How to filter multiple values on a column in R

Problem

We want to filter multiple values on a column in R. In our example, we want to subset the rows containing the string Tom or Lynn for the column name.

Example

  days  name
1   88  Lynn
2   11   Tom
3    2 Chris
4    5  Lisa
5   22  Kyla
6    1   Tom
7  222  Lynn
8    2  Lynn

df <-
  data.frame(
    days = c(88, 11, 2, 5, 22, 1, 222, 2),
    name = c("Lynn", "Tom", "Chris", "Lisa", "Kyla", "Tom", "Lynn", "Lynn")
  ) 

Solution

Base package

df[df$name %in% c("Tom", "Lynn"), ] # or
target <- c("Tom", "Lynn")
df[df$name %in% target, ]

  days name
1   88 Lynn
2   11  Tom
6    1  Tom
7  222 Lynn
8    2 Lynn

dplyr

library(dplyr)
filter(df, name %in% c("Tom", "Lynn")) # or
target <- c("Tom", "Lynn")
filter(df, name %in% target)

data.table

library(data.table)
DT <- data.table(df)
DT[name %in% target]

sqldf

library(sqldf)
# Two alternatives:
sqldf('SELECT *
      FROM df 
      WHERE name = "Tom" OR name = "Lynn"')
sqldf('SELECT *
      FROM df 
      WHERE name IN ("Tom", "Lynn")')

Related posts

• Filter rows containing a certain string in R

References

• stackoverflow