Explore the Family Name Rudder
The meaning of Rudder
1. German: variant of Ruder 2. 2. Altered form of German Ruder 1 and 2. 3. English: topographic name from Middle English rude ‘clearing’ (Old English rȳd) + the agent suffix -er, for someone who lived in or near a clearing.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Rudder in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Rudder shifted slightly from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Rudder was ranked as the 10,923rd most popular surname and it dropped to 11,560th in 2010, a decrease in popularity by about 5.83%. However, the overall count of people bearing the surname slightly increased during the same period, from 2,673 to 2,719, marking a growth of approximately 1.72%. The proportion per 100,000 people also decreased from 0.99 to 0.92, indicating a reduction of around 7.07%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #10,923 | #11,560 | -5.83% |
| Count | 2,673 | 2,719 | 1.72% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.99 | 0.92 | -7.07% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Rudder
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows some interesting changes within the population with the surname Rudder between 2000 and 2010. The group identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander experienced the most significant increase, growing by 48.65% while those acknowledging two or more races also saw an increase of 34.55%. People identifying as White remained the majority but their percentage dropped slightly from 79.24% to 76.50%, a decrease of 3.46%. Meanwhile, Hispanic representation among the Rudder surname holders more than doubled from 1.20% to 2.80%. Those identifying as Black remained fairly stable, seeing a minimal increase of 0.48%, and American Indian and Alaskan Native representation rose by 32.81%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 79.24% | 76.5% | -3.46% |
| Black | 16.65% | 16.73% | 0.48% |
| Hispanic | 1.2% | 2.8% | 133.33% |
| Two or More Races | 1.91% | 2.57% | 34.55% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.64% | 0.85% | 32.81% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.37% | 0.55% | 48.65% |