NameCensus.

UK surname

Hoddy

A variant spelling of the English surname Hoddy, possibly derived from a nickname for Roger.

In the 1881 census there were 137 people recorded with the Hoddy surname, ranking it #16,358 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 236, ranked #17,470, down from #16,358 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hitcham, Brettenham, Chedgrave and Calverley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Norfolk, Stoke-on-Trent and Bradford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hoddy is 267 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 72.3%.

1881 census count

137

Ranked #16,358

Modern count

236

2016, ranked #17,470

Peak year

1999

267 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hoddy had 137 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,358 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 236 in 2016, ranked #17,470.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 222 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hoddy surname distribution map

The map shows where the Hoddy surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Hoddy surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hoddy over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 116 #15,545
1861 historical 120 #18,255
1881 historical 137 #16,358
1891 historical 184 #15,869
1901 historical 222 #14,169
1911 historical 212 #14,423
1997 modern 237 #15,809
1998 modern 252 #15,584
1999 modern 267 #15,097
2000 modern 259 #15,390
2001 modern 247 #15,637
2002 modern 256 #15,565
2003 modern 249 #15,653
2004 modern 244 #15,948
2005 modern 231 #16,529
2006 modern 233 #16,560
2007 modern 232 #16,795
2008 modern 242 #16,432
2009 modern 248 #16,509
2010 modern 245 #17,013
2011 modern 245 #16,874
2012 modern 226 #17,679
2013 modern 233 #17,606
2014 modern 235 #17,619
2015 modern 230 #17,795
2016 modern 236 #17,470

Geography

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Where Hoddys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hitcham, Brettenham, Chedgrave, Calverley and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Norfolk, Stoke-on-Trent, Bradford, Ryedale and North Kesteven. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Hitcham, Brettenham Suffolk
2 Chedgrave Norfolk
3 Calverley Yorkshire, West Riding
4 London parishes London 1
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Norfolk 008 South Norfolk
2 Stoke-on-Trent 031 Stoke-on-Trent
3 Bradford 013 Bradford
4 Ryedale 004 Ryedale
5 North Kesteven 009 North Kesteven

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hoddy

These lists show first names that appear often with the Hoddy surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hoddy

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hoddy, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Hoddy surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Hoddy household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Hoddy is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hoddy is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hoddy falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hoddy is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Hoddy, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Hoddy

The surname Hoddy originated in England during the late medieval period, specifically in the county of Dorset. It is derived from the Old English words "hod" and "ieg," which together mean "hood island" or "island with a hood-like shape." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived on or near an island with a distinctive curved or hooded shape.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Hoddy can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Dorset from 1230, where a certain William Hoddy is mentioned as a landholder. This provides evidence that the name was already in use by the 13th century.

In the 14th century, the name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Dorset from 1327, where a Thomas Hoddy is listed as a taxpayer. This further solidifies the association of the name with this region during the medieval era.

One of the earliest notable individuals bearing the surname Hoddy was Sir John Hoddy (c. 1420-1492), a prominent landowner and member of the gentry in Dorset. He served as a justice of the peace and was actively involved in local affairs.

Another significant figure was Robert Hoddy (c. 1550-1620), a successful merchant and shipowner from the town of Lyme Regis in Dorset. He played a role in the establishment of trading routes with the Americas and amassed considerable wealth.

In the 17th century, the name is found in the parish records of Beaminster, Dorset, with the baptism of Elizabeth Hoddy in 1642. This suggests that the name had become well-established in the area by this time.

A notable bearer of the name in the 18th century was Samuel Hoddy (1720-1789), a respected clergyman and scholar who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Beaminster for over four decades.

During the 19th century, the Hoddy surname spread beyond Dorset, with records indicating families bearing the name living in other parts of England, such as London and the county of Wiltshire. One noteworthy individual from this period was William Hoddy (1815-1892), a successful businessman and philanthropist from Bristol.

While the Hoddy surname originated in a specific region of England, it has since been carried by individuals across various parts of the country and even to other parts of the world through migration and family dispersal.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hoddy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hoddy surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 39 Hoddys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.92x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 39 2.92x
Norfolk 28 13.63x
Lancashire 16 1.01x
Suffolk 16 9.83x
Yorkshire 10 0.76x
Essex 7 2.65x
Gloucestershire 7 2.67x
Surrey 7 1.08x
Durham 3 0.75x
Kent 2 0.44x
Hertfordshire 1 1.09x
Warwickshire 1 0.30x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chedgrave in Norfolk leads with 18 Hoddys recorded in 1881 and an index of 10588.24x.

Place Total Index
Chedgrave 18 10588.24x
St Pancras London 10 9.30x
St Marylebone London 8 11.21x
Hitcham 7 1707.32x
Paddington London 7 14.25x
Worsley 7 71.65x
Cheltenham 5 24.73x
Loddon 5 943.40x
Bentham 4 396.04x
Heigham 4 36.26x
Norwood 4 130.72x
Oldham 4 7.82x
Hackney London 3 4.00x
Sunderland 3 42.74x
Bedford 2 60.24x
Brettenham 2 1428.57x
Buxhall 2 909.09x
Charlton Kings 2 110.50x
Clare 2 256.41x
Halifax 2 10.29x
Halstead 2 64.94x
Islington London 2 1.54x
Kensington London 2 2.69x
Lambeth 2 1.72x
Lavenham 2 235.29x
Mile End Old Town London 2 7.03x
Sutton 2 42.46x
Wethersfield 2 298.51x
Wix 2 714.29x
Bexley 1 24.81x
Bispham With Norbreck 1 303.03x
Bradford 1 3.12x
Burton In Lonsdale 1 344.83x
Camberwell 1 1.17x
Hadleigh 1 63.29x
Hampstead London 1 4.81x
Heptonstall 1 53.76x
Hertford St John 1 72.99x
Ingleton 1 133.33x
Newton 1 8.18x
Northfleet 1 24.88x
Old Stratford 1 52.36x
Reigate Foreign 1 14.18x
Rusholme 1 23.64x
Southwark St Saviour 1 14.56x
Wells Next Sea 1 83.33x
West Ham 1 1.72x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Hoddy surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 6
Elizabeth 5
Louisa 5
Jane 4
Edith 3
Sarah 3
Ann 2
Annie 2
Caroline 2
Eliza 2
Ellen 2
Emma 2
Florence 2
Julia 2
Maria 2
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Beatrice 1
Blanch 1
Charlotte 1
Deborah 1
Eleanor 1
Elizar 1
Ethil 1
Francis 1
Gertrude 1
Harriett 1
Marth 1
Maud 1
Onar 1
Sabina 1
Selina 1
Susannah 1
Sylvia 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Hoddy surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 10
George 7
Thomas 7
John 5
Robert 5
Henry 4
James 4
Arthur 2
Charles 2
Edgar 2
Frank 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Anthony 1
Bengaman 1
Benjamin 1
Daniel 1
Ebenezer 1
Edwards 1
Eliza 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Herbert 1
Jeremiah 1
Major 1
Reginald 1
Russ 1
Samuel 1
Walter 1
Zachriah 1

FAQ

Hoddy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hoddy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 137 people were recorded with the Hoddy surname. That placed it at #16,358 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hoddy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 236 in 2016. That gives Hoddy a modern rank of #17,470.

What does the Hoddy surname mean?

A variant spelling of the English surname Hoddy, possibly derived from a nickname for Roger.

What does the Hoddy map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Hoddy bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.