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

Roady, 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 Roady surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Roady in America

Roady is the 42455th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Roady surname appeared 511 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Roady.

We can also compare 2010 data for Roady 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 Roady

The surname Roady is believed to have originated in England, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "rad," which means a road or path. This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a well-traveled road or path, or perhaps worked as a road builder or maintainer.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Roady can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1190, where a William Roady is mentioned as a landowner. The name also appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where a John Roady is listed as a freeman.

In the 14th century, the name Roady appeared in various forms, such as Rody, Rodie, and Rodeye, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation at the time. One notable individual from this period was Sir John Roady (c. 1320-1392), a knight who served under Edward III during the Hundred Years' War.

During the 16th century, the Roady surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Wiltshire and Somerset. In the Wiltshire Parish Records of 1560, a Richard Roady is mentioned as a landowner in the village of Amesbury. Another prominent figure from this time was Thomas Roady (c. 1520-1585), a merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol.

As the centuries progressed, the Roady name spread across various parts of England and even crossed over to other parts of the British Isles. One notable individual from the 18th century was William Roady (1734-1801), a renowned architect who designed several churches and public buildings in London.

In Ireland, the Roady name can be traced back to the 17th century, when English settlers arrived in the country. One of the earliest recorded Irish individuals with the name was Patrick Roady (c. 1650-1710), a farmer and landowner in County Galway.

Other notable individuals with the Roady surname include:

1. John Roady (1845-1922), an English engineer and inventor who patented several improvements to steam engines.
2. Mary Roady (1870-1948), an American educator and suffragist who fought for women's rights and educational reform.
3. Samuel Roady (1885-1962), a Scottish author and poet known for his works depicting rural life in the Highlands.
4. Elizabeth Roady (1920-2005), a Canadian artist and sculptor whose works are displayed in various galleries and museums.
5. Michael Roady (born 1962), a British businessman and entrepreneur who founded a successful technology company.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Roady

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

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

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

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