NameCensus.

UK surname

Roddie

Origin uncertain, possibly an occupational surname for a rodder or rood-loft maker.

In the 1881 census there were 143 people recorded with the Roddie surname, ranking it #15,955 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 411, ranked #11,654, up from #15,955 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to New Monkland, Govan Combination and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Machars South, Rhins North and Newton Stewart.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Roddie is 411 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 187.4%.

1881 census count

143

Ranked #15,955

Modern count

411

2016, ranked #11,654

Peak year

2016

411 bearers

Map years

6

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Roddie had 143 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,955 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 411 in 2016, ranked #11,654.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 180 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Roddie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Roddie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Roddie 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 44 #25,328
1861 historical 66 #25,487
1881 historical 143 #15,955
1891 historical 154 #18,004
1901 historical 180 #16,171
1911 historical 32 #29,838
1997 modern 337 #12,522
1998 modern 359 #12,321
1999 modern 364 #12,267
2000 modern 366 #12,167
2001 modern 366 #11,998
2002 modern 360 #12,360
2003 modern 354 #12,319
2004 modern 362 #12,155
2005 modern 371 #11,842
2006 modern 368 #11,990
2007 modern 372 #12,032
2008 modern 370 #12,182
2009 modern 386 #12,044
2010 modern 403 #11,925
2011 modern 397 #11,921
2012 modern 385 #12,061
2013 modern 405 #11,813
2014 modern 404 #11,906
2015 modern 401 #11,889
2016 modern 411 #11,654

Geography

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Where Roddies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around New Monkland, Govan Combination, London parishes, Edinburgh and Portpatrick. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Machars South, Rhins North, Newton Stewart, Stranraer South and Paisley Central. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 New Monkland Lanark
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 London parishes London 3
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Portpatrick Wigtown

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Machars South Dumfries and Galloway
2 Rhins North Dumfries and Galloway
3 Newton Stewart Dumfries and Galloway
4 Stranraer South Dumfries and Galloway
5 Paisley Central Renfrewshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Roddie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Roddie

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Roddie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Roddie household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Roddie 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

Roddie is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Roddie falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Roddie is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Roddie

The surname Roddie has its origins in Scotland, where it first appeared in the late 13th century. It is a variation of the more common Scottish surname Rodger, which is derived from the Old French name Rogier. This name ultimately comes from the Germanic name Hrodger, which means "famous with a spear" or "renowned warrior."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Roddie can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1296, where a John Roddy is mentioned as a resident of Berwickshire. The name also appears in various other medieval Scottish records, such as the Ragman Rolls of 1296 and the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland from the 14th century.

The Roddie surname is closely associated with the Scottish Borders region, particularly the areas around Berwick and Roxburghshire. It is likely that the name originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who was skilled with a spear or known for their prowess in battle.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Roddie name began to spread beyond the Scottish Borders. Notable individuals bearing this surname include James Roddie (1570-1642), a Scottish minister and scholar who served as the Rector of the University of Aberdeen.

Another prominent figure was Sir John Roddie (1720-1785), a Scottish merchant and banker who played a significant role in the development of the Scottish banking system. He served as the Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1764 to 1766.

In the 19th century, James Roddie (1804-1877) was a Scottish architect who designed several notable buildings in Edinburgh, including the Royal Scottish Academy and the National Gallery of Scotland.

William Roddie (1836-1906) was a Scottish engineer and inventor who is best known for his contributions to the development of early typewriters and printing machinery.

The Roddie name also found its way to other parts of the world through Scottish migration and settlement. For example, Robert Roddie (1790-1864) was a Scottish-born Canadian farmer and landowner who played a role in the early settlement of Upper Canada (now Ontario).

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Roddie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Roddie 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. Lanarkshire leads with 55 Roddies recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.19x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 55 12.19x
Wigtownshire 24 129.59x
Ayrshire 14 13.41x
Lancashire 13 0.79x
Midlothian 7 3.75x
Renfrewshire 7 6.48x
Yorkshire 7 0.51x
Inverness-shire 6 14.41x
Middlesex 5 0.36x
Fife 2 2.42x
Devon 1 0.34x
Dunbartonshire 1 2.67x
Stirlingshire 1 1.94x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 17 Roddies recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.24x.

Place Total Index
Govan 17 15.24x
Glasgow 15 18.73x
Barony 14 12.26x
Leswalt 9 708.66x
New Monkland 8 60.02x
Dalry 7 142.57x
Haworth 7 213.41x
Barrow In Furness 6 26.65x
Inverness 6 57.25x
Kirkcowan 5 806.45x
Maybole 5 157.23x
Mochrum 5 450.45x
Westminster St James 5 34.87x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 4 5.32x
Liverpool 4 3.98x
Wigtown 4 377.36x
Pendleton In Salford 3 15.21x
West Greenock 3 15.46x
Auchterderran 2 96.15x
Edinburgh High Church 2 170.94x
Paisley Middle Church 2 31.80x
Abbey 1 6.06x
Ayr 1 20.28x
Cathcart 1 17.09x
Colinton 1 48.08x
Maryhill 1 11.33x
Old Kilpatrick 1 22.57x
Stirling 1 15.41x
Stoke Damerel 1 4.92x
Straiton 1 169.49x
Stranraer 1 59.17x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Catherine 2
Margaret 2
Ada 1
Eugenie 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Sarah 1
William 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 2
John 2
Andrew 1
Antoine 1
Arthur 1
Harry 1
Patrick 1
Paul 1
Robert 1
William 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Roddie households.

FAQ

Roddie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Roddie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 143 people were recorded with the Roddie surname. That placed it at #15,955 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Roddie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 411 in 2016. That gives Roddie a modern rank of #11,654.

What does the Roddie surname mean?

Origin uncertain, possibly an occupational surname for a rodder or rood-loft maker.

What does the Roddie map show?

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