Surname Waldon - Meaning and Origin

Waldon: What does the surname Waldon mean?

The surname Waldon is of Anglo-Saxon origin derived from a geographical locality - 'of Waldon', parishes in counties Essex and Hertford, England. The name is derived from the old English pre 7th Century "Wealh-dun", meaning "hill of the Welsh or serfs". The surname itself first appears in records in the late 12th Century and can be found in different forms such as Walden, Wallen, Wallon, Welden, and others, often influenced by regional dialects. Variations in the surname's spelling existence often lead to branches of the family having completely different sounding surnames. Today, the name is prevalent in several countries, including the United States, England, Australia, and Canada. Notable people with the surname include actor Malachi Kirby Waldon, sculptor Jimmie Durham Waldon, and author Howard Waldon.

Waldon: Where does the name Waldon come from?

Today, the surname Waldon can be found most commonly in the United States, though examples of the name may exist in other parts of the world. The United States Census Bureau estimated that there were 11,073 people with the Waldon surname living in the United States in 2017.

The earliest known ancestors of the Waldon surname can be traced back to England in the late 1500s. In 1635, a prominent man in this family, known as Lawrence Waldon, settled in Sligo, Virginia. This is where the Waldon name first started to gain recognition in the American colonies.

Today, there is a wide array of people with the Waldon surname living in the United States. Most of them live in the East Coast, though examples can be found all over the nation. Some of the most commonly populated cities and states with the Waldon surname include Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Texas.

The Waldon family has a rich and diverse history with many branches and subgroups. Despite its centuries-long existence, the surname is still carrying on and being passed down to the next generation.

Variations of the surname Waldon

The surname Waldon is an English name that originated as a locational name derived from various places called Waldon. It could have origin from Old English words “weald”, meaning ‘wood’, or “wald” meaning ‘forest’.

The variants and spellings of Waldon include Walden, Waulden, Walden, Waldan, Valen, Walldon, Waldern, Waldin, Waldon, Wauldon, Waulding, Waldmeister, Wolden and Woldon. Some surnames derived from the name Waldon include Wallen, Wallace, Waller, and Walsh.

The name Waldon is particularly popular in the Midlands and East Anglia area of England where there are numerous places with the element Wald- in the name. This includes the Nightingale Wood in Derbyshire, Walldon Mere in Buckinghamshire and many others.

The name is also found in Scotland, Ireland, France and Germany. For example, the name Wolden is a very old German name that is closely associated with the Waldon surname.

The surname Waldon is also found in the United States, tracing back to colonial times. Immigrants bearing the name likely arrived as early as the early 17th century, with the earliest record of the Waldon family in the US being that of Gilbert Walden, who settled in Virginia in 1639.

Famous people with the name Waldon

• Ryan Waldon: American freestyle skier who competed in the 2002 Winter Olympics.
• Syd 'The Kid' Waldon: Emmy-nominated American jazz saxophonist, composer and music educator.
• John Waldon: Canadian actor, stunt man and writer best known for his roles in The Chronicles of Riddick and Frankie Drake Mysteries.
• Vilmos Waldon: Hungarian painter, sculptor and printmaker who received numerous awards including the State Prize of Hungary in 1973.
• Adolph D. Waldon: African-American educator and civil rights activist best known for organizing the boycott of segregated buses in Montgomery, Alabama.
• J.B. Waldon: American baseball and football coach in the early twentieth century who coached at the University of Wisconsin and Adelphi University.
• Nathan Waldon: African-American drummer, vocalist and rap artist based in the U.S.
• Greg Waldon: American musician and producer signed to EMI Records.
• Gord Waldon: Canadian volleyball player who was a three-time All-American and National Player of the Year at the University of Alberta.
• Justin Waldon: American photographer and videographer who shoots for DNS Airlift and GoPro.

Other surnames

Waldock