2010
#146,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Oody
A surname likely derived from a place name or location.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Oody. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Oody 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
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Oody in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Oody, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.8%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Oody
The surname OODY is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, specifically in the county of Somerset. It is likely derived from the Old English word "wudu," which means "wood" or "forest," suggesting that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who lived near or worked in wooded areas.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Odde." This entry suggests that the name may have initially been a personal name before becoming a surname.
During the 13th century, the surname began to appear in various spellings, such as "Ody," "Odi," and "Odye." These variations were likely influenced by regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling practices of the time.
The earliest known bearer of the surname was William Ody, who was born in Somerset around 1270. Records indicate that he was a landowner and farmer in the village of Curry Rivel.
In the 15th century, the name OODY gained prominence with the birth of Sir Robert Oody (1435-1507), a renowned military commander who served under King Henry VII during the Wars of the Roses. Sir Robert was knighted for his bravery on the battlefield and was awarded land in Hampshire.
Another notable figure with the surname OODY was John Oody (1560-1637), a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol. He played a significant role in the city's trade and governance during the early 17th century.
During the 18th century, the OODY family established themselves in the county of Dorset, where several members became successful landowners and farmers. One such individual was Thomas OODY (1712-1785), who owned a substantial estate in the village of Piddletrenthide.
In the 19th century, the name OODY was associated with the literary world through the work of the poet and playwright, Emily OODY (1828-1892). Born in London, Emily was celebrated for her romantic verse and her contributions to the Victorian literary scene.
It is worth noting that the surname OODY has also been linked to various place names throughout England, such as Oody Hill in Somerset, Oody Copse in Hampshire, and Oody Green in Dorset. These place names may have influenced the development and spread of the surname over time.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Oody
Among Census respondents with the surname Oody, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.8%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Oody 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 Oody surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.3% · 110
- Two or more races1.8% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Oody
Oody appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,020 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #146,201 | 113 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 1,020 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 Oody 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 | #146,201 | #147,221 | -0.7% |
| Count | 113 | 113 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Oody bearers went from 113 to 113 (+0.0% change). The surname moved down 1,020 positions in the national ranking, going from #146,201 to #147,221.
FAQ
Oody surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Oody?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Oody. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Oody?
Oody ranks #147,221 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 113 people with the surname Oody. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Oody.
Has Oody become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Oody went from 113 recorded bearers to 113. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #146,201 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Oody?
Among Census respondents with the surname Oody, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.8%) and Hispanic (0.9%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Oody in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.3% (110 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Oody appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.3%), Two or More Races (1.8%), Hispanic (0.9%). 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 Oody (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 Oody mean?
A surname likely derived from a place name or location. 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 Oody (0.04 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 common is the surname Oody?
See how common the surname Oody is on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.