | 33.86 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #327 | 93,944 | 31.85 | +2,606 bearers (+2.9%) | Down 26 places |
| 2020 | #340 | 90,100 | 30.14 | -3,844 bearers (-4.1%) | Down 13 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 Caldwell 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 | #327 | #340 | -4.0% |
| Count | 93,944 | 90,100 | -4.1% |
| Per 100K | 31.85 | 30.14 | -5.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Caldwell bearers went from 93,944 to 90,100 (-4.1% change). The surname moved down 13 positions in the national ranking, going from #327 to #340.
FAQ
Caldwell surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Caldwell?
Name Census estimates that about 103,320 living Americans carry the surname Caldwell. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,317 residents.
How common is Caldwell?
Caldwell ranks #340 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Common." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 30.14 per 100,000 residents, which is about 30 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 90,100 people with the surname Caldwell. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (103,320), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 30.14 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 30.14 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 30 of them to have the surname Caldwell.
Has Caldwell become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Caldwell went from 93,944 recorded bearers to 90,100. That is a decrease of 3,844 (-4.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #327 to #340.
What does the Census say about the background of Caldwell?
Among Census respondents with the surname Caldwell, the largest self-reported group is White at 65.5%. The next largest groups are Black (25.2%) and Two or More Races (4.7%). 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 Caldwell in the 2020 Census, accounting for 65.5% (59,041 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Caldwell appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (65.5%), Black (25.2%), Two or More Races (4.7%). 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 Caldwell (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 Caldwell mean?
From an English place name meaning "cold spring," or from a place name meaning "calves' 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 Caldwell (30.14 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 Caldwell?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.