NameCensus.

UK surname

Roden

An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "rocky valley" or "reddish valley."

In the 1881 census there were 1,408 people recorded with the Roden surname, ranking it #2,949 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,320, ranked #2,808, up from #2,949 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sandwell, Wolverhampton and Herefordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Roden is 2,405 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 64.8%.

1881 census count

1,408

Ranked #2,949

Modern count

2,320

2016, ranked #2,808

Peak year

1998

2,405 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Roden had 1,408 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,949 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,320 in 2016, ranked #2,808.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,915 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Roden surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Roden surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Roden 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 952 #2,917
1861 historical 838 #3,292
1881 historical 1,408 #2,949
1891 historical 1,514 #2,916
1901 historical 1,759 #2,951
1911 historical 1,915 #2,589
1997 modern 2,214 #2,802
1998 modern 2,405 #2,693
1999 modern 2,396 #2,727
2000 modern 2,398 #2,707
2001 modern 2,333 #2,719
2002 modern 2,356 #2,751
2003 modern 2,306 #2,750
2004 modern 2,303 #2,746
2005 modern 2,248 #2,777
2006 modern 2,244 #2,782
2007 modern 2,266 #2,778
2008 modern 2,273 #2,797
2009 modern 2,304 #2,833
2010 modern 2,336 #2,856
2011 modern 2,335 #2,819
2012 modern 2,286 #2,822
2013 modern 2,333 #2,822
2014 modern 2,360 #2,802
2015 modern 2,371 #2,772
2016 modern 2,320 #2,808

Geography

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Where Rodens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors, Edinburgh, Birmingham Town: Birmingham and Birmingham Town: Aston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sandwell, Wolverhampton, Herefordshire and Stoke-on-Trent. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors Shropshire
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire
5 Birmingham Town: Aston Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sandwell 004 Sandwell
2 Wolverhampton 018 Wolverhampton
3 Herefordshire 020 Herefordshire, County of
4 Stoke-on-Trent 013 Stoke-on-Trent
5 Herefordshire 021 Herefordshire, County of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Roden

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Roden

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Roden surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Roden household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Roden is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Roden is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Roden 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 Roden 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 Roden, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Roden

The surname Roden has its origins in Germany and dates back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old German word "rod", meaning a clearing in a forest or a piece of cleared land. This points to the name originally being an occupational surname, referring to someone who worked on or lived near a clearing in a wooded area.

The name can be found in various medieval records, including the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of official documents from the region of Saxony in Germany, dating back to the 12th century. Some of the earliest recorded spellings include Rodun, Rodon, and Roden.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Johannes Roden, a landowner in the town of Quedlinburg, Saxony, mentioned in documents from the year 1285. Another notable early figure was Konrad Roden, a merchant from the city of Hamburg, who is referenced in trade records from the late 14th century.

In the 16th century, the name Roden appeared in the records of the city of Cologne, where it was often associated with the nearby town of Rodenkirchen, which translates to "Roden's church". This suggests a possible connection between the surname and a place name derived from the same root word.

One of the most famous historical figures with the surname Roden was Sir Benjamin Roden (1572-1642), an English politician and member of Parliament during the reign of King Charles I. He was a prominent figure in the English Civil War and served as the Governor of St. Michael's Mount in Cornwall.

Other notable individuals include Johann Roden (1647-1711), a German composer and organist known for his sacred works, and Carl Roden (1812-1892), a German-American engineer and inventor who contributed significantly to the development of early steam engines and locomotives.

In the 19th century, the Roden surname can be found in various parts of Europe, including the Netherlands, where the Dutch painter Willem Roden (1817-1892) was a prominent figure in the Hague School of art.

Throughout its history, the surname Roden has been associated with various occupations, including landowners, merchants, musicians, engineers, and artists, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of those who bore this name over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Roden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Roden 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. Staffordshire leads with 356 Rodens recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.71x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 356 7.71x
Shropshire 184 15.56x
Warwickshire 163 4.72x
Lancashire 153 0.94x
Worcestershire 74 4.14x
Yorkshire 67 0.49x
Midlothian 50 2.73x
Middlesex 48 0.35x
Cheshire 47 1.56x
Lanarkshire 29 0.66x
Denbighshire 28 5.42x
Lincolnshire 28 1.28x
Monmouthshire 27 2.73x
Surrey 22 0.33x
Flintshire 21 5.71x
Kent 20 0.43x
Selkirkshire 10 8.08x
Westmorland 9 2.99x
Durham 7 0.17x
Cumberland 6 0.51x
Devon 6 0.21x
Herefordshire 5 0.89x
Suffolk 5 0.30x
Stirlingshire 4 0.79x
Sussex 4 0.17x
Derbyshire 3 0.14x
Essex 3 0.11x
Ayrshire 2 0.20x
Berkshire 2 0.19x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.36x
Channel Islands 2 0.49x
Hampshire 2 0.07x
Hertfordshire 2 0.21x
Leicestershire 2 0.13x
Renfrewshire 2 0.19x
Argyllshire 1 0.26x
Cornwall 1 0.06x
Glamorgan 1 0.04x
Isle of Man 1 0.39x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.50x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.32x
Northamptonshire 1 0.08x
Roxburghshire 1 0.40x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 91 Rodens recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.91x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 91 7.91x
Wolverhampton 84 23.65x
Stoke Upon Trent 57 11.64x
Aston 41 4.31x
Dawley 26 60.42x
Trevethin 26 27.83x
Dudley 25 11.51x
Tipton 22 15.55x
West Bromwich 22 8.32x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 21 2.85x
Bersham 20 90.70x
Drayton In Hales 20 82.03x
Kinver 20 150.15x
Bermondsey 19 4.66x
Upper Penn 18 155.57x
Wrockwardine 18 69.23x
Kingswinford 17 10.14x
West Deeping 16 1194.03x
South Leith 14 6.79x
Wellington 14 21.07x
Bilston 13 14.52x
Glasgow 13 1.65x
Stockport 13 8.36x
Wednesbury 13 11.26x
Wednesfield 13 19.12x
Shifnal 12 37.38x
Ardsley 11 70.38x
Broseley 11 52.36x
Great Bolton 11 5.11x
Liverpool 11 1.12x
Moss Side 11 12.87x
Warrington 11 5.71x
Burwardsley 10 478.47x
Ellesmere 10 49.26x
Kidderminster Borough 10 9.56x
Kirkdale 10 3.66x
Toxteth Park 10 1.82x
Ettrick 9 483.87x
Harborne 9 6.08x
Manchester 9 1.23x
Mile End Old Town 9 4.17x
Rugby 9 19.28x
Shrewsbury St Mary 9 19.29x
Stirchley 9 743.80x
Bridgnorth St Mary 8 69.38x
Cannock 8 9.92x
Edinburgh Trinity 8 135.59x
Lower Mitton 8 50.79x
Mold 8 23.97x
Newcastle Under Lyme 8 9.79x
Oldbury 8 9.10x
Rainford 8 45.56x
Sedgley 8 4.66x
Shrewsbury St Chad 8 19.28x
St Pancras London 8 0.73x
Tattenhall 8 155.64x
Broughton 7 34.45x
Deptford St Paul 7 1.94x
Everton 7 1.35x
Old Monkland 7 3.99x
Worsley 7 6.99x
Barrow In Furness 6 2.72x
Castleton 6 3.70x
Chorley 6 6.58x
Ince In Makerfield 6 7.94x
Kings Norton 6 3.74x
Normanby In 6 16.55x
Pemberton 6 9.27x
Ruswarp 6 39.76x
Shrewsbury St Julian 6 20.51x
St Marylebone London 6 0.82x
Sutton Coldfield 6 16.54x
Guisbrough 5 16.87x
Kidderminster Foreign 5 19.79x
Mold Nerquis 5 165.56x
Rawmarsh 5 10.44x
Stoke Upon Tern 5 114.68x
Stourbridge 5 10.87x
Tettenhall 5 17.71x
Upper Arley 5 145.77x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 86
John 81
Thomas 53
George 50
James 34
Edward 29
Joseph 26
Henry 25
Richard 21
Charles 20
Samuel 17
Alfred 13
Arthur 12
Frederick 11
Robert 11
Benjamin 9
Edwin 7
Walter 7
Albert 6
Frank 6
Francis 5
Fred 5
Thos. 5
David 4
Wm. 4
Enoch 3
Ernest 3
Harry 3
Jno. 3
Patrick 3
Arnold 2
Bernard 2
Earnest 2
Edwd. 2
Eli 2
Fredrick 2
Homer 2
Howard 2
Hugh 2
Leonard 2
Matthew 2
Michael 2
Peter 2
Philip 2
Sidney 2
Tom 2
Willm. 2
Chas. 1
Frances 1
Frederic 1

FAQ

Roden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Roden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,408 people were recorded with the Roden surname. That placed it at #2,949 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Roden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,320 in 2016. That gives Roden a modern rank of #2,808.

What does the Roden surname mean?

An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "rocky valley" or "reddish valley."

What does the Roden map show?

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