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Rhodes Family History

Rhodes Name Meaning

English:: either a topographic name for someone who lived by ‘(the) woodland clearings’ plural form of Middle English rode (Old English rod rodu) or a habitational name for someone who came from a place so named principally Rhodes in Bury (Lancashire) or possibly from one of the many minor places in Yorkshire similarly named or Rhodes Minnis (Kent). The Yorkshire name sometimes alternates with the singular form (see Rhode and Rode ). The Rh- spelling was introduced in the 16th and 17th centuries by clerks with a classical education who associated the name with the Greek island of Rhodes famous in ancient history and mythology. There is also no connection with modern English road (Old English rād ‘riding’) which was not used to denote a thoroughfare until the 16th century. The surname is particularly common in Yorkshire and Lancashire but occurs with various spellings in smaller numbers widely across England. variant of Rhode with post-medieval excrescent -s.

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


Similar surnames: Rodes, Rode, Rhodus, Lodes, Hodes, Rhode, Roder, Rhone, Hoes, Rhoades

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Where is the Rhodes family from?

You can see how Rhodes families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rhodes family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Rhodes families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 253 Rhodes families living in Ontario. This was about 53% of all the recorded Rhodes's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Rhodes families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rhodes surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Rhodes ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Student were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Rhodes. 37% of Rhodes men worked as a Farmer and 24% of Rhodes women worked as a Student. Some less common occupations for Americans named Rhodes were Engineer and Income. .

View Census Data for Rhodes | 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 Male Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    37%
  • Labourer
    13%
  • Clerk
    5%
  • Engineer
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Student
    24%
  • Stenographer
    10%
  • Farmer
    7%
  • Income
    7%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Rhodes family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 636,000 census records available for the last name Rhodes. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rhodes census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Rhodes

Passenger Lists

There are 53,000 immigration records available for the last name Rhodes. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

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Draft Cards

There are 96,000 military records available for the last name Rhodes. For the veterans among your Rhodes ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Rhodes lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Rhodes life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Rhodes in 1940 was 44, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Rhodes

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