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

Dodge, 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 Dodge surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dodge in America

Dodge is the 1635th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dodge surname appeared 22,035 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 7 people would have the surname Dodge.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dodge 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 Dodge

The surname Dodge is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "docga," which means "a powerful breed of dogs." It is believed to have emerged during the 11th century in the counties of Devon and Somerset in the southwest of England.

The earliest recorded instance of the Dodge surname dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Dodda" and "Dodde." These early spellings are thought to have been occupational surnames referring to individuals who bred or worked with these powerful dogs.

In the 13th century, the surname began to appear in various spellings, such as "Dogge," "Doge," and "Dodge," reflecting the evolution of the English language over time.

During the medieval period, the Dodge family gained prominence in the county of Devon, with several members holding positions of authority and land ownership. One notable figure was Sir John Dodge (1420-1487), who served as Sheriff of Devon and played a significant role in the Wars of the Roses.

As the Dodge family expanded, they established themselves in other parts of England, including Gloucestershire and Yorkshire. In the 16th century, the surname was recorded in the parish registers of several villages, such as Dodsworth in Yorkshire and Dodgerton in Gloucestershire, indicating the potential formation of place names derived from the surname.

Notable individuals with the Dodge surname throughout history include:

1. William Dodge (1604-1685), one of the founders of the town of Salem, Massachusetts, in the early colonial era of America.
2. Phineas Dodge (1728-1796), a prominent American merchant and land speculator during the Revolutionary War era.
3. Mary Mapes Dodge (1831-1905), an American children's writer best known for her novel "Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates."
4. Grenville M. Dodge (1831-1916), a prominent American Civil War officer and later a influential railroad engineer and businessman.
5. John F. Dodge (1864-1920), co-founder of the Dodge Brothers Company, which later merged with Chrysler Corporation.

The Dodge surname continues to be prevalent in various parts of the world, particularly in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, reflecting the migration patterns of families bearing this name over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dodge

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

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

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

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