Explore the Family Name Rudd

The meaning of Rudd

1. English: nickname for someone with a ruddy complexion, from Middle English rudde ‘redness, ruddiness, rosy hue’ (Old English rudu). 2. English: habitational name from Rhude in Holsworthy (Devon), apparently named from Middle English rude (Old English hrēod) ‘reed bed’. Compare Rhode 2. 3. American shortened form of any of various Jewish surnames beginning with Rud-.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Rudd in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Rudd saw a slight shift between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Rudd ranked as the 2,343rd most popular surname in the United States, dropping slightly to 2,451st place by 2010, representing a change of -4.61%. However, the count of people with this surname increased from 14,167 to 14,732 during the same period, marking an increase of approximately 3.99%. The proportion of individuals with this surname per 100,000 also decreased by about 4.95%, from 5.25 in 2000 to 4.99 in 2010.

20002010Change
Rank#2,343#2,451-4.61%
Count14,16714,7323.99%
Proportion per 100k5.254.99-4.95%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Rudd

When it comes to ethnicity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows some interesting trends for the surname Rudd from 2000 to 2010. The largest ethnic group associated with this surname continued to be Whites, although their percentage decreased slightly from 82.85% to 79.83%. Meanwhile, the proportion of Asians/Pacific Islanders, individuals identifying with two or more races, Hispanics, and Blacks increased. Notably, the Hispanic representation saw the highest growth at 58.55%, followed by those identifying with two or more races at 55.73%. The Black community also saw an increase of 10.56%. On the contrary, the American Indian and Alaskan Native group saw a small decrease from 1.08% to 1.05%.

20002010Change
White82.85%79.83%-3.65%
Black12.78%14.13%10.56%
Hispanic1.52%2.41%58.55%
Two or More Races1.31%2.04%55.73%
American Indian and Alaskan Native1.08%1.05%-2.78%
Asian/Pacific Islander0.45%0.54%20%

Rudd ancestry composition

23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Rudd is British & Irish, which comprises 57.4% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (19.7%) and Scandinavian (4.3%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Ashkenazi Jewish, Spanish & Portuguese, Italian, and Nigerian.

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ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
British & Irish57.4%
French & German19.7%
Scandinavian4.3%
Other18.6%
Rudd

Possible origins of the surname Rudd

Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.

Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Rudd have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Greater London, United Kingdom87.20%
West Midlands, United Kingdom87.20%
Merseyside, United Kingdom86.90%
West Yorkshire, United Kingdom86.90%
Greater Manchester, United Kingdom86.90%

What Rudd haplogroups can tell you

Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.

The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Rudd is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-Z19 and R-M405, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Stiles, Flint, Lake, Howell, Hewitt, Koontz, Livingston, Selby, Hills, Powell.

The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Rudd surname are: H1, J1c, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.

ruddPaternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343

Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette

Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.

Maternal Haplo Image

What do people with the surname Rudd have in common?

Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.

Preferences

Rudd

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Rudd" Surname 49.5%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Rudd

Misophonia

When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.

"Rudd" Surname 23.5%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Rudd

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Rudd" Surname 20.9%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Rudd

Migraine

A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

"Rudd" Surname 16.6%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Rudd?

The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.

Disease variant frequency by ancestry

Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Rudd are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Y402H variant

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of irreversible vision loss among older adults. The disease results in damage to the central part of the retina (the macula), impairing vision needed for reading, driving, or even recognizing faces. The 23andMe Health + Ancestry DNA test includes the two most common variants associated with an increased risk of developing the condition: the Y402H variant in the CFH gene and the A69S variant in the ARMS2 gene. Learn more about Age-Related Macular Degeneration

British & Irish 62.1%

23andMe Users 57.2%