Baldwin
An old personal name surname meaning “bold friend” or “brave friend.”
The #395 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 3,824 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Baldwin began as a medieval given name made from elements meaning “bold, brave” and “friend.” In Old English it appears as Bealdwine, and related continental forms such as Baudouin and Baldwin were widespread in Norman and Flemish usage. The surname developed from that baptismal name, meaning “son or descendant of Baldwin” in many cases.
History
The name was common among medieval nobles and is well attested among early landholders in Domesday Book. It spread in England through Norman and Flemish influence and later became a hereditary surname. Variants such as Bawden, Baudin, and Balder appeared in different regions and records.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The name was borne by several counts of Flanders, which helped keep it visible in medieval aristocratic circles.
From the historical record
“tismal name. BALDWIN. TJie baptismal name. Se- veral chief tenants in Domesd. are called Baldwinius and Baldvinus. H. E. Bau- dewyne. BALDY. Perhaps from Baldwin, BALE. A parish in co. Norfolk. BALES. A pluralization of Bale. BALFOUR. A castle and fief in Fife-”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United KingdomNotable people named Baldwin
- Alec Baldwin (b. 1958)
- James Baldwin (1924–1987)
- Stanley Baldwin (1867–1947)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.