Surname Rodes - Meaning and Origin
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Rodes: What does the surname Rodes mean?
The surname Rodes is derived from the Old Scandinavian name Hrodhe, meaning fame. This name was introduced into England by the Vikings during the Middle Ages. It is also considered a locational surname, given to people who lived in places called Rhodes in Lincolnshire or Yorkshire, which were named from the Old English rod, meaning "a clearing in the woods." Hence, the surname Rodes can signify someone who is famous or someone originating from a wooded clearing. Like many surnames, over the centuries it has evolved and been modified to various spellings like Rhodes, Rhoades, Roads, and Rodes. It is commonly found in England but also spread to other English-speaking countries through migration.
Order DNA origin analysisRodes: Where does the name Rodes come from?
The last name Rodes is most commonly found in the southeastern United States today. The Rodes family originated in Saxony, Germany in the late eighteenth century, and the first Rodes immigrants came to America during the colonial era. In the United States, the Rodes name is particularly common in the Southern states of Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina and Kentucky.
In Kentucky, the Rodes surname is especially predominant. The first Rodes in the United States was Johann Adam "John" Rodes, a German immigrant who settled in Kentucky in 1790 and is believed to be the progenitor of the American Rodes family. John's descendants mostly stayed in Kentucky, eventually settling in Barren, Green, and Nelson counties. From there, the family grew and expanded to neighboring states, carrying the name of Rodes throughout the region.
Across the country, the Rodes surname is found in small concentrations in states like Ohio, New York, Texas, Kansas, Oregon, Indiana, and California, among others. Today, the Rodes name is still concentrated in the Southeast United States, with Kentucky and Tennessee having the highest concentration of people with the Rodes name.
Variations of the surname Rodes
Rodes is a surname with multiple variations. Spelling variations of this family name include: Rhods, Rodes, Rhoads, Rhoades, Roads, Roades, Roeds and many more.
The surname Rodes has its roots in the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Germanic personal name, Rodo, which is the combination of two words; hrod (fame) and heid (kind, sort, or type). As a result, it can be interpreted to mean either a person of the type of fame or a famous person.
The surname is known to have been popular in Europe since at least the 15th century. In Britain, the surname appears in records from the 1400s, and it has been found in Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales and North America.
In the United States, variants on the name can be found in most states. The spelling of Rhoads is the most common variant of Rodes. Others include the shortened form of Rhoad, the Scottish variant Rhoade, the Irish variant Roed, the Welsh variant Roads, the German variant Rhoades, the Dutch variant Rodest and so on.
These variations of the surname Rodes are also found throughout the world, including in Australia, Canada, China, France, India, Mexico, Russia, Spain, Sweden, and beyond. The name continues to spread as people migrate and intermarry with each other, and through the modern practice of the internet. It is therefore a truly global surname.
Famous people with the name Rodes
- Jordan Rodes: actor, director, and writer from San Francisco, California.
- Valerie Rodes: French cabaret singer and actress.
- Jed Rodes: American musician and songwriter.
- Lanny Rodes: French professional golfer.
- Enrique Rodes: Spanish soccer player.
- Gary Rodes: former Major League Baseball pitcher.
- Leslie Rodes: British television actor.
- Gema Rodes: Spanish professional ballerina.
- Max Rodes: American jazz composer and pianist.
- Diane Rodes: American party planner.