Rhodes (surname)
{{wiktionary pipe|Rhodes#Etymology 2|Rhodes}}
Rhodes (also spelled Rhoades, Rhoads, Roads, Roades, and Rodes){{cite book |last1=Hanks |first1=Patrick |title=The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland |date=2016 |publisher=Oxford University press |isbn= 9780199677764|url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780199677764.001.0001/acref-9780199677764-e-34404?rskey=79ZTz1&result=34401 |access-date=5 March 2024}} is an English surname deriving from the Old English word "rod", meaning "a clearing in the woods". It arose as a locational surname for a person who either lived near woodland clearings, or was originally from one of many locations with the name, and is not connected to the Greek island of the same name.{{cite book |last1=Hanks |first1=Patrick |title=Dictionary of American Family Names |date=2022 |publisher=Oxford University press |isbn=9780190245115 |edition=second |url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780190245115.001.0001/acref-9780190245115-e-62143?rskey=QtgNP2&result=62175 |access-date=5 March 2024}} Topographical features provided intuitive and convenient means of identification in small mediaeval communities, and former inhabitants of a given location who moved to another town or area would often be identified using the name of their birthplace.{{cite encyclopedia |encyclopedia=Surname Database |title=Rhodes |url=http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Rhodes |date=18 January 2003|access-date=28 March 2021}}
Notable people with this surname
=Rhodes A–D=
- Alan Rhodes (disambiguation), several people, including:
- Alan Rhodes (rugby league), English rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, and coached in the 1980s
- Alan Rhodes (rugby league, born in Bradford), English rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s, and coached in the 1980s
- Albert Rhodes (diplomat) (1840–1904), American diplomat and author
- Alex Rhodes (cyclist) (born 1984), female Australian racing cyclist
- Alex Rhodes (footballer), English footballer
- Alexandre de Rhodes, French Jesuit missionary
- Alexis Rhodes, fictional character in Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
- Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, American author
- Andy Rhodes, retired English football goalkeeper
- Anthony Rhodes, journalist and author of The Vatican in the Age of the Dictators
- April Rhodes, fictional character in Glee
- Arthur Rhodes (born 1969), Major League Baseball relief pitcher
- Arthur Rhodes (1859–1922), New Zealand Member of Parliament and Mayor of Christchurch
- Atticus Rhodes, fictional character in Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
- Augustus Rhodes, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of California
- Austin Rhodes, English rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s and coached in the 1970s
- Ben Rhodes (racing driver) (born 1997), American NASCAR driver
- Bernard Rhodes, former manager of The Clash
- Billy Rhodes (English rugby league), English rugby league footballer who played in the 1910s and 1920s, and coached in the 1920s through to the 1950s
- Carol Rhodes (1959–2018) Scottish painter
- CeCe Rhodes, fictional character in Gossip Girl
- Cecil Rhodes (1853–1902), British businessman after whom Rhodesia was named, theorist of imperialism, creator of the Rhodes Scholarship
- Christopher Rhodes, former British film and television actor
- Cody Rhodes (born 1985; birth name Cody Runnels), American professional wrestler and son of wrestler Dusty Rhodes
- Cynthia Rhodes, American actress, singer and dancer
- Damian Rhodes, retired NHL goaltender
- Dan Rhodes, English writer
- David Rhodes (disambiguation), several people, including:
- Dave Rhodes, purported author of the electronic chain letter "Make.Money.Fast"
- David Rhodes (author), American novelist
- David Rhodes (cricketer), English-born New Zealand cricketer
- David Rhodes (footballer), former Australian rules footballer
- David Rhodes (kayaker), Australian sprint canoeist
- Dominic Rhodes, running back in the National Football League
- Donnelly Rhodes, Canadian television actor
- Doralee Rhodes, fictional character in Nine to Five
- Doris Rhodes (1898–1982), British bridge player
- Doris Lindsey Holland Rhodes (1909–1997), American politician
- Doug Rhodes, multi-instrumentalist
- Dustin Rhodes (born 1969; real name Dustin Runnels), American professional wrestler also known as Goldust; son of wrestler Dusty Rhodes
- Dusty Rhodes (baseball coach) (born 1946), American college baseball coach
- Dusty Rhodes (cricketer) (1916–1983), English cricket player and umpire
- Dusty Rhodes (footballer) (1882–1960), English footballer and manager
- Dusty Rhodes (outfielder) (1927–2009), American baseball player
- Dusty Rhodes (1945–2015; real name Virgil Runnels Jr.), American professional wrestler and father of Cody and Dustin Rhodes
=Rhodes E–J=
- E. C. Rhodes, statistician and economist who worked with Arthur Bowley and Karl Pearson
- Edgar Nelson Rhodes, Canadian parliamentarian and premier of Nova Scotia
- Elisha Hunt Rhodes, Brigadier General in the Union Army
- Emitt Rhodes (1950–2020), American singer/songwriter
- Erica Rhodes, American actress and comedian
- Erik Rhodes (actor, born 1906), American actor
- Erik Rhodes (pornographic actor), American pornographic actor
- Ernie Rhodes, English footballer
- Esther Biddle Rhoads (1896–1979), American educator, relief worker
- Frank Rhodes (British Army officer) (1851–1905), brother of Cecil, 19th century British Army Colonel in Africa
- Frank H. T. Rhodes, president of Cornell University
- Gary Rhodes (1960–2019), English celebrity chef and restaurateur
- George Rhodes (farmer) (1816–1864), New Zealand pastoralist
- George Rhodes (musician), American arranger, conductor, pianist, and music director
- Happy Rhodes, American singer, songwriter, instrumentalist and electronic musician
- Hari Rhodes, American actor
- Harold Rhodes (disambiguation), several people
- Heaton Rhodes (1861–1956), New Zealand politician and lawyer
- Captain Henry Rhodes, fictional character in Day of the Dead
- Herbert Rhodes, English cricketer
- Herbert W. Rhodes, American architect
- Hervey Rhodes, Baron Rhodes (1895–1987), British Labour Party politician
- Ida Rhodes, mathematician
- Izora Rhodes, Izora Armstead; one half of the pop group the Weather Girls
- James Rhodes (disambiguation), several people
- James Rhodes (cricketer), English cricketer
- James Rhodes (pianist) (born 1975), English pianist
- James Ford Rhodes, American industrialist and historian
- Jane Rhodes (1929–2011), French opera singer
- Jay B. Rhodes, American inventor
- Jean Rhodes, American academic psychologist and author
- Jennifer Rhodes, American actress
- Jewell Parker Rhodes, American novelist
- Jim Rhodes, four-term governor of Ohio
- John Harold Rhodes, English recipient of the Victoria Cross
- John Jacob Rhodes III, former Republican representative
- John Jacob Rhodes, American politician and lawyer
- John Rhodes (racing driver), British former racing driver
- John W. Rhodes, former Republican member of the North Carolina General Assembly
- Jonty Rhodes, former South African cricketer
- Jordan Rhodes, Scottish footballer
=Rhodes K–Z=
- Kay Rhodes, American bridge player
- Kerry Rhodes, American football safety
- Kim Rhode, American double trap and skeet shooter
- Kim Rhodes, American actress
- Kristin Rhodes, Professional Strongwoman, Worlds Strongest Woman
- La Mott W. Rhodes (1843–1890), American lawyer and politician
- Lancelot Barrie Rhodes, (1934–2021) New Zealand musician
- Leah Rhodes, former American costume designer
- Lou Rhodes, English singer and songwriter
- Lucinda Rhodes-Flaherty, British television and film actress
- Luke Rhodes (born 1992), American football player
- The Honourable Margaret Rhodes, first cousin and close friend of Queen Elizabeth II
- Marjorie Rhodes (1897–1979), British actress of motion pictures and television
- Mark Rhodes (disambiguation), several people
- Mary Louise Rhodes (1916–1987), American petroleum geologist,
- Mel Rhodes, creativity researcher and originator of the 4 P of creativity
- Michael Rhodes (disambiguation), several people
- Nick Rhodes, the English keyboardist for Duran Duran
- P. J. Rhodes (1940–2021), British academic and ancient historian
- Pam Rhodes, British television presenter
- Paul Rhodes, Canadian political strategist
- Pauline Rhodes (born 1937), New Zealand artist
- Peter Rhodes, former American journalist
- Peyton Nelle Rhodes, 15th president and namesake of Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee
- Philip Rhodes, prolific boat designer who designed the 1962 America's Cup winner, Weatherly
- Phillip Rhodes (drummer), drummer for the Gin Blossoms
- Randi Rhodes, talk radio host
- Ray Rhodes, former American football head coach
- Richard Rhodes (born 1937), American author, notably of Deadly Feasts about prion diseases, and of The Making of the Atomic Bomb
- Robert Heaton Rhodes (1815–1884), New Zealand politician
- Rufus N. Rhodes, founder of the Birmingham News, and vice-president of the Associated Press
- Rufus R. Rhodes, Chief Clerk of the Confederate Patent Office, 1861–1865
- Sarah Rhodes (1787–1862), illustrator
- Stephen Rhodes (radio presenter), former weekday daytime presenter on BBC Three Counties Radio
- Steve Rhodes, former English cricketer
- Teddy Tahu Rhodes (born 1966), New Zealand bass-baritone
- Thomas L. Rhodes (1939–2018), American political editor and president of National Review magazine
- Trevante Rhodes (born 1990), American sportsman in track and fields and film and television actor
- Trevor Rhodes (disambiguation), several people
- Tuffy Rhodes (born 1968), American professional baseball player
- Walter Rhodes (musician), American blues musician
- Wilfred Rhodes, former English cricketer
- William Rhodes (disambiguation), several people
- Xavier Rhodes, American Football Cornerback for the Indianapolis Colts
- Zandra Rhodes, English fashion designer
=Rhoades=
- Barbara Rhoades (born 1946), American actress
- Elijah Rhoades (1791–1858), New York politician
- Katharine Nash Rhoades, (1885–1964), American painter
- Kevin C. Rhoades, American Catholic bishop
- Kitty Rhoades (1951–2016), American politician
- Lana Rhoades, American former pornografic film actress
- Marcus Morton Rhoades (1903–1991), American cytogeneticist
- Paul Ezra Rhoades (1957–2011), American spree killer executed in Idaho
- Robert Ben Rhoades (born 1945), American serial killer also known as "The Truck Stop Killer"
- Sarah Rhoades from America's Next Top Model, Cycle 5
=Rhoads=
- Cornelius P. Rhoads (1898–1959), American pathologist and oncologist
- Daniel Rhoads (1821–1895), American pioneer and rancher
- David Rhoads (1932–2017), American Olympic cyclist
- George Rhoads (1926–2021), American artist, designer of Rolling ball sculptures
- Ronald Rhoads (born 1933), American Olympic cyclist
- Randy Rhoads (1956–1982), American rock guitarist
- Samuel Rhoads (1711–1784), architect, Mayor of Philadelphia
=Roads=
=Rodes=
- Robert E. Rodes, Confederate general in the American Civil War
=Rodeš=
- Istok Rodeš, Croatian alpine ski racer