Gadson
A surname of uncertain origin, probably a variant or corruption of Gadsden rather than a clearly separate family name.
The #6,422 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 58,353 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The historical notes available suggest that Gadson may not be an original standalone form, but instead a later corruption of Gadsden. If that is right, the name would ultimately be linked to an English place-name formation, with the final element -den often found in old English local names. Because the evidence is shaky and the surviving citations are brief, the exact root is not certain.
History
Bardsley treated the name cautiously and thought Gadson was probably only a corrupted form of Gadsden, which would explain its rarity. The surname appears in small numbers in historical records and remains uncommon in the United States. No strong separate family line or widely accepted independent derivation is clearly established in the excerpts.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In the source excerpts, Bardsley explicitly says the form is probably a corruption rather than a settled surname in its own right.
From the historical record
“Uargant GadiDB : ibid. iii. t6i. Gadson above is probably a cor- ruption of Gadaden, otherwise it would settle the question. London, .i;: HDa (co. SomaX 4; Philadelphia, 4-”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with special American instances