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

Rhoads, 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 Rhoads surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rhoads in America

Rhoads is the 2690th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rhoads surname appeared 13,389 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Rhoads.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rhoads 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 Rhoads

The surname RHOADS is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "rod," which meant a clearing or a path through the woods. It was originally an occupational name for someone who lived near a rode or forest clearing.

The name first appeared in historical records in the late 11th century, shortly after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled "Rodis."

In the 12th century, the name began to appear in various spellings such as Rodes, Rodes, and Rohdes, reflecting the regional dialects of different parts of England. The spelling "RHOADS" emerged in the 16th century and became the predominant form in some areas.

The RHOADS surname has been associated with several notable historical figures over the centuries. One of the earliest was Sir John Rhoads (c. 1330-1405), a prominent English landowner and knight who served under King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War.

Another notable bearer of the name was John RHOADS (1673-1743), a Quaker leader and early settler in Pennsylvania who founded the town of Rhoads Ford, now known as Downingtown.

In the 18th century, Benjamin RHOADS (1738-1820) was a prominent American businessman and philanthropist who helped establish the Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia.

During the American Civil War, Samuel Rhoads (1838-1917) served as a Union Army officer and later became a successful businessman and politician in Ohio.

More recently, Harlan RHOADS (1899-1982) was an American physicist and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of radar technology during World War II.

These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals who have borne the RHOADS surname throughout history, reflecting its enduring legacy across various fields and locations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rhoads

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

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

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

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