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

Dodson, 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 Dodson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dodson in America

Dodson is the 927th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dodson surname appeared 37,566 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 13 people would have the surname Dodson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dodson 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 Dodson

The surname Dodson is of English origin, derived from the Medieval given name Dodde, a diminutive of the Old English name Dodd. This name is believed to have evolved from the Old English word "dud," meaning "round and small." The earliest recorded instances of the surname Dodson can be traced back to the 13th century in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Staffordshire.

One of the earliest recorded references to the surname Dodson can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from the year 1296, where a certain William Dodessone is mentioned. Additionally, the Dodson surname appears in the Hundred Rolls of Buckinghamshire in 1275, indicating its widespread use during that time.

The surname Dodson has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such figure is James Dodson (1705-1757), an English mathematician and author who wrote extensively on topics related to mathematics and navigation. Another prominent bearer of the name was Michael Dodson (1732-1799), an English clergyman and mathematician who served as the Rector of Buckingham.

In the literary world, the name Dodson is remembered through the character of Mr. Dodson, a lawyer featured in Charles Dickens' novel "The Pickwick Papers," published in 1837. This fictional character's name likely drew inspiration from the surname's widespread use in England during Dickens' time.

The Dodson surname has also been linked to several place names in England, such as Dodson's Green in Buckinghamshire and Dodson's Farm in Sussex. These place names may have originated from individuals bearing the Dodson surname who resided or held lands in those areas.

Other notable individuals with the surname Dodson include Robert Dodson (1704-1775), an English merchant and philanthropist who donated funds for the establishment of several schools and hospitals in London, and James Dodson (1842-1918), a Scottish-born American industrialist and philanthropist who founded the Dodson Iron Works in Ohio.

Throughout its history, the surname Dodson has maintained a strong presence in various regions of England, reflecting its enduring heritage and the significance of its bearers in various fields, from mathematics and literature to business and philanthropy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dodson

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

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

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

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