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

Rood, 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 Rood surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rood in America

Rood is the 5560th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rood surname appeared 6,254 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Rood.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rood 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 Rood

The surname Rood originated in the Netherlands and Belgium during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Dutch and Flemish word 'rood,' meaning red, which may have referred to a person's hair color or complexion. Alternatively, it could have indicated a location near a red-colored building or landmark.

One of the earliest recorded references to the Rood surname can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as 'Rode,' which was likely a variant spelling or an anglicized version of the original Dutch or Flemish name.

In the 13th century, a notable figure named Willem Rood was mentioned in the city records of Ghent, Belgium. He was a prominent merchant and landowner who played a significant role in the city's economic affairs during that time.

Another early example is Jan Rood, a Dutch painter born in 1615 in Haarlem, Netherlands. He was known for his portraiture and genre scenes, and his works are exhibited in various museums across Europe.

During the 17th century, a family named Rood settled in the Dutch colony of New Netherland, which later became part of New York State. One of their descendants, Jacob Rood, was a prominent farmer and landowner in the Hudson Valley region, born in 1712.

In the 18th century, Johann Rood, a German composer and organist, was born in 1746 in Hanover. He is known for his contributions to church music and his compositions for organ and other instruments.

Another notable bearer of the Rood surname was Sir John Rood, a British military officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars. He was born in 1778 and gained recognition for his bravery and leadership during the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

These examples illustrate the historical presence of the Rood surname across various regions and cultures, highlighting its Dutch and Flemish origins and its subsequent spread throughout Europe and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rood

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

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

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

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