Surname Paulding - Meaning and Origin
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Paulding: What does the surname Paulding mean?
The surname Paulding is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is believed to have been derived from the personal name "Paul". The suffix "ing" means "descendant of," so Paulding could be translated to "descendant or son of Paul". This sort of patronymic naming convention was quite common in Anglo-Saxon culture. The name Paul originates from the Latin "Paulus", meaning "small" or "humble."
The surname Paulding is relatively rare, but can be found in some English-speaking countries. It is also significant in American history; eminent bearers include John Paulding, an American revolutionary soldier, and James Kirke Paulding, a 19th century American writer and, briefly, Secretary of the Navy.
As surnames have morphed over centuries, variations of spelling for the name can range from Paulding, Poling, Poingdestre, and Paulettin, among others. Like many surnames, the exact origins may be uncertain and subject to further genealogical research.
Order DNA origin analysisPaulding: Where does the name Paulding come from?
The last name Paulding is most commonly found in the United States today. It ranks as the 2986th most common last name in the country, and is most heavily concentrated in Georgia, New Jersey, and North Carolina according to the 2000 census data.
The Paulding name originates from the Scots-Irish, meaning a person who lived near a hill or hollow. It was a well known name in the United States for centuries, with families arriving from Europe, most often from England and France, in the 18th century.
The earliest ancestor in the United States with the Paulding last name was John Paulding, who immigrated to Maryland in the 1640s from East Anglia, a region of England. John and his family were among the first settlers of Calvert County, and their name continues to this day in their descendants.
The U.S. Civil War saw participation from many Paulding families, most notably from the grandson of John Paulding, General James J. Paulding from Georgia, a courageous leader who was well respected by his troops.
The Paulding name continues today, with families carrying on the legacy of John Paulding in many parts of the United States, but particularly the southern states of Georgia, North Carolina, and New Jersey.
Variations of the surname Paulding
The surname Paulding has many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. Common variations of the surname include: Pawdington, Padhington, Powdyngton, Powdington, Powding, Powdyn, Balding, Paulden, Paulling, Paulding, Palding, Paulyng, Polkington, Poulton, Paltman, Paulman, Poolding, Pounden, and Pollington.
The surname had begun to be documented in the Middle Ages in England, mainly in Suffolk, Yorkshire, Cambridgeshire, Cheshire and London. In Yorkshire, the name can be traced back to before the Norman Conquest, with early recordings of the various spellings including John Pawdington in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1261.
Other early recordings include Richard de Paudyngton in the Close Rolls of London in 1271; Peter Pawdington in the Early Census of Lancashire in 1379; and John Paulman in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1523. The spelling of Paulding seems to have been more frequent in the northwestern English counties, while the spelling of Powdington was more frequent in the southeastern English counties.
In Scotland, the various spellings of Paulding list respectively as Pollington, Paullin, Poullen, and Paulling. Early Scottish records include Johannem Paulling, who was imprisoned in Ayrshire in 1363, and John Paullin, who was president of the church there in 1503.
The meanings of the name or the origin of the family has still not been definitely ascertained. Some historians suggest the name might have arisen from residence at a place known as Pawdington. It is also believed that the name may have originated from a personal or baptismal given name of Paul, derived from the Latin word 'Paulus', meaning 'small'.
Famous people with the name Paulding
- Humphrey Marshall Paulding, American Civil War naval officer
- Edgar Cuthbert Paulding, United States Air Force
- George Paulding, 17th century New York militia officer
- Sidney Paulding, Jr., Spanish–American War soldier
- William Paulding, Jr., American lawyer and judge
- James Kirke Paulding, 19th century United States Secretary of the Navy
- James K. Paulding, Jr., one of the earliest settler of Paulding County, Georgia
- William Paulding, 3rd Baron of Ballymena, Northern Ireland
- Hiram Paulding, United States Congressman from Ohio
- Jordan Paulding, United States Congressman from Georgia
- Jonathan Paulding, United States Congressman from New York
- Edgar Paulding, American attorney and politician
- Mercy Paulding, nineteenth-century missionary to Siam
- Benjamin Paulding, Revolutionary War soldier
- Charles Paulding, Confederate Civil War soldier
- Sarah Paulding, suffragist and World's Fair organizer
- Mark Paulding, musician, composer, and bandleader
- Katrina Paulding, model and television presenter
- Warren Paulding, American judo teacher and coach
- Matthew T. Paulding, American lawyer and politician