The Rodney surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 4,089 people carried this name — #8,106 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 71,900 people counted. That is down 36% from 6,396 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Rodney surname

A habitational surname from Old English.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Rodney» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘of Rodney’.

An early record he cites: Richard de Rodeneye, 1303–04 (32 Edward I) — Calendarium Genealogicum, Henry III–Edward I.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 651 · public domain.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 32 people named Rodney.

6 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 3 départements, most often Martinique.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born

Born outside France 6
Martinique 24
Seine-et-Marne 1
Guadeloupe 1

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

In print

Rodney in American newspapers,
1900–1913.

Newspaper page from The Cairo Bulletin carrying the name Rodney
The Cairo Bulletin 1913-08-14
Newspaper page from Corvallis Gazette carrying the name Rodney
Corvallis Gazette 1900-09-04
Newspaper page from The Monmouth Inquirer carrying the name Rodney
The Monmouth Inquirer 1900-09-13

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 5,222 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Rodney in Australian newspapers,
1840s–2010s.

17,286 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Rodney. The most, 3,837, date from the 1930s.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 5,616
Queensland 3,577
Victoria 2,945
South Australia 2,147
Western Australia 1,454
ACT (Canberra) 922
Tasmania 325
Northern Territory 5

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Rodney.

Who carried it

People named Rodney,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Ric Rodney d. 2024 · gaffer
  • Sarah Brydges Rodney d. 1871
  • Tollemache Rodney d. 1858
  • Sarah Singleton d. 1882
  • Anthony Rodney d. 1705
  • Angela Rodney d. 1897

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Rodney,
in the records of 6 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States277 records

277 records of the Rodney name in the United States
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 91
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 56
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 45
  • U.S. alien registration index, 1940–1955 31
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 29
  • New York State death index (outside NYC), 1957–2001 20
  • Irish Famine arrivals at New York, 1846–1851 2
  • U.S. service members who died in the Korean War 2
  • U.S. service members who died in the Vietnam War 1
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Carlisle Anthony Rodney

    Born 1944; from New York, New York. U.S. Army, infantryman; died of wounds 1968 in Binh Thuy, South Vietnam. Buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record David H. Rodney

    Born 1912 in California. Enlisted 1943 at Los Angeles; metal worker. U.S. Army Air Forces veteran of World War II; died 1987, buried at Riverside National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Gabnet Rodney

    Arrived at New York in 1873 aboard the Italy from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 38; matron. From Germany.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 277 records for Rodney in the United States.

Counts: NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia75 records

75 records of the Rodney name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 35
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 28
  • Tasmanian Names Index 6
  • NSW convict, estate and railway indexes 3
  • State Library of Western Australia indexes 3
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record William Rodney

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Recovery, arriving 1836; ticket of leave 1846.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Fred Rodney

    Arrived in Queensland in 1882 aboard the Scotland, aged 17.

    Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0)
  3. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record David Rodney

    Left Launceston in 1853 aboard the Clarence, bound for Melbourne.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 75 records for Rodney in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Emigration file, Gündlingen, 1883, Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Staatsarchiv Freiburg B 694/1 Nr. 1389 (CC BY 4.0).

Canada56 records

56 records of the Rodney name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 47
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 5
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 3
  • City of Winnipeg cemetery records 1
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Reginald Donald Rodney

    Buried in 1985 at St. Mary's Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 45.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Patrick Joseph Rodney

    Died 1918 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Conrad Rodney

    Died in service in 1942.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 56 records for Rodney in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

United Kingdom7 records

7 records of the Rodney name in the United Kingdom
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 5
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John Rodney

    Buried in 1827 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 24.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record B. J. Rodney

    Gunner, Royal Field Artillery. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Rodney

    Buried in 1835 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 48.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 3 of 7 records for Rodney in the United Kingdom.

Counts: MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

France3 records

3 records of the Rodney name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Romaine Laure Pierre Rodney

    Born 1929 in Fort-de-France; died 1990 in Fort-de-France (Martinique).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Kenson Rodney

    Born 1955 in A Saint-Joseph (Dominique); died 1993 in Paris.

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Josephe Leonie Rodney

    Born 1902 in Saint-Esprit (Martinique); died 1992 in Saint-Mandé (Val-de-Marne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Netherlands3 records

3 records of the Rodney name in the Netherlands Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Birth record Ada Augusta Rodney

    Born 1891 in 's-Gravenhage.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Birth record Alice Ada Rodney

    Born 1890 in 's-Gravenhage.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 3 records for Rodney in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Rodney.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Rodney is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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