NameCensus.

UK surname

Rhoden

A habitational surname derived from places in Germany, likely referring to a clearing or fields.

In the 1881 census there were 214 people recorded with the Rhoden surname, ranking it #12,284 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 756, ranked #7,240, up from #12,284 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rowley Regis, Wrexham and Wigan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wigan, St. Helens and Corby.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rhoden is 783 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 253.3%.

1881 census count

214

Ranked #12,284

Modern count

756

2016, ranked #7,240

Peak year

2013

783 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rhoden had 214 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,284 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 756 in 2016, ranked #7,240.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 353 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Rhoden surname distribution map

The map shows where the Rhoden surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Rhoden surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rhoden over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 155 #12,604
1861 historical 160 #14,468
1881 historical 214 #12,284
1891 historical 288 #11,450
1901 historical 289 #11,944
1911 historical 353 #10,212
1997 modern 645 #7,704
1998 modern 646 #7,949
1999 modern 665 #7,807
2000 modern 668 #7,767
2001 modern 653 #7,772
2002 modern 675 #7,730
2003 modern 675 #7,615
2004 modern 673 #7,643
2005 modern 672 #7,585
2006 modern 675 #7,585
2007 modern 701 #7,414
2008 modern 707 #7,426
2009 modern 749 #7,263
2010 modern 776 #7,192
2011 modern 757 #7,255
2012 modern 752 #7,209
2013 modern 783 #7,091
2014 modern 775 #7,180
2015 modern 760 #7,224
2016 modern 756 #7,240

Geography

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Where Rhodens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rowley Regis, Wrexham, Wigan, Leigh and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wigan, St. Helens, Corby, Dudley and Sandwell. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Rowley Regis Staffordshire
2 Wrexham Denbighshire
3 Wigan Lancashire
4 Leigh Lancashire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wigan 017 Wigan
2 St. Helens 001 St. Helens
3 Corby 005 Corby
4 Dudley 026 Dudley
5 Sandwell 033 Sandwell

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rhoden

These lists show first names that appear often with the Rhoden surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rhoden

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Rhoden, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Rhoden surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Rhoden household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Rhoden is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Rhoden is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Rhoden falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Rhoden is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Rhoden, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Rhoden

The surname Rhoden originated in Scotland during the Middle Ages. It is believed to be derived from the Scottish Gaelic words "rhu" meaning red and "dun" meaning hill or fort, referring to someone who lived near a red-colored hill or fortified area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland in 1494, where a John Rhuddone is mentioned as a tenant in the lands of Lenzie, near Glasgow. The name is also found in various spellings like Ruidon, Rhuddone, and Rhudden in historical documents from the 15th and 16th centuries.

In the early 17th century, the Rhoden family was well-established in the Scottish Borders region, particularly in the area around Jedburgh. Notable members from this time include Robert Rhoden (c. 1580-1650), who was a prominent landowner and elder of the local church.

During the Scottish Reformation, several individuals with the surname Rhoden were persecuted for their Protestant beliefs. One such example is James Rhoden (c. 1532-1589), who was imprisoned and later executed for his role in the Protestant movement.

As the centuries passed, the name spread to other parts of the British Isles and beyond. In the 18th century, a branch of the Rhoden family settled in County Antrim, Ireland. One of their descendants, William Rhoden (1773-1854), became a successful merchant and landowner in Belfast.

Another notable figure was John Rhoden (1828-1892), a Scottish-born engineer who played a crucial role in the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway in the late 19th century.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the name is from the Revolutionary War era, when a soldier named Robert Rhoden (c. 1755-1832) served in the Virginia Militia.

Other significant individuals with the surname Rhoden include Sir Robert Rhoden (1859-1934), a British politician and businessman who served as a Member of Parliament, and Mary Rhoden (1901-1976), an American artist and illustrator known for her depictions of rural life.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rhoden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rhoden surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 64 Rhodens recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.57x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 64 2.57x
Staffordshire 44 6.22x
Cheshire 35 7.56x
Shropshire 24 13.25x
Yorkshire 16 0.77x
Denbighshire 12 15.15x
Warwickshire 10 1.89x
Huntingdonshire 4 9.61x
Kent 4 0.56x
Middlesex 1 0.05x
Royal Navy 1 4.00x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aspull in Lancashire leads with 24 Rhodens recorded in 1881 and an index of 410.26x.

Place Total Index
Aspull 24 410.26x
Kingswinford 16 62.26x
Acton Round 12 9230.77x
Rowley Regis 12 60.82x
Stansty 12 1379.31x
Atherton 9 99.34x
Birmingham 9 5.11x
Great Boughton 9 562.50x
Nash 9 2142.86x
Sheffield 9 13.60x
Halliwell 8 88.30x
Rainford 7 260.22x
Skelmersdale 7 168.67x
Doncaster 6 39.53x
Willaston In Nantwich 6 419.58x
Chester St John Baptist 5 60.10x
Haslington 5 384.62x
Wolstanton Knutton 5 115.74x
Church Coppenhall 4 193.24x
Handsworth 4 22.92x
Lee 4 38.50x
St Ives 4 185.19x
Westhoughton 4 60.24x
Tipton 3 13.84x
Woolstanwood 3 3750.00x
Birkenhead 2 5.42x
Haigh 2 229.89x
Stoke Upon Trent 2 2.66x
Alcester 1 57.47x
Barnsley 1 4.66x
Bethnal Green London 1 1.10x
Blackrod 1 32.36x
Chetton 1 277.78x
Cholmondeston 1 769.23x
Kirkdale 1 2.39x
Monkhopton 1 833.33x
Prescot 1 22.22x
Royal Navy 1 4.68x
Rushbury 1 277.78x
Sedgley 1 3.80x
Stone 1 11.05x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Rhoden surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 14
Elizabeth 12
Jane 8
Sarah 7
Alice 6
Ann 6
Martha 5
Eliza 4
Emma 4
Annie 3
Eliz. 2
Ellen 2
Esther 2
Margaret 2
Matilda 2
Selina 2
Adalade 1
Amelia 1
Charlotte 1
Dora 1
Edith 1
Elisabeth 1
Elizabh. 1
Hannah 1
Harrette 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Lavinia 1
Phoebe 1
Rebecca 1
Susannah 1
Sydney 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Rhoden surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 16
Thomas 15
John 13
George 8
Samuel 8
James 7
Joseph 7
Henry 5
Edward 3
Peter 3
Timothy 3
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Charles 2
Jacob 2
Robt. 2
Tom 2
Benjmn. 1
Edmund 1
Enoch 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Fredrick 1
Horace 1
Jno.Jos. 1
Jonathan 1
Mathew 1
Matthew 1
Noah 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Stephen 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Rhoden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rhoden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 214 people were recorded with the Rhoden surname. That placed it at #12,284 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rhoden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 756 in 2016. That gives Rhoden a modern rank of #7,240.

What does the Rhoden surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from places in Germany, likely referring to a clearing or fields.

What does the Rhoden map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Rhoden bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.