2000
#124,872
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 127
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Cordice
Likely derived from an Old French surname for one who made or sold cords.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 180 Americans carry the last name Cordice. That puts it at #117,309 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,904,191 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Cordice surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
180
1 in 1,904,191
Census rank
#117,309
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
157
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 157 bearers of the surname Cordice in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 117309th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Cordice, the largest self-reported group is Black at 63.7%. The next largest groups are White (20.4%) and Two or More Races (9.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Cordice
The surname Cordice has its origins in the northern regions of England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire. It is believed to have emerged in the 13th century, derived from the Old English word "cord," meaning a cord or rope, and the suffix "-ice," indicating a diminutive or small form. This suggests that the name may have referred to someone involved in the trade or production of cords or ropes.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1297, where it appears as "Cordyce." This document was a taxation record, indicating that individuals bearing this surname were present in the region during that time period. Over the centuries, the name underwent various spellings, such as Cordis, Cordyce, and Cordisse, before eventually settling on its current form, Cordice.
The name Cordice has been linked to several notable individuals throughout history. In the 16th century, a man named John Cordice (1523-1588) gained recognition as a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of York. His successful business dealings allowed him to acquire substantial property holdings, solidifying the family's presence in the region.
Another notable figure bearing this surname was Sir Thomas Cordice (1647-1721), a military officer who served with distinction during the reign of King William III. He participated in several campaigns against the French and was knighted for his bravery on the battlefield.
In the realm of literature, the name Cordice is associated with the poet and playwright Elizabeth Cordice (1781-1854). Born in Lancashire, her works were celebrated for their vivid descriptions of the English countryside and captured the essence of rural life during her era.
The village of Cordice, located in North Yorkshire, is believed to have derived its name from the surname itself, further solidifying the historical connection between the name and the region.
It is worth noting that the surname Cordice has maintained a relatively small presence throughout history, with scattered occurrences across various records and documents. However, its enduring legacy can be traced through the lives and achievements of those who bore this distinctive name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Cordice
Among Census respondents with the surname Cordice, the largest self-reported group is Black at 63.7%. The next largest groups are White (20.4%) and Two or More Races (9.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Cordice bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Cordice surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American63.7% · 100
- White20.4% · 32
- Two or more races9.6% · 15
- Hispanic or Latino5.7% · 9
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Cordice
Cordice appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#126,018
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 136
+9 bearers (+7.1%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 1,146 places
2020
#117,309
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 157
+21 bearers (+15.4%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 8,709 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #124,872 | 127 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #126,018 | 136 | 0.05 | +9 bearers (+7.1%) | Down 1,146 places |
| 2020 | #117,309 | 157 | 0.05 | +21 bearers (+15.4%) | Up 8,709 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Cordice surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #126,018 | #117,309 | 6.9% |
| Count | 136 | 157 | 15.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.05 | 5.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Cordice bearers went from 136 to 157 (+15.4% change). The surname moved up 8,709 positions in the national ranking, going from #126,018 to #117,309.
FAQ
Cordice surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Cordice?
Name Census estimates that about 180 living Americans carry the surname Cordice. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,904,191 residents.
How common is Cordice?
Cordice ranks #117,309 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 157 people with the surname Cordice. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (180), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Cordice.
Has Cordice become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Cordice went from 136 recorded bearers to 157. That is an increase of 21 (+15.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #126,018 to #117,309.
What does the Census say about the background of Cordice?
Among Census respondents with the surname Cordice, the largest self-reported group is Black at 63.7%. The next largest groups are White (20.4%) and Two or More Races (9.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Cordice in the 2020 Census, accounting for 63.7% (100 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Cordice appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (63.7%), White (20.4%), Two or More Races (9.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Cordice (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Cordice mean?
Likely derived from an Old French surname for one who made or sold cords. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Cordice (0.05 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Cordice?
Find out how common the surname Cordice is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.