Show ContentsVaden History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Vaden is a name whose history is entwined with the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It was a name for a god of Anglo Saxon origin. The surname Vaden originally derived from the Old English word Odin, Fodin, or Voden. which referred to an ancient pagan god of the Saxons. Often nicknames described strong traits or attributes that people wished to emulate in a specific animal. In the pre-Christian era, many pagan gods and demigods were believed to be a mixture of animals and humans, such as the Greek god Pan who was the god of flocks and herds and was represented as a man with the legs, horns and ears of a goat.

Early Origins of the Vaden family

The surname Vaden was first found in Sussex where two early entries of the family were found: Thomas Foydn in 1296 and John Fodyn in 1327. Both were recorded in the Subsidy Rolls. [1]

While these previous entries are the oldest, we must look to Cheshire as the stronghold for the family. Here they established Foden, now Foden Bank "in the township of Sutton, parish of Prestbury, Cheshire. This surname is well represented in Cheshire and Lancashire." [2]

Early History of the Vaden family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Vaden research. Another 133 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1563, 1568, 1592 and 1613 are included under the topic Early Vaden History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Vaden Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Vaden were recorded, including Foden, Fodon, Vodden, Voden and others.

Early Notables of the Vaden family

More information is included under the topic Early Vaden Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Vaden Ranking

In the United States, the name Vaden is the 7,932nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [3]


United States Vaden migration to the United States +

To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Vaden family emigrate to North America:

Vaden Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • L. B. Vaden, who landed in America, in 1906
  • Frederick G. Vaden, aged 36, who settled in Brooklyn, New York, in 1918
  • Nanny P. Vaden, aged 26, who settled in Richmond, Va., in 1919
  • F.G. Vaden, aged 37, who landed in America, in 1920
  • C. C. Vaden, who settled in America, in 1920
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Vaden (post 1700) +

  • Willie Vaden (b. 1948), American politician, former mayor of Ingleside, Texas
  • Robert Vaden (b. 1985), American college basketball player
  • Paul Vaden (b. 1967), retired American boxer who held the IBF light middleweight championship
  • William Vaden, American Republican politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Texas 27th District, 2004, 2006, 2008; Candidate in primary for Texas State House of Representatives 43rd District, 2012 [4]
  • Robert C. Vaden, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Virginia, 1940, 1944, 1948; Member of Virginia State Senate, 1950 [4]
  • Vaden Burns Hargis, American academic, current President of the Oklahoma State University


  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  3. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 5) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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