UK surname
An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "hill of a man called Hocca."
In the 1881 census there were 3 people recorded with the Hodgdon surname, ranking it #33,498 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 7, ranked #37,967, down from #33,498 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Dregg, Aycliffe and Brightlingsea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hodgdon is 117 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 133.3%.
1881 census count
3
Ranked #33,498
Modern count
7
2016, ranked #37,967
Peak year
1861
117 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Hodgdon surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Hodgdon surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.
| Year | Period | Count | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1861 | historical | 117 | #18,635 |
| 1881 | historical | 3 | #33,498 |
| 1891 | historical | 26 | #32,189 |
| 1901 | historical | 2 | #34,263 |
| 1911 | historical | 2 | #34,020 |
| 1997 | modern | 4 | #38,094 |
| 1998 | modern | 7 | #37,533 |
| 1999 | modern | 7 | #37,513 |
| 2000 | modern | 5 | #37,823 |
| 2001 | modern | 4 | #37,862 |
| 2002 | modern | 5 | #37,723 |
| 2003 | modern | 5 | #37,750 |
| 2004 | modern | 5 | #37,830 |
| 2005 | modern | 5 | #37,885 |
| 2006 | modern | 5 | #37,956 |
| 2007 | modern | 6 | #37,837 |
| 2008 | modern | 6 | #37,883 |
| 2009 | modern | 7 | #37,816 |
| 2010 | modern | 7 | #37,904 |
| 2011 | modern | 7 | #37,865 |
| 2012 | modern | 7 | #37,854 |
| 2013 | modern | 7 | #37,909 |
| 2014 | modern | 7 | #37,929 |
| 2015 | modern | 7 | #37,920 |
| 2016 | modern | 7 | #37,967 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Dregg, Aycliffe, Brightlingsea, Easingwold and Isall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dregg | Cumberland |
| 2 | Aycliffe | Durham |
| 3 | Brightlingsea | Essex |
| 4 | Easingwold | Yorkshire, North Riding |
| 5 | Isall | Cumberland |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Hodgdon surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hodgdon, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Hodgdon surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Hodgdon household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Hodgdon is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hodgdon is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Hodgdon, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Hodgdon has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "hod," meaning hood or cowl, and "dun," meaning hill or down. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near a hooded hill or a hill with a distinctive shape resembling a hood.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Hearth Tax Rolls of 1662, where a John Hodgdon is listed as a resident of Worcestershire. The Hodgdons were predominantly found in the West Midlands region of England, particularly in the counties of Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, and Herefordshire.
In the late 17th century, the Hodgdon surname made its way to the American colonies, with several immigrants bearing the name settling in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. One such early settler was William Hodgdon, who was born in England around 1640 and arrived in Kittery, Maine (then part of Massachusetts) in the 1670s.
The Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholdings in England compiled in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the Hodgdon surname. However, it does mention several places that may have contributed to the name's development, such as Hoddington in Bedfordshire and Hoddesdon in Hertfordshire.
Among notable individuals with the Hodgdon surname throughout history are:
1. James Hodgdon (1744-1811), an American Revolutionary War soldier from New Hampshire. 2. Richard Hodgdon (1755-1829), an American militia officer and politician from Massachusetts. 3. Samuel Hodgdon (1794-1880), an American printer and publisher from Maine. 4. George Hodgdon (1822-1898), an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Massachusetts. 5. Frederick Hodgdon (1858-1938), an American artist and illustrator known for his maritime paintings.
While the Hodgdon surname may not be as widespread as some others, it has a rich history rooted in the English countryside and has left its mark on both sides of the Atlantic through the contributions of its bearers over the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hodgdon surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Surrey leads with 2 Hodgdons recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.05x.
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Newington in Surrey leads with 2 Hodgdons recorded in 1881 and an index of 185.19x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Newington | 2 | 185.19x |
| Kirkleavington | 1 | 0.00x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Hodgdon surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Hodgdon surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| James | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 3 people were recorded with the Hodgdon surname. That placed it at #33,498 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 7 in 2016. That gives Hodgdon a modern rank of #37,967.
An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "hill of a man called Hocca."
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Hodgdon bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.