Explore the Family Name Paulding

The meaning of Paulding

1. Americanized form of Dutch Paeldinck: metonymic occupational name for a seller or catcher of eels, from Middle Dutch paeldinc, modern Dutch paling ‘eel’. The surname Paeldinck is no longer found in the Netherlands. 2. English (Lancashire): habitational name from Pauldon in Prestwich with Oldham (Lancashire). The placename may derive from Old English pāl ‘pole’ + denu ‘valley’. History: Joost (Joseph) Paulding came from Cadzand, the Netherlands, married Catherina Duyts in 1688 and lived in Westchester County, NY.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Paulding in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the data reveals that the surname Paulding experienced an increase in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Paulding was ranked 35,860th in terms of commonality among surnames, but by 2010, it had climbed to the 33,990th rank, signifying a 5.21% rise in popularity. The count of individuals with this surname also grew from 592 in 2000 to 669 in 2010, marking a significant increase of 13.01%. Consequently, for every 100,000 people in the U.S., approximately 0.23 had the surname Paulding in 2010, up from 0.22 in 2000.

20002010Change
Rank#35,860#33,9905.21%
Count59266913.01%
Proportion per 100k0.220.234.55%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Paulding

Regarding the ethnic identity associated with the surname Paulding, the Decennial U.S. Census data demonstrates shifts over the decade spanning 2000 to 2010. While a majority of Pauldings identified as White (62.03%) in 2010, this figure represented a decrease of 7.03% from 2000. Meanwhile, those identifying as Black witnessed a growth from 30.24% to 33.03% during the same period. Interestingly, there was a noticeable increase in the proportion of Pauldings identifying with two or more races, rising from 1.52% to 2.84%. Additionally, a minor fraction of individuals with the Paulding surname started to identify as Asian/Pacific Islander by 2010. However, no Pauldings were found to identify as Hispanic or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.

20002010Change
White66.72%62.03%-7.03%
Black30.24%33.03%9.23%
Two or More Races1.52%2.84%86.84%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%1.05%0%
Hispanic0.84%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%