NameCensus.

UK surname

Rhodes

An English locational surname referring to someone who lived near a clearing or rode in a forest.

In the 1881 census there were 13,915 people recorded with the Rhodes surname, ranking it #291 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 17,760, ranked #343, down from #291 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, London parishes and Stoke-on-Trent, Bucknell-cum-Bagnall, Caverswall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bradford and Leeds.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rhodes is 18,982 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 27.6%.

1881 census count

13,915

Ranked #291

Modern count

17,760

2016, ranked #343

Peak year

1911

18,982 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rhodes had 13,915 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #291 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 17,760 in 2016, ranked #343.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 18,982 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Rhodes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rhodes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rhodes 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 8,659 #305
1861 historical 9,352 #285
1881 historical 13,915 #291
1891 historical 15,124 #281
1901 historical 17,324 #290
1911 historical 18,982 #241
1997 modern 17,359 #340
1998 modern 18,353 #331
1999 modern 18,418 #332
2000 modern 18,349 #332
2001 modern 17,897 #331
2002 modern 18,271 #332
2003 modern 17,825 #333
2004 modern 17,738 #332
2005 modern 17,334 #337
2006 modern 17,348 #336
2007 modern 17,408 #336
2008 modern 17,402 #340
2009 modern 17,835 #341
2010 modern 18,123 #343
2011 modern 17,931 #340
2012 modern 17,619 #339
2013 modern 18,126 #337
2014 modern 18,188 #337
2015 modern 17,966 #337
2016 modern 17,760 #343

Geography

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Where Rhodes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, London parishes, Stoke-on-Trent, Bucknell-cum-Bagnall, Caverswall, Bradford and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bradford and Leeds. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Stoke-on-Trent, Bucknell-cum-Bagnall, Caverswall Staffordshire
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bradford 019 Bradford
2 Bradford 026 Bradford
3 Leeds 062 Leeds
4 Bradford 013 Bradford
5 Bradford 016 Bradford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rhodes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rhodes

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Rhodes, 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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Rhodes surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Rhodes 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Rhodes 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

Rhodes is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Rhodes falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Rhodes 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 Rhodes, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Rhodes

The surname Rhodes originated in Britain, with roots tracing back to the Anglo-Saxon era. It is derived from the Old English word "rod," meaning a clearing or a small piece of land. This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived in a clearing or a small settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Rode." This entry indicates that the name was already in use during the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the name evolved into various spellings, such as "Rodes," "Roades," and "Rhoades," before settling on the modern spelling of "Rhodes" around the 16th century.

The name is also associated with several place names in England, such as Rhodes in Lancashire and Rhodes in Yorkshire. These place names likely influenced the development of the surname as well.

One notable historical figure with the surname Rhodes was Sir John Rhodes (1537-1592), an English merchant and landowner who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1592.

Another prominent individual was Sir Francis Rhodes (1598-1677), an English judge and politician who served as Lord Chief Justice of England from 1671 to 1677.

In the 19th century, Cecil Rhodes (1853-1902) was a British businessman, mining magnate, and politician who played a significant role in the colonization of southern Africa. He founded the territory of Rhodesia, now known as Zimbabwe and Zambia, and bequeathed his wealth to establish the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship.

Renowned American novelist and playwright James A. Rhodes (1909-1992) also bore this surname. He is best known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel "The Bright Traveling" in 1932.

In the realm of sports, Dusty Rhodes (1945-2015) was a famous American professional wrestler and trainer, widely regarded as one of the most charismatic and influential figures in the industry during the 1970s and 1980s.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rhodes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rhodes 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. Yorkshire leads with 6,373 Rhodes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.74x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 6,373 4.74x
Lancashire 2,223 1.38x
Staffordshire 851 1.86x
Middlesex 520 0.38x
Derbyshire 498 2.35x
Cheshire 429 1.43x
Surrey 379 0.57x
Lincolnshire 324 1.49x
Warwickshire 277 0.81x
Kent 265 0.57x
Nottinghamshire 259 1.42x
Worcestershire 213 1.20x
Sussex 200 0.87x
Shropshire 148 1.26x
Durham 109 0.27x
Essex 73 0.27x
Norfolk 71 0.34x
Leicestershire 68 0.45x
Devon 54 0.19x
Hertfordshire 54 0.58x
Buckinghamshire 49 0.60x
Cambridgeshire 49 0.57x
Gloucestershire 48 0.18x
Northumberland 46 0.23x
Hampshire 36 0.13x
Northamptonshire 32 0.25x
Oxfordshire 27 0.32x
Berkshire 26 0.26x
Westmorland 21 0.70x
Bedfordshire 19 0.27x
Renfrewshire 17 0.16x
Dorset 16 0.18x
Lanarkshire 16 0.04x
Fife 11 0.14x
Wiltshire 10 0.08x
Midlothian 8 0.04x
Angus 6 0.05x
Glamorgan 6 0.03x
Inverness-shire 6 0.15x
Rutland 6 0.60x
Suffolk 6 0.04x
Ayrshire 5 0.05x
Caernarfonshire 5 0.09x
Clackmannanshire 5 0.45x
Cornwall 5 0.03x
Cumberland 5 0.04x
Flintshire 4 0.11x
Huntingdonshire 4 0.15x
Royal Navy 4 0.25x
Somerset 4 0.02x
Denbighshire 3 0.06x
Isle of Man 3 0.12x
Monmouthshire 2 0.02x
Argyllshire 1 0.03x
Channel Islands 1 0.02x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.03x
Merionethshire 1 0.04x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.02x
Roxburghshire 1 0.04x
Stirlingshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 334 Rhodes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.40x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 334 4.40x
Bradford 310 9.53x
Saddleworth 247 23.82x
Oldham 165 3.18x
Keighley 159 11.10x
Bingley 158 18.46x
Horton In Bradford 157 7.48x
Ashton Under Lyne 154 4.38x
Manningham 154 9.30x
Aston 153 1.62x
Stoke Upon Trent 144 2.97x
Holbeck 124 13.92x
Hunslet 121 5.77x
Castleton 117 7.28x
Ecclesall Bierlow 113 4.13x
Brightside Bierlow 112 4.25x
Spotland 110 6.15x
Shipley 108 15.48x
Pudsey 103 14.34x
Gomersal 102 16.26x
Croydon 90 2.45x
Salford 90 1.90x
Batley 88 6.89x
Huddersfield 88 4.49x
Dewsbury 86 6.24x
Heap 86 10.07x
Preston 85 1.97x
Birmingham 83 0.73x
Dudley 82 3.81x
Nether Hallam 81 4.45x
Wortley In Bramley 81 7.61x
Morley 80 11.45x
Newcastle Under Lyme 80 9.87x
Sheffield 80 1.87x
Audley 78 17.22x
Headingley Cum Burley 72 8.32x
Idle 72 11.55x
Wolverhampton 72 2.05x
Knottingley 67 28.36x
Sculcoates 66 3.10x
Wakefield 66 6.40x
Bowling 65 4.88x
Manchester 65 0.90x
Armley 64 10.80x
Bradfield 64 12.35x
Alfreton 63 9.77x
Burslem 61 4.65x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 61 17.99x
Stockport 61 3.96x
Dawley 56 13.13x
Wardleworth 55 5.98x
Glossop Dale 54 5.43x
Islington London 54 0.41x
Tong 54 20.80x
Calverley Cum Farsley 53 13.89x
Lambeth 53 0.45x
West Ardsley 52 32.14x
Barnsley 50 3.61x
Gorton 50 3.30x
Hackney London 49 0.64x
Blackburn 48 1.12x
Ecclesfield 48 4.87x
Eccleshill 48 14.67x
Halifax 48 2.43x
Camberwell 45 0.52x
North Bierley 45 6.20x
Liversedge 43 7.19x
Newington 43 0.86x
Rawdon 43 27.17x
Wolstanton 42 3.02x
Mirfield 41 5.56x
Nottingham St Mary 41 0.87x
Rye 41 18.86x
Blatchinworth 40 10.91x
Kensington London 39 0.52x
Lye 39 13.23x
Heaton 37 25.62x
St Marylebone London 37 0.51x
Holy Trinity 36 1.11x
Hipperholme Cum 35 5.93x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 982
Sarah 612
Elizabeth 494
Ann 324
Hannah 260
Annie 252
Jane 244
Alice 229
Martha 215
Emma 212
Ellen 170
Emily 168
Eliza 163
Harriet 101
Margaret 89
Fanny 83
Ada 82
Clara 79
Edith 79
Florence 79
Maria 74
Louisa 60
Charlotte 59
Lucy 57
Caroline 53
Amelia 50
Frances 48
Ruth 46
Amy 39
Catherine 38
Anne 37
Esther 37
Kate 37
Rebecca 35
Betty 34
Susannah 33
Agnes 32
Rachel 31
Grace 27
Eleanor 26
Ethel 26
Isabella 25
Matilda 25
Susan 25
Nancy 24
Laura 23
Minnie 23
Rose 23
Lilly 21
Julia 20

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 825
William 739
George 489
James 438
Thomas 385
Joseph 308
Charles 222
Henry 205
Samuel 193
Arthur 143
Robert 131
Albert 130
Alfred 124
Edward 120
Richard 104
Harry 98
Herbert 93
Walter 86
Frederick 75
Fred 70
Frank 65
Benjamin 60
Edwin 47
Wm. 47
Thos. 46
Francis 44
Ernest 43
Tom 43
Joshua 38
Abraham 33
Daniel 31
Sam 31
David 30
Geo. 25
Peter 24
Isaac 21
Matthew 19
Willie 17
Chas. 16
Edmund 16
Timothy 16
Fredk. 15
Percy 14
Edgar 13
Reuben 13
Stephen 13
Fredrick 12
Jesse 12
Saml. 12
Sidney 12

FAQ

Rhodes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rhodes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 13,915 people were recorded with the Rhodes surname. That placed it at #291 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rhodes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 17,760 in 2016. That gives Rhodes a modern rank of #343.

What does the Rhodes surname mean?

An English locational surname referring to someone who lived near a clearing or rode in a forest.

What does the Rhodes map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Rhodes 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.