Braden
An English surname most likely from a place name, originally meaning someone from Bradden in Northamptonshire.
The #2,648 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 22,697 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Braden is usually explained as a locational surname, from Bradden in Northamptonshire. The place-name is commonly taken to mean "broad valley" or "broad down," from Old English elements for broad and valley/slope, though older sources vary in the exact breakdown. In surname use, it would have identified someone who came from that place.
History
The name appears in medieval records in forms such as de Bradden, showing the normal Norman-French locational pattern. Over time the prefix fell away and the surname settled into Braden and related spellings. It is most familiar today in English-speaking countries, especially the United States and Britain.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Bardsley’s notes link Braden to Bradden, Northamptonshire, and record an early 13th-century bearer, William de Bradden.
From the historical record
“London, i. Bradden, Braddoo, Braden. — Local, ' of Bradden,' a parish in CO. Northampton, near Towcester. ' William de Bradden, co. Northampt- 1208. M.”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (alternate scan)