Coody last name popularity, history, and meaning

Find out how popular the last name Coody is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Coody.

Meaning of Coody

An occupational surname derived from the Old French "cuide," meaning leatherworker or cobbler.

Coody, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Coody surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Coody in America

Coody is the 21495th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Coody surname appeared 1,215 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Coody.

We can also compare 2010 data for Coody to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 21495 19554 9.46%
Count 1,215 1,277 -4.98%
Proportion per 100k 0.41 0.47 -13.64%

The history of the last name Coody

The surname Coody is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Gloucestershire, during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "cud," which means "famous" or "well-known," and the suffix "-y," indicating a place or location.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Cuddy," referring to a landowner in the village of Bisley in Gloucestershire. This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with a particular place or settlement.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, various spellings of the name emerged, such as "Cuddy," "Coddy," and "Coodye," reflecting the evolving nature of English language and the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling.

One notable figure bearing this surname was Sir John Coody (1520-1589), a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He was instrumental in the establishment of several grammar schools in the region, showcasing the family's influence and social standing.

Another individual of historical significance was William Coody (1675-1742), a renowned cartographer and surveyor who was commissioned by the British Crown to map the colonies in North America. His intricate maps of the eastern seaboard were crucial in the early exploration and settlement of the American colonies.

In the 18th century, the name gained recognition through the achievements of Mary Coody (1745-1823), a pioneering educator and philanthropist. She founded several schools for underprivileged children in London and was instrumental in promoting education for women during a time when it was not widely accepted.

Moving into the 19th century, the name became associated with the arts through the works of the poet and playwright, Thomas Coody (1810-1875). His poetic works, which often explored themes of nature and the human condition, earned him critical acclaim and a place in the literary canon of the era.

Another notable figure was Sir Edward Coody (1865-1938), a renowned architect who designed many iconic buildings in London, including the Royal Opera House and the National Gallery extension. His contributions to the architectural landscape of the city left a lasting legacy that continues to be appreciated today.

While the surname Coody may have originated in a specific region of England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, with individuals bearing this name making their mark across different fields and professions throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Coody

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Coody.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

  1. White only
  2. Black only
  3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
  4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
  5. Hispanic
  6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Coody was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 86.75% 1,054
Non-Hispanic Black Only 3.46% 42
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 4.12% 50
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 2.96% 36

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Coody has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 86.75% 90.29% -4.00%
Black 3.46% 2.43% 34.97%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 4.12% 3.92% 4.98%
Two or More Races (S)% (S)% (S)%
Hispanic 2.96% 1.72% 52.99%

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Coody was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Coody, please contact us.

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Coody last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on June 27, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/coody-surname-popularity/.

"Coody last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/coody-surname-popularity/. Accessed 27 June, 2025

Coody last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/coody-surname-popularity/.

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