Rodrian last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Rodrian

A surname originating from the Germanic personal name Rodrian or Rodrianus.

Rodrian, 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 Rodrian surname is from the 2000 census data.

Popularity of Rodrian in America

Rodrian is the 147095th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rodrian surname appeared 103 times in the 2000 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Rodrian.

The history of the last name Rodrian

The surname Rodrian is believed to have its origins in the German-speaking regions of Europe, specifically in parts of modern-day Germany and neighboring areas. The name first appeared in historical records during the late Middle Ages, roughly around the 13th or 14th century. German surnames from this period were often derived from personal names, locative names (names derived from places), occupations, or descriptive nicknames.

Rodrian likely stems from a personal name or a locative origin. One theory suggests that it could be a variation of the name Roderich, which itself comes from the Old High German elements "hroth" (meaning "fame") and "rihhi" (meaning "ruler" or "powerful"). Another possibility is that Rodrian could be derived from a place name, with early bearers of the surname hailing from a specific region or settlement named Rodrich or something similar.

Key historical references to the surname Rodrian can be found in medieval property records and local registers. For instance, a document from 1352 mentions a Heinrich Rodrian in the town of Würzburg, which provides one of the earliest known records of the surname. The name also appeared in various spelling forms, such as Roderyan and Rodryan, as spelling conventions were not standardized in medieval times.

In the mid-15th century, a notable bearer of the surname is Anna Rodrian, born in 1440 in Mainz. Anna was known for her involvement in local charitable activities and her association with a prominent religious institution. Another significant figure with the surname is Johann Rodrian, a skilled craftsman in Augsburg who lived from 1510 to 1575. His work on intricate wood carvings remains admired in the region.

Moving into the 16th century, Peter Rodrian, born in 1535 in Nuremberg, gained recognition as a cartographer whose detailed maps of the Holy Roman Empire were widely used. Peter's contributions to geography and cartography were highly valued during his time, and some of his maps are preserved in European archives.

In the 17th century, another bearer of the surname is Maria Rodrian, who was born in 1602 in Cologne. Maria became known for her extensive work as a midwife and her writings on traditional childbirth practices, contributing greatly to local medical knowledge.

One of the more historically documented individuals is Friedrich Rodrian, born in 1630 in Berlin and deceased in 1705. Friedrich was a prominent merchant and played a vital role in the development of the trading networks linking several German states. His business acumen and involvement in the city's civic affairs left a lasting impact on Berlin's economic history.

Throughout history, the surname Rodrian has transformed from its medieval origins into the modern era, maintaining its distinct presence in German-speaking regions. The legacy of individuals such as Heinrich, Anna, Johann, Peter, Maria, and Friedrich Rodrian highlights the diverse contributions of this surname's bearers over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rodrian

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

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 2000 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Rodrian was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 98.06% 101
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 0.00% 0

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.

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

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

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"Rodrian last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on May 20, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/rodrian-surname-popularity/.

"Rodrian last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/rodrian-surname-popularity/. Accessed 20 May, 2025

Rodrian last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/rodrian-surname-popularity/.

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