2000
#75,466
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 238
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.09
Very Rare Last name
Roddam
A variation of the English toponymic surname derived from the place name "Roddam" in Northumberland.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 300 Americans carry the last name Roddam. That puts it at #78,629 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.09 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,142,514 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Roddam 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Roddam with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
300
1 in 1,142,514
Census rank
#78,629
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
262
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 262 bearers of the surname Roddam in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.09 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 78629th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Roddam, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.5%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (6.5%) and Two or More Races (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Roddam
The surname Roddam is of English origin, with its roots tracing back to the medieval period in the northern counties of England, particularly Northumberland. It is derived from the Old English words "rod" meaning "clearing" and "ham" denoting "homestead" or "settlement." This suggests that the name likely originated from a location where an individual or family resided in a clearing or small village.
One of the earliest known references to the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Northumberland from the 13th century, where it is recorded as "de Roddam." This indicates that the name was initially formed as a locational surname, referring to a place called Roddam or a similar variant.
The Roddam surname is closely associated with the village of Roddam, located in Northumberland. This settlement dates back to at least the 12th century and was likely the primary source of the surname's origin. The earliest recorded spelling of the place name was "Roddome" in 1242, further suggesting the connection between the surname and the location.
Amongst the notable individuals bearing the Roddam surname throughout history is Sir John Roddam (1553-1612), an English politician and landowner from Northumberland. He served as a Member of Parliament and played a significant role in local affairs during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
Another prominent figure was Admiral Robert Roddam (1719-1786), a distinguished naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the 18th century. He participated in several notable battles, including the Battle of Quiberon Bay during the Seven Years' War.
In the literary world, Renee Roddam (1885-1939), an English author and poet, gained recognition for her works such as "The Death of Lord Kitchener" and "The Gallant Lord."
The Roddam name is also associated with Robert Roddam (1737-1808), a successful merchant and banker from Newcastle upon Tyne, who amassed a considerable fortune through his business ventures.
Lastly, John Roddam Spencer Stanhope (1829-1905), a British artist and member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, was a notable figure in the art world. His works, including paintings and illustrations, were widely acclaimed during the Victorian era.
While the Roddam surname has its roots in the northern regions of England, particularly Northumberland, it has since spread to other parts of the country and beyond, carried by individuals and families who migrated or established themselves in different locations over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Roddam
Among Census respondents with the surname Roddam, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.5%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (6.5%) and Two or More Races (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Roddam 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 Roddam surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.5% · 232
- Asian and Pacific Islander6.5% · 17
- Two or more races2.7% · 7
- Hispanic or Latino1.5% · 4
- Black or African American0.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Roddam
Roddam appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#78,040
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 245
+7 bearers (+2.9%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Down 2,574 places
2020
#78,629
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 262
+17 bearers (+6.9%)
Per 100,000 0.09
Rank movement Down 589 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #75,466 | 238 | 0.09 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #78,040 | 245 | 0.08 | +7 bearers (+2.9%) | Down 2,574 places |
| 2020 | #78,629 | 262 | 0.09 | +17 bearers (+6.9%) | Down 589 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 Roddam 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 | #78,040 | #78,629 | -0.8% |
| Count | 245 | 262 | 6.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.08 | 0.09 | 9.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Roddam bearers went from 245 to 262 (+6.9% change). The surname moved down 589 positions in the national ranking, going from #78,040 to #78,629.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Roddam
FAQ
Roddam surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Roddam?
Name Census estimates that about 300 living Americans carry the surname Roddam. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,142,514 residents.
How common is Roddam?
Roddam ranks #78,629 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.09 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 262 people with the surname Roddam. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (300), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.09 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.09 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 Roddam.
Has Roddam become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Roddam went from 245 recorded bearers to 262. That is an increase of 17 (+6.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #78,040 to #78,629.
What does the Census say about the background of Roddam?
Among Census respondents with the surname Roddam, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.5%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (6.5%) and Two or More Races (2.7%). 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 Roddam in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.5% (232 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Roddam appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.5%), Asian/Pacific Islander (6.5%), Two or More Races (2.7%). 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 Roddam (2000, 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 Roddam mean?
A variation of the English toponymic surname derived from the place name "Roddam" in Northumberland. 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 Roddam (0.09 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 Roddam?
You can see how many people have the last name Roddam on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.