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

Dodds, 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 Dodds surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dodds in America

Dodds is the 4031st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dodds surname appeared 8,813 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Dodds.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dodds 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 Dodds

The surname Dodds has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "dodde," which means a bundle of straw or a plant with round tufts, referring to a particular type of grass or sedge. This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname for someone who worked with straw or sedge.

The earliest recorded use of the name Dodds can be traced back to the 13th century in various parts of England, particularly in the northern counties. One of the earliest known references is in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1279, which mentions a William Dodde.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in several historical records, including the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, which listed a John Dod and a Robert Dod. The surname was also found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1332, where a Johanna Dodde was recorded.

The Dodds surname is also associated with various place names in England. For instance, the village of Dodds in Northumberland may have derived its name from the surname, or vice versa. The name has also been linked to the town of Doddington in Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Dodds. One of the earliest was William Dodds (c. 1460-1535), an English clergyman and Archdeacon of Stow. Another prominent figure was James Dodds (1749-1811), a Scottish minister and author known for his work on theology and philosophy.

In the 19th century, Alfred Dodds (1842-1911) was a renowned English architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Savoy Hotel. Walter Dodds (1861-1951), an English cricketer, played first-class cricket for Somerset and captained the team for several seasons.

More recently, Sir Michael Dodds (1921-2011) was a British businessman and industrialist who served as the Chairman of the Midland Bank and was knighted for his contributions to industry and finance.

These are just a few examples of the rich history associated with the surname Dodds, which has its roots in the medieval period and has been carried by individuals from various walks of life throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dodds

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

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

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

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