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Rodney Family History

Rodney Surname Meaning

English (Lancashire): habitational name from a lost or as yet unidentified place perhaps near Markham in Somerset and apparently named from the Old English personal name Hrōda (a short form of various compound names with the first element hrōth ‘renown’) + ēg ‘island raised area in marsh’.

The use of Rodney as a personal name probably developed in the 18th century.

Compare Radney.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Rodney family from?

You can see how Rodney families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rodney family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Rodney families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 31 Rodney families living in Lancashire. This was about 17% of all the recorded Rodney's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Rodney families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rodney surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Rodney ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Rodney. 70% of Rodney women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Rodney | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    70%
  • Private Means
    15%
  • Unpaid Domestic Duti
    5%
  • Independent
    5%

What Rodney family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 24,000 census records available for the last name Rodney. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rodney census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Rodney

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Rodney. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Rodney immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 10,000 military records available for the last name Rodney. For the veterans among your Rodney ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Rodney military records

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