NameCensus.

UK surname

Rode

An occupational surname referring to someone who cleared land or rode horses.

In the 1881 census there were 22 people recorded with the Rode surname, ranking it #30,464 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 104, ranked #30,317, up from #30,464 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Mary Whitechapel, St Pancras and Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bedford, Arun and Central Bedfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rode is 115 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 372.7%.

1881 census count

22

Ranked #30,464

Modern count

104

2016, ranked #30,317

Peak year

1861

115 bearers

Map years

2

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rode had 22 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,464 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 104 in 2016, ranked #30,317.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 115 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Rode surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rode surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rode 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 35 #27,037
1861 historical 115 #18,880
1881 historical 22 #30,464
1891 historical 81 #26,632
1901 historical 31 #30,616
1911 historical 32 #29,838
1997 modern 66 #31,038
1998 modern 80 #29,966
1999 modern 76 #30,546
2000 modern 63 #31,829
2001 modern 61 #31,891
2002 modern 61 #32,286
2003 modern 63 #32,152
2004 modern 70 #31,681
2005 modern 70 #31,912
2006 modern 72 #32,059
2007 modern 78 #31,748
2008 modern 88 #30,857
2009 modern 90 #31,094
2010 modern 97 #30,697
2011 modern 91 #31,442
2012 modern 89 #31,934
2013 modern 96 #31,381
2014 modern 97 #31,518
2015 modern 102 #30,624
2016 modern 104 #30,317

Geography

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Where Rodes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Mary Whitechapel, St Pancras, Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington, Peterborough St John the Baptist and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bedford, Arun, Central Bedfordshire and Mole Valley. 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 St Mary Whitechapel London (East Districts)
2 St Pancras London (North Districts)
3 Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington Staffordshire
4 Peterborough St John the Baptist Northamptonshire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bedford 007 Bedford
2 Arun 017 Arun
3 Central Bedfordshire 021 Central Bedfordshire
4 Mole Valley 008 Mole Valley
5 Arun 016 Arun

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rode

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rode

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Rode surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Rode 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Rode is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Rode 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

Rode falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Rode is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Rode

The surname RODE is of German origin, first appearing in the historical records of the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the German word "rod" or "rot," meaning "red," and may have originally referred to someone with reddish hair or a ruddy complexion.

The earliest known bearers of the name were concentrated in the regions of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, where the name is still relatively common today. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the medieval charters and tax rolls of these areas.

One notable early bearer of the name was Johann Rode, a 14th-century monk and chronicler from the town of Eisenach in Thuringia. His chronicle, known as the "Chronicon Eisenacense," provides valuable insights into the history and daily life of medieval Germany.

Another significant figure with the RODE surname was Hans Rode, a 16th-century artist and engraver from Nuremberg. His intricate woodcuts and engravings were highly prized during the Renaissance and can be found in numerous museums and collections throughout Europe.

In the 17th century, the name RODE appears in the records of the German settlements in Pennsylvania, indicating that some bearers of the name were among the early German immigrants to America. One such individual was Johann Rode, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1683 and later settled in Germantown.

The RODE name can also be found in the records of the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) during the 18th and 19th centuries, when the Netherlands controlled much of the region. Johannes Rode, born in 1786 in Rotterdam, served as a colonial administrator in Java and played a significant role in the development of the island's infrastructure.

As the name spread across Europe and beyond, various spelling variations emerged, such as Roade, Rohde, and Rood. However, the original German spelling of RODE remained predominant throughout its history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rode families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rode 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. Middlesex leads with 8 Rodes recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.11x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 8 4.11x
Lancashire 3 1.30x
Leicestershire 2 9.26x
Yorkshire 2 1.04x
Cornwall 1 4.53x
Devon 1 2.47x
Kent 1 1.50x
Midlothian 1 3.83x
Norfolk 1 3.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Whitechapel London in Middlesex leads with 4 Rodes recorded in 1881 and an index of 208.33x.

Place Total Index
Whitechapel London 4 208.33x
Liverpool 2 14.25x
Sculcoates 2 65.36x
St Giles Cripplegate 2 769.23x
Edinburgh St Georges 1 185.19x
Hinckley 1 196.08x
Ilfracombe 1 238.10x
Leicester St Martin 1 666.67x
Lewisham 1 28.17x
Paddington London 1 13.97x
St Blazey 1 526.32x
St Martin In Fields 1 85.47x
Starston 1 3333.33x
Toxteth Park 1 12.77x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 2
Beta 1
Elizabeth 1
Harriet 1
Laura 1
Maria 1
Marie 1
Matilda 1
Meta 1
Pauline 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Arnold 1
Charles 1
Diedrich 1
Elice 1
Ingbreth 1
James 1
Valdimier 1
Wilhelm 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 Rode households.

FAQ

Rode surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rode surname in 1881?

In 1881, 22 people were recorded with the Rode surname. That placed it at #30,464 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rode surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 104 in 2016. That gives Rode a modern rank of #30,317.

What does the Rode surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who cleared land or rode horses.

What does the Rode map show?

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