NameCensus.

UK surname

Rudolph

A Germanic surname derived from the given name Rudolf, meaning "fame" and "wolf".

In the 1881 census there were 63 people recorded with the Rudolph surname, ranking it #24,711 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 264, ranked #16,172, up from #24,711 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Wilmslow and Ealing, Chiswick. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Solihull, Richmond upon Thames and Dover.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rudolph is 281 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 319.0%.

1881 census count

63

Ranked #24,711

Modern count

264

2016, ranked #16,172

Peak year

2010

281 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rudolph had 63 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,711 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 264 in 2016, ranked #16,172.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 148 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Rudolph surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rudolph surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rudolph 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 #31,867
1861 historical 15 #31,942
1881 historical 63 #24,711
1891 historical 104 #23,388
1901 historical 148 #18,212
1911 historical 147 #18,104
1997 modern 241 #15,638
1998 modern 251 #15,631
1999 modern 268 #15,070
2000 modern 248 #15,827
2001 modern 240 #15,912
2002 modern 250 #15,819
2003 modern 254 #15,454
2004 modern 264 #15,156
2005 modern 264 #15,085
2006 modern 263 #15,215
2007 modern 254 #15,736
2008 modern 260 #15,648
2009 modern 271 #15,511
2010 modern 281 #15,441
2011 modern 278 #15,390
2012 modern 265 #15,862
2013 modern 278 #15,618
2014 modern 273 #15,914
2015 modern 273 #15,789
2016 modern 264 #16,172

Geography

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Where Rudolphs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Wilmslow, Ealing, Chiswick and Battersea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Solihull, Richmond upon Thames, Dover, Shropshire and Dennistoun North. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Wilmslow Cheshire
4 Ealing, Chiswick Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
5 Battersea London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Solihull 022 Solihull
2 Richmond upon Thames 011 Richmond upon Thames
3 Dover 001 Dover
4 Shropshire 025 Shropshire
5 Dennistoun North Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rudolph

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rudolph

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Rudolph, 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 Rudolph surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Rudolph 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Rudolph 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

Rudolph 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

Rudolph 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 Rudolph 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
Other Ethnic Group

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

Meaning and origin of Rudolph

The surname RUDOLPH is of Germanic origin, derived from the Old German words "hruod" meaning "fame" and "wolf" meaning "wolf." It is believed to have originated in the 7th or 8th century in what is now southern Germany and parts of Austria.

In its earliest forms, the name was often spelled as Ruodolphus or Ruodwulf. Over time, variations such as Rudolff, Rudolphe, and Rodolphe emerged in different regions. The name was particularly popular among the nobility and ruling classes during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name RUDOLPH can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of medieval documents from the Duchy of Austria, dating back to the 10th century. It mentions a nobleman named Rudolfus who held lands in the region now known as Lower Austria.

In England, the RUDOLPH surname is first recorded in the early 13th century, likely introduced by Norman settlers. The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, does not contain any instances of the name, suggesting it arrived in England after the Norman Conquest.

Notable individuals with the RUDOLPH surname throughout history include:

1. Rudolf I (1218-1291), a German king who ruled as the first monarch of the House of Habsburg from 1273 until his death.

2. Rudolf II (1552-1612), Holy Roman Emperor from 1576 to 1612, known for his patronage of the arts and his interest in alchemy and the occult.

3. Rudolf Virchow (1821-1902), a German physician and anthropologist, considered one of the founders of modern pathology and a pioneer in the field of public health.

4. Rudolf Diesel (1858-1913), a German inventor and mechanical engineer, best known for his invention of the diesel engine.

5. Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925), an Austrian philosopher and social reformer, best known for his theory of anthroposophy and his work in education and agriculture.

The name RUDOLPH has also been associated with various place names, such as Rudolfsheim, a district in Vienna, Austria, and Rudolfstadt, a town in Thuringia, Germany.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rudolph families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rudolph 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 28 Rudolphs recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.56x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 28 4.56x
Surrey 15 5.01x
Lancashire 9 1.23x
Yorkshire 6 0.99x
Midlothian 2 2.43x
Durham 1 0.55x
Renfrewshire 1 2.10x
Somerset 1 1.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hackney London in Middlesex leads with 10 Rudolphs recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.04x.

Place Total Index
Hackney London 10 29.04x
Hornsey 9 115.83x
Drypool 6 645.16x
Battersea 5 22.11x
Camberwell 5 12.74x
Chorlton On Medlock 5 43.18x
St Marylebone London 5 15.24x
Newington 4 17.63x
Liverpool 2 4.52x
Oldham 2 8.50x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 3.02x
Lambeth 1 1.87x
Leith North 1 625.00x
Mile End Old Town 1 10.31x
Port Glasgow 1 43.48x
St Anne Soho London 1 28.49x
St George In East 1 23.92x
Walcot 1 18.98x
Westminster St John 1 13.37x
Westoe 1 9.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 3
Emily 2
Margaret 2
Amelia 1
Anna 1
Annie 1
Caroline 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
Ethel 1
Gertrude 1
Johannes 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Louise 1
Mary 1
Sarah 1
Sophia 1
Wilheminia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Henry 7
John 4
George 3
Adam 2
Alfred 2
Carl 2
Charles 2
Emil 2
William 2
Benjamin 1
Edgar 1
Edwdd.De 1
Ethelbert 1
F. 1
Frederic 1
Henery 1
James 1
Louis 1
Otto 1
Robert 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 Rudolph households.

FAQ

Rudolph surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rudolph surname in 1881?

In 1881, 63 people were recorded with the Rudolph surname. That placed it at #24,711 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rudolph surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 264 in 2016. That gives Rudolph a modern rank of #16,172.

What does the Rudolph surname mean?

A Germanic surname derived from the given name Rudolf, meaning "fame" and "wolf".

What does the Rudolph map show?

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