2000
#3,028
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,970
First available Census row
Per 100,000 4.07
Uncommon Last name
Warden
An occupational surname referring to a guardian or watchman, often of a castle, church, or other important building.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 12,460 Americans carry the last name Warden. That puts it at #3,241 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.64 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 27,508 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Warden 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 Warden with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
12K
1 in 27,508
Census rank
#3,241
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
11K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 10,866 bearers of the surname Warden in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.64 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3241st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Warden, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.9%. The next largest groups are Black (5.2%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Warden
Among Census respondents with the surname Warden, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.9%. The next largest groups are Black (5.2%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Warden 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 Warden surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.9% · 9,117
- Black or African American5.2% · 564
- Two or more races4.7% · 516
- Hispanic or Latino4.5% · 488
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 105
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 76
Timeline
Historical Census data for Warden
Warden 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
#3,244
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 11,135
+165 bearers (+1.5%)
Per 100,000 3.77
Rank movement Down 216 places
2020
#3,241
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,866
-269 bearers (-2.4%)
Per 100,000 3.64
Rank movement Up 3 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,028 | 10,970 | 4.07 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,244 | 11,135 | 3.77 | +165 bearers (+1.5%) | Down 216 places |
| 2020 | #3,241 | 10,866 | 3.64 | -269 bearers (-2.4%) | Up 3 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 Warden 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 | #3,244 | #3,241 | 0.1% |
| Count | 11,135 | 10,866 | -2.4% |
| Per 100K | 3.77 | 3.64 | -3.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Warden bearers went from 11,135 to 10,866 (-2.4% change). The surname moved up 3 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,244 to #3,241.
FAQ
Warden surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Warden?
Name Census estimates that about 12,460 living Americans carry the surname Warden. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 27,508 residents.
How common is Warden?
Warden ranks #3,241 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.64 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 10,866 people with the surname Warden. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (12,460), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.64 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.64 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Warden.
Has Warden become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Warden went from 11,135 recorded bearers to 10,866. That is a decrease of 269 (-2.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #3,244 to #3,241.
What does the Census say about the background of Warden?
Among Census respondents with the surname Warden, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.9%. The next largest groups are Black (5.2%) 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 Warden in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.9% (9,117 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Warden appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (83.9%), Black (5.2%), 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 Warden (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 Warden mean?
An occupational surname referring to a guardian or watchman, often of a castle, church, or other important building. 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 Warden (3.64 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 are called Warden?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Warden on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.