Rhoden
A surname usually treated as a variant spelling of Roden, itself often a place-based name.
The #5,617 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 49,902 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The historical evidence here points to Rhoden as a spelling variant of Roden. In English surname history, Roden is commonly taken from a place-name, probably referring to someone who came from a settlement named Roden or a similarly named locality. The underlying place-name element is usually explained as a reference to a clearing or valley, though exact derivation can vary by place.
History
This form appears in surname lists as an alternate spelling rather than a distinct independent name. In Britain and later in North America, Rhoden and Roden were both carried as family names, with spelling often shifting from one record to another. The name is now especially visible in the United States, where census data show a modest but established presence.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Older surname dictionaries often cross-reference Rhoden to Roden instead of giving it a separate etymology, which suggests the spelling was treated as a fluid variant in records.
From the historical record
“RHOADS for Roads, q.v. RHODEN for Roden, q.v. RHODES for Rodes, qv. Ill Rhydderch Riches”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)