Pathfinding Merit Badge History

Earned through 1952597,718

Best year195127,923 earned

All-time popularity#64official, as of 2020#66by 2025 (estimate)

Earned by Year

First earned in 1911. Peak year 1951 with 27,923. Hover over or tap a year for its numbers.

19111 earned#16 of 22

191243 earned#14 of 51

1913121 earned#16 of 56

1914250 earned#14 of 58

1915355 earned#14 of 58

1916516 earned#10 of 56

1917815 earned#13 of 58

1918887 earned#15 of 58

19192,097 earned#13 of 59

19201,920 earned#15 of 59

19213,280 earned#15 of 61

19224,061 earned#16 of 61

19234,447 earned#15 of 63

19244,095 earned#17 of 64

19256,095 earned#15 of 64

19268,792 earned#13 of 65

192712,702 earned#11 of 68

192818,574 earned#6 of 88

192919,748 earned#8 of 89

193019,710 earned#9 of 92

193121,974 earned#8 of 96

193220,086 earned#9 of 98

193321,728 earned#9 of 101

193417,716 earned#9 of 101

193520,315 earned#9 of 101

193617,121 earned#9 of 101

193715,316 earned#12 of 102

193823,234 earned#8 of 105

193924,900 earned#9 of 106

194024,911 earned#8 of 106

194121,333 earned#9 of 106

194220,861 earned#9 of 110

194323,426 earned#8 of 112

194427,694 earned#9 of 111

194527,806 earned#8 of 111

194622,642 earned#9 of 111

194719,771 earned#8 of 111

194818,875 earned#8 of 111

194921,457 earned#9 of 111

195025,086 earned#9 of 111

195127,923 earned#9 of 111

195225,034 earned#12 of 120

"#12 of 120" means the badge was number 12 of the 120 merit badges earned that year. 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.

19111#16 of 22

191243#14 of 51

1913121#16 of 56

1914250#14 of 58

1915355#14 of 58

1916516#10 of 56

1917815#13 of 58

1918887#15 of 58

19192,097#13 of 59

19201,920#15 of 59

19213,280#15 of 61

19224,061#16 of 61

19234,447#15 of 63

19244,095#17 of 64

19256,095#15 of 64

19268,792#13 of 65

192712,702#11 of 68

192818,574#6 of 88

192919,748#8 of 89

193019,710#9 of 92

193121,974#8 of 96

193220,086#9 of 98

193321,728#9 of 101

193417,716#9 of 101

193520,315#9 of 101

193617,121#9 of 101

193715,316#12 of 102

193823,234#8 of 105

193924,900#9 of 106

194024,911#8 of 106

194121,333#9 of 106

194220,861#9 of 110

194323,426#8 of 112

194427,694#9 of 111

194527,806#8 of 111

194622,642#9 of 111

194719,771#8 of 111

194818,875#8 of 111

194921,457#9 of 111

195025,086#9 of 111

195127,923#9 of 111

195225,034#12 of 120

Grand total through 1952:

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.

Pathfinding: workbook data

Printings (37)

Have	Year	Month	Cover	Run	©	HC	Notes
c	1920		1C				hb 20th edition reference
x	1920		2				20c Wireless
	1921	not made
x	1922		2		1922		15c Radio
	1923	not made
	1924	not made
x	1925		2		1925		20c Radio
x	1925		3A
x	1925		3A				with 1927 pasted requirements
x	1926		3A
x	1927		3A
c	1928		3B
x	1929		3B
x	1930	February	3B
x	1930	July	3B
x	1931	April	3B
x	1932	February	3B	2M
c	1933	December	3B	2M	1930
	1934	not made
c	1935	February	3B	1M
	1935	February	3D	1M
x	1935	August	3B	2M
x	1936	August	3C	2M
	1937	not made
x	1938	February	3C	3M
	1938	April	3D	3M
x	1938	May	3C	2M
x	1939	April	3D	3M
x	1940	November	3D	2M
x	1941	May	4	3M		HCB
x	1942	July	4	3M	1942
x	1943	March	4	4M	1942	HCB
x	1944	May	5A	4M	1942
x	1944	December	5B	6M	1942
x	1945	September	5B	5M
x	1946	April	5B	7M
x	1947	December	5B	5M
	1948	not made
x	1949	January	5B	5M
x	1950	March	5B	5M
x	1951	January	5B	5M
x	1951	September	5B	5M
x	1951	December	5B	8M
	1952	not made

Earned and rank by year

Year	Earned	Rank	Of
1911	1	16	22
1912	43	14	51
1913	121	16	56
1914	250	14	58
1915	355	14	58
1916	516	10	56
1917	815	13	58
1918	887	15	58
1919	2,097	13	59
1920	1,920	15	59
1921	3,280	15	61
1922	4,061	16	61
1923	4,447	15	63
1924	4,095	17	64
1925	6,095	15	64
1926	8,792	13	65
1927	12,702	11	68
1928	18,574	6	88
1929	19,748	8	89
1930	19,710	9	92
1931	21,974	8	96
1932	20,086	9	98
1933	21,728	9	101
1934	17,716	9	101
1935	20,315	9	101
1936	17,121	9	101
1937	15,316	12	102
1938	23,234	8	105
1939	24,900	9	106
1940	24,911	8	106
1941	21,333	9	106
1942	20,861	9	110
1943	23,426	8	112
1944	27,694	9	111
1945	27,806	8	111
1946	22,642	9	111
1947	19,771	8	111
1948	18,875	8	111
1949	21,457	9	111
1950	25,086	9	111
1951	27,923	9	111
1952	25,034	12	120