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

Dodd, 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 Dodd surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dodd in America

Dodd is the 1144th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dodd surname appeared 30,732 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 10 people would have the surname Dodd.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dodd 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.

The history of the last name Dodd

The surname Dodd has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "dodd," which referred to a person with a rounded or tufted head of hair. This term may also have been used as a nickname for someone with a rounded or stout physique.

The name was particularly prevalent in the northern counties of England, including Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Cheshire. Early variations of the spelling included Dod, Dodde, and Doddis. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Derbyshire in 1208, where a person named William Dod was listed.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of landowners commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several entries that may be related to the Dodd surname. For example, the village of Dodworth in Yorkshire is mentioned, which could have been derived from the Old English words "dod" and "worth," meaning "rounded enclosure."

One notable historical figure bearing the Dodd surname was Charles Dodd (1672-1743), an English Catholic priest and writer who was executed for his involvement in the Jacobite rising of 1715. Another prominent individual was Ralph Dodd (c. 1756-1822), an English artist known for his portrait miniatures and landscapes.

In the literary world, John Dodd (1779-1868) was a British author and poet, best known for his work "The Beauties of Shakespeare." Additionally, George Dodd (1808-1881) was a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Dodd's Warehouse in St. Pancras.

Moving into the 20th century, Sir Kenneth Vivian Dodd (1909-1990) was a British civil servant and diplomat who served as the Governor of Mauritius from 1963 to 1968. He played a significant role in the island's transition to independence.

These are just a few examples of individuals with the Dodd surname who have made notable contributions throughout history in various fields, spanning several centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dodd

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

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 Dodd was:

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 Dodd has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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 Dodd was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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