2000
#2,343
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 14,167
First available Census row
Per 100,000 5.25
Uncommon Last name
Rudd
Derived from the Old English word "rudd," meaning "red," likely referring to someone with red hair or a ruddy complexion.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 15,795 Americans carry the last name Rudd. That puts it at #2,557 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 4.61 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 21,700 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Rudd 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 Rudd with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
16K
1 in 21,700
Census rank
#2,557
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
4.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
14K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 13,774 bearers of the surname Rudd in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 4.61 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2557th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Rudd, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.1%. The next largest groups are Black (13.6%) and Two or More Races (4.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Rudd
The surname Rudd originates from England and dates back to the 11th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "ruddoc," meaning "red" or "ruddy," referring to someone with a reddish complexion or hair color.
In the Domesday Book of 1086, the earliest recorded mention of the name was as "Rudde," a variant spelling. This historical document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, provides valuable insights into the distribution of surnames across England during that era.
Throughout the medieval period, the name appeared in various records and documents with slight variations in spelling, such as Rudde, Rudd, and Rudde. These variations were common before the standardization of English spelling.
The earliest known individual with the surname Rudd was William Rudd, born around 1320 in Northamptonshire, England. He was a landowner and prominent figure in the local community.
Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Rudd (1460-1525), a wealthy merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London. He served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1504 and played a significant role in the city's governance.
In the 16th century, the Rudd family established themselves in Suffolk, where they owned estates and held influential positions. One prominent member was Sir Benjamin Rudd (1572-1651), a Member of Parliament and supporter of the Parliamentarian cause during the English Civil War.
During the 17th century, the Rudd family expanded their reach, with some members migrating to Ireland and North America. One such individual was John Rudd (1630-1695), who settled in Virginia and became a successful tobacco planter.
Another notable figure was Samuel Rudd (1693-1770), an English churchman and academic who served as the Master of Christ's College, Cambridge, and was renowned for his scholarship and contributions to education.
Throughout history, the Rudd surname has been associated with various professions, including landowners, merchants, clergymen, and academics, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of those who bore this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Rudd
Among Census respondents with the surname Rudd, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.1%. The next largest groups are Black (13.6%) and Two or More Races (4.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Rudd 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 Rudd surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White77.1% · 10,623
- Black or African American13.6% · 1,875
- Two or more races4.1% · 569
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 455
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.1% · 151
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 101
Timeline
Historical Census data for Rudd
Rudd 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
#2,451
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 14,732
+565 bearers (+4.0%)
Per 100,000 4.99
Rank movement Down 108 places
2020
#2,557
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 13,774
-958 bearers (-6.5%)
Per 100,000 4.61
Rank movement Down 106 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,343 | 14,167 | 5.25 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,451 | 14,732 | 4.99 | +565 bearers (+4.0%) | Down 108 places |
| 2020 | #2,557 | 13,774 | 4.61 | -958 bearers (-6.5%) | Down 106 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 Rudd 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 | #2,451 | #2,557 | -4.3% |
| Count | 14,732 | 13,774 | -6.5% |
| Per 100K | 4.99 | 4.61 | -7.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Rudd bearers went from 14,732 to 13,774 (-6.5% change). The surname moved down 106 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,451 to #2,557.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Rudd
FAQ
Rudd surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Rudd?
Name Census estimates that about 15,795 living Americans carry the surname Rudd. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 21,700 residents.
How common is Rudd?
Rudd ranks #2,557 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 4.61 per 100,000 residents, which is about 5 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 13,774 people with the surname Rudd. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (15,795), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 4.61 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 4.61 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 5 of them to have the surname Rudd.
Has Rudd become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Rudd went from 14,732 recorded bearers to 13,774. That is a decrease of 958 (-6.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #2,451 to #2,557.
What does the Census say about the background of Rudd?
Among Census respondents with the surname Rudd, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.1%. The next largest groups are Black (13.6%) and Two or More Races (4.1%). 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 Rudd in the 2020 Census, accounting for 77.1% (10,623 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Rudd appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (77.1%), Black (13.6%), Two or More Races (4.1%). 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 Rudd (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 Rudd mean?
Derived from the Old English word "rudd," meaning "red," likely referring to someone with red hair or a ruddy complexion. 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 Rudd (4.61 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 Rudd?
See how many people have the last name Rudd on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.