Cooking Merit Badge History

Earned through 20204,648,594

Best year1964108,762 earned

All-time popularity#4official, as of 2020#4by 2025 (estimate)

Earned by Year

First earned in 1911. Peak year 1964 with 108,762. Hover over or tap a year for its numbers.

19112 earned#11 of 22

191244 earned#13 of 51

1913163 earned#10 of 56

1914361 earned#8 of 58

1915418 earned#9 of 58

1916480 earned#12 of 56

1917811 earned#14 of 58

1918965 earned#11 of 58

19192,081 earned#14 of 59

19202,395 earned#10 of 59

19213,862 earned#11 of 61

19225,373 earned#11 of 61

19235,608 earned#10 of 63

19245,762 earned#9 of 64

19257,272 earned#11 of 64

192611,690 earned#9 of 65

192712,880 earned#9 of 68

192814,782 earned#11 of 88

192916,216 earned#10 of 89

193017,233 earned#10 of 92

193120,101 earned#10 of 96

193220,396 earned#8 of 98

193320,840 earned#10 of 101

193419,394 earned#7 of 101

193522,027 earned#8 of 101

193618,254 earned#8 of 101

193719,877 earned#8 of 102

193822,351 earned#9 of 105

193924,991 earned#8 of 106

194020,265 earned#10 of 106

194122,691 earned#8 of 106

194221,195 earned#8 of 110

194323,368 earned#9 of 112

194429,233 earned#7 of 111

194530,049 earned#7 of 111

194626,597 earned#7 of 111

194724,916 earned#7 of 111

194824,066 earned#7 of 111

194927,469 earned#7 of 111

195033,439 earned#5 of 111

195136,865 earned#5 of 111

195241,691 earned#4 of 120

195349,903 earned#2 of 105

195459,853 earned#2 of 103

195564,591 earned#2 of 100

195668,947 earned#2 of 100

195770,223 earned#2 of 100

195876,005 earned#1 of 101

195983,953 earned#1 of 101

196094,911 earned#1 of 100

1961101,492 earned#1 of 101

1962102,877 earned#1 of 101

1963107,529 earned#1 of 102

1964108,762 earned#1 of 107

1965108,266 earned#1 of 109

1966106,680 earned#2 of 110

1967100,064 earned#2 of 112

196891,513 earned#4 of 112

196991,485 earned#4 of 113

197093,485 earned#2 of 113

197190,362 earned#2 of 113

197293,104 earned#2 of 124

197356,029 earned#6 of 122

197485,994 earned#4 of 121

197576,201 earned#4 of 128

197670,847 earned#4 of 130

197763,207 earned#5 of 130

197856,452 earned#4 of 131

197950,820 earned#5 of 132

198034,725 earned#6 of 132

198151,853 earned#6 of 134

1982No data available

1983No data available

1984No data available

1985No data available

1986No data available

1987No data available

1988No data available

1989No data available

1990No data available

1991No data available

1992No data available

199346,328 earned#16 of 123

1994No data available

1995No data available

199644,073 earned#18 of 134

1997No data available

1998No data available

1999No data available

200041,614 earned#20 of 128

200140,091 earned#20 of 129

200235,163 earned#22 of 129

200331,284 earned#25 of 130

200428,260 earned#26 of 121

200525,033 earned#26 of 121

200624,151 earned#26 of 121

200724,025 earned#26 of 121

200824,079 earned#26 of 121

200924,496 earned#28 of 122

201023,548 earned#28 of 125

201123,989 earned#23 of 129

201223,384 earned#26 of 132

201344,903 earned#8 of 129

201499,908 earned#1 of 136

201567,691 earned#3 of 138

201655,841 earned#6 of 138

201751,004 earned#6 of 139

201850,185 earned#7 of 139

201949,039 earned#6 of 139

202036,473 earned#8 of 137

2021No data available#6 of 137

2022No data available#9 of 138

2023No data available#10 of 138

2024No data available#10 of 138

2025No data available#10 of 141

Known count No data available

"—" means merit badges were earned that year but the exact number is not currently known. "#10 of 141" means the badge was number 10 of the 141 merit badges earned that year. National counts have not been published since 2020, but the rankings have. The grand total comes from official reports and includes the years without a known count. The 2025 all-time place is an estimate, because the counts for 2021 to 2025 are worked out from each year's official ranking and the total number of merit badges earned that year.

19112#11 of 22

191244#13 of 51

1913163#10 of 56

1914361#8 of 58

1915418#9 of 58

1916480#12 of 56

1917811#14 of 58

1918965#11 of 58

19192,081#14 of 59

19202,395#10 of 59

19213,862#11 of 61

19225,373#11 of 61

19235,608#10 of 63

19245,762#9 of 64

19257,272#11 of 64

192611,690#9 of 65

192712,880#9 of 68

192814,782#11 of 88

192916,216#10 of 89

193017,233#10 of 92

193120,101#10 of 96

193220,396#8 of 98

193320,840#10 of 101

193419,394#7 of 101

193522,027#8 of 101

193618,254#8 of 101

193719,877#8 of 102

193822,351#9 of 105

193924,991#8 of 106

194020,265#10 of 106

194122,691#8 of 106

194221,195#8 of 110

194323,368#9 of 112

194429,233#7 of 111

194530,049#7 of 111

194626,597#7 of 111

194724,916#7 of 111

194824,066#7 of 111

194927,469#7 of 111

195033,439#5 of 111

195136,865#5 of 111

195241,691#4 of 120

195349,903#2 of 105

195459,853#2 of 103

195564,591#2 of 100

195668,947#2 of 100

195770,223#2 of 100

195876,005#1 of 101

195983,953#1 of 101

196094,911#1 of 100

1961101,492#1 of 101

1962102,877#1 of 101

1963107,529#1 of 102

1964108,762#1 of 107

1965108,266#1 of 109

1966106,680#2 of 110

1967100,064#2 of 112

196891,513#4 of 112

196991,485#4 of 113

197093,485#2 of 113

197190,362#2 of 113

197293,104#2 of 124

197356,029#6 of 122

197485,994#4 of 121

197576,201#4 of 128

197670,847#4 of 130

197763,207#5 of 130

197856,452#4 of 131

197950,820#5 of 132

198034,725#6 of 132

198151,853#6 of 134

1982—

1983—

1984—

1985—

1986—

1987—

1988—

1989—

1990—

1991—

1992—

199346,328#16 of 123

1994—

1995—

199644,073#18 of 134

1997—

1998—

1999—

200041,614#20 of 128

200140,091#20 of 129

200235,163#22 of 129

200331,284#25 of 130

200428,260#26 of 121

200525,033#26 of 121

200624,151#26 of 121

200724,025#26 of 121

200824,079#26 of 121

200924,496#28 of 122

201023,548#28 of 125

201123,989#23 of 129

201223,384#26 of 132

201344,903#8 of 129

201499,908#1 of 136

201567,691#3 of 138

201655,841#6 of 138

201751,004#6 of 139

201850,185#7 of 139

201949,039#6 of 139

202036,473#8 of 137

2021—#6 of 137

2022—#9 of 138

2023—#10 of 138

2024—#10 of 138

2025—#10 of 141

Grand total through 2020:

This page keeps growing. More of this badge's history, including its patches and pamphlets, is being checked and will be added once it is confirmed.

Cooking: workbook data

Printings (110)

Have	Year	Month	Cover	Back	Run	©	BSA #	UPC	HC	Notes
x	1919		1B-2			1919				1a hb 20th edition reference
x	1919		2			1919				15c Wireless
	1920	not made
	1921	not made
c	1922		2							15c Wireless
c	1923		2							15c Radio
c	1924		2							15c Radio
	1925		2
x	1925		3A	back-3			3257
x	1926		3A	back-3			3257
x	1927		3A	back-3			3257
x	1928		3B	back-3			3257
	1929		3B	back-3			3257
c	1930	February	3B	back-3			3257
c	1930	May	3B	back-3			3257
c	1930	July	3B	back-3			3257
x	1930	September	3B	back-3			3257
x	1931	March	3B	back-3			3257
x	1931	June	3B	back-3			3257
x	1932	May	3B	back-3	2M		3257
x	1933	October	3B	back-3			3257
x	1934	October	3B	back-3	2M		3257
x	1935	June	3B	back-3	3M		3257
x	1936	July	3C	back-3	1M		3257
x	1936	October	3C	back-3	3M		3257
	1937	not made
x	1938	March	3C	back-3	3M		3257
x	1939	April	3C	back-3	3M		3257
x	1939	April	3D	back-3	3M		3257
x	1939	September	3D	back-3	3M		3257
c	1939	September	4	back-4	3M		3257
x	1940	November	4	back-4	3M	1939	3257
x	1941	July	4	back-4	3M	1939	3257		HCB
x	1942	May	4	back-4	4M	1939	3257
x	1943	March	4	back-4	4M	1939	3257		HCA
x	1944	April	5A	back-5a	7M	1939	3257
x	1945	February	5B	blank	5.5M	1939	3257
x	1945	September	5B	blank	7M	1939	3257
x	1946	March	5B	blank	8M	1939	3257
x	1947	August	5B	blank	7M	1939	3257
	1948	not made
x	1949	January	5B	blank	7M	1939	3257
x	1950	March	5B	blank	6M	1939	3257
x	1951	February	5B	blank	8M	1939	3257
x	1951	August	5B	back-6a	10M	1939	3257
x	1952	June	6	back-6b-1	10M	1939	3257		HCI
x	1953	May	6	back-6b-1	10M	1939	3257
x	1954	January	6	back-6b-1	12M	1939	3257
x	1954	October	6	back-6b-2	20M	1939	3257
x	1955	September	6	back-6b-2	20M	1939	3257		HCJV1
x	1956	July	6	back-6b-2	20M	1939	3257		HCJ
x	1957	April	6	back-6b-2	25M	1939	3257
x	1958	February	6	back-6c-1	25M	1939	3257
x	1959	March	6	back-6c-2	25M	1939	3257
x	1960	March	6	back-6c-2	25M	1939	3257		HCJV2
x	1960	August	6	back-6d	30M	1939	3257
x	1961	October	6	back-6e	30M	1939	3257		HCJV2
x	1962	May	6	back-6f	35M	1939	3257		HCJV2
x	1963	May	6	back-6g	38M	1939	3257		HCP
x	1964	April	6	back-6h	45M	1939	3257		HCK
x	1965	March	6	back-6h	45M	1939	3257		HCK, HCL, HCP
	1966	not made
x	1967	December	7A-1	back-7	55M	1967	3257
x	1968	August	7A-1	back-7	100M	1967	3257		HCL, HCN
	1969	not made
x	1970	January	7A-2	back-7	70M	1967	3257		HCL, HCM
x	1971	March	7A-2	back-7	60M	1967	3257		HCL, HCM, HCSV1
x	1972	March	7A-2	back-7	60M	1967	3257
	1973	not made
x	1974	January	8	back-8a	50M	1967	3257		HCT
x	1974	April	8	back-8b	25M	1967	3257
x	1975	January	8	back-8b	20M	1967	3257
x	1975	April	8	back-8c-1	15M	1967	3257
x	1976	March	8	back-8c-1	25M	1967	3257
	1977	not made
x	1978	March	8	back-8d	23M	1967	3257
x	1979	April	8	back-8d	20M	1967	3257
x	1980	April	9A	back-9a	19M	1967	3257		HCU
x	1981	March	9A	back-9a	18M	1967	3257
x	1982	February	9A	back-9a	22M	1967	3257
x	1983	February	9A	back-9a	24M	1967	3257
x	1984	January	9A	back-9a	22M	1967	3257
x	1985	March	9A	back-9b-2	20M		3257
x	1986	July	9B	back-9b-2	20M	1986	3257
x	1987	May	9B	back-9b-2	20M	1986	3257
x	1988	January	9B	back-9b-2	20M	1986	3257
x	1989	January	9B	back-9b-2	20M	1986	3257
x	1990	January	9B	back-9b-2	25M	1986	3257
x	1991	June	9B	back-9c-1	20M	1986	3257
x	1992	August	9B	back-9c-2	20M	1986	33257	730176332574
x	1993	September	9B	back-9d	20M	1986	33257	730176332574
x	1994	October	9B	back-9d	19M	1986	33257	730176332574
x	1995	November	9B	back-9d	20M		33349	730176333496
	1996	not made
x	1997	September	9B	back-9d			33349	730176333496
x	1998		9B	back-9e			33349	730176333496
c	1999		9B	back-9f
x	1999		9B	back-9f			33349	730176333496		2nd printing
x	2000		9B	back-9f			33349	730176333496
x	2001		9C	back-9f			33349A	730176333496
	2002	not made
x	2003		9C	back-9g			33349A	730176333496
x	2004		9C	back-9g			33349A	730176333496
x	2005		9C	back-9g			33349A	730176333496
x	2006		9C	back-9g			33349A	730176333496
x	2007		9D	back-9h-1			33349B	730176325231
x	2007		9D	back-9h-1			33349B	730176325231		2nd printing
x	2008		10A	back-1008b3			35879	730176358796
x	2009		10B	back-1009b3			35879	730176358796
x	2010		10C	back-1010b3			35879	730176358796
x	2011		10C	back-1010b3			35879	730176358796
	2012	not made
x	2013		10C	back-1010b3			35879	730176358796
x	2014		10D-1	back-1013e1b			617899	730176357188		01268-AL
x	2014	2nd printing	10D-1	back-1013e1b			617899	730176357188		01268-AL
	2015	not made
x	2016		10D-1	back-1015e1			626401	730176358475		01042-AL
	2017	not made
x	2018		10D-1	back-1019e1			626401	730176358475		358
x	2019		10D-1	back-1019e1			626401	730176358475		00432
x	2020		10D-1	back-1019e1			655704	730176351902		358
	2021	not made
x	2022		10D-1	back-1019e1			655704	730176351902		358
x	2023		10D-2	back-1019e1			660397	7301766603973		358
	2024	not made
	2025	not made

Earned and rank by year

Year	Earned	Rank	Of
1911	2	11	22
1912	44	13	51
1913	163	10	56
1914	361	8	58
1915	418	9	58
1916	480	12	56
1917	811	14	58
1918	965	11	58
1919	2,081	14	59
1920	2,395	10	59
1921	3,862	11	61
1922	5,373	11	61
1923	5,608	10	63
1924	5,762	9	64
1925	7,272	11	64
1926	11,690	9	65
1927	12,880	9	68
1928	14,782	11	88
1929	16,216	10	89
1930	17,233	10	92
1931	20,101	10	96
1932	20,396	8	98
1933	20,840	10	101
1934	19,394	7	101
1935	22,027	8	101
1936	18,254	8	101
1937	19,877	8	102
1938	22,351	9	105
1939	24,991	8	106
1940	20,265	10	106
1941	22,691	8	106
1942	21,195	8	110
1943	23,368	9	112
1944	29,233	7	111
1945	30,049	7	111
1946	26,597	7	111
1947	24,916	7	111
1948	24,066	7	111
1949	27,469	7	111
1950	33,439	5	111
1951	36,865	5	111
1952	41,691	4	120
1953	49,903	2	105
1954	59,853	2	103
1955	64,591	2	100
1956	68,947	2	100
1957	70,223	2	100
1958	76,005	1	101
1959	83,953	1	101
1960	94,911	1	100
1961	101,492	1	101
1962	102,877	1	101
1963	107,529	1	102
1964	108,762	1	107
1965	108,266	1	109
1966	106,680	2	110
1967	100,064	2	112
1968	91,513	4	112
1969	91,485	4	113
1970	93,485	2	113
1971	90,362	2	113
1972	93,104	2	124
1973	56,029	6	122
1974	85,994	4	121
1975	76,201	4	128
1976	70,847	4	130
1977	63,207	5	130
1978	56,452	4	131
1979	50,820	5	132
1980	34,725	6	132
1981	51,853	6	134
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993	46,328	16	123
1994
1995
1996	44,073	18	134
1997
1998
1999
2000	41,614	20	128
2001	40,091	20	129
2002	35,163	22	129
2003	31,284	25	130
2004	28,260	26	121
2005	25,033	26	121
2006	24,151	26	121
2007	24,025	26	121
2008	24,079	26	121
2009	24,496	28	122
2010	23,548	28	125
2011	23,989	23	129
2012	23,384	26	132
2013	44,903	8	129
2014	99,908	1	136
2015	67,691	3	138
2016	55,841	6	138
2017	51,004	6	139
2018	50,185	7	139
2019	49,039	6	139
2020	36,473	8	137
2021		6	137
2022		9	138
2023		10	138
2024		10	138
2025		10	141