NameCensus.

UK surname

Hodge

An English occupational surname referring to a farm laborer or peasant farmer.

In the 1881 census there were 7,524 people recorded with the Hodge surname, ranking it #565 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 8,943, ranked #732, down from #565 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and North Meols. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cumnock Rural, Lochore and Crosshill and Cumnock South and Craigens.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hodge is 9,208 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 18.9%.

1881 census count

7,524

Ranked #565

Modern count

8,943

2016, ranked #732

Peak year

2010

9,208 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hodge had 7,524 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #565 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 8,943 in 2016, ranked #732.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 8,544 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Hodge surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hodge surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hodge 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 5,534 #500
1861 historical 5,333 #524
1881 historical 7,524 #565
1891 historical 7,908 #560
1901 historical 8,544 #625
1911 historical 7,523 #691
1997 modern 8,908 #709
1998 modern 9,144 #719
1999 modern 9,142 #725
2000 modern 9,162 #720
2001 modern 8,861 #728
2002 modern 9,077 #730
2003 modern 8,831 #729
2004 modern 8,793 #731
2005 modern 8,692 #733
2006 modern 8,622 #741
2007 modern 8,654 #742
2008 modern 8,760 #737
2009 modern 9,008 #736
2010 modern 9,208 #737
2011 modern 9,040 #736
2012 modern 8,802 #741
2013 modern 8,964 #738
2014 modern 9,066 #736
2015 modern 8,966 #734
2016 modern 8,943 #732

Geography

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Where Hodges are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, North Meols and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cumnock Rural, Lochore and Crosshill, Cumnock South and Craigens, Slough and Cornwall. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 North Meols Lancashire
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cumnock Rural East Ayrshire
2 Lochore and Crosshill Fife
3 Cumnock South and Craigens East Ayrshire
4 Slough 009 Slough
5 Cornwall 054 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hodge

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hodge

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hodge, 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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Hodge is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hodge is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

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

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hodge falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hodge 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 Hodge, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Hodge

The surname Hodge originated in England as an occupational name derived from the Old English word 'hog', meaning a young sheep or lamb. It was initially given to individuals who tended to hogs or sheep, likely referring to a shepherd or someone responsible for caring for these animals.

The earliest recorded instances of the Hodge surname can be traced back to the 13th century. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, a census taken during the reign of King Edward I, listed a Richard Hogge residing in Oxfordshire. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 also mentioned a John Hogge.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various forms, including Hogge, Hog, and Hogg, reflecting the regional dialects and spelling variations of the time. The Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379 recorded a William Hogge, while the Poll Tax Returns of Lincolnshire in 1381 mentioned a Thomas Hogge.

As the surname evolved over time, it took on various spellings, such as Hodge, Hodges, and Hodgson. The Hearth Tax Returns of 1674 listed a John Hodge residing in Bedfordshire, while the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk from 1524 included a Thomas Hodges.

One notable individual bearing the Hodge surname was Walter Hodges (1599-1660), an English officer who served as Governor of Antigua and fought in the English Civil War. Another prominent figure was Sir Benjamin Hodges (1638-1713), an English landowner and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for several constituencies.

Other individuals of historical significance include John Hodge (1779-1856), a British architect responsible for designing various buildings in London, and Thomas Hodge (1829-1900), an English cricketer who played for Kent County Cricket Club in the 19th century.

The Hodge surname also has ties to various place names in England, such as Hodge Hill in Birmingham and Hodge Fold in Lancashire, further solidifying its historical roots in the country.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hodge families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hodge 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. Devon leads with 1,082 Hodges recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.06x.

County Total Index
Devon 1,082 7.06x
Cornwall 799 9.59x
Lancashire 629 0.72x
Middlesex 589 0.80x
Kent 529 2.11x
Lanarkshire 386 1.62x
Surrey 316 0.88x
Somerset 285 2.40x
Fife 259 5.94x
Gloucestershire 246 1.70x
Yorkshire 236 0.32x
Midlothian 209 2.12x
Ayrshire 188 3.41x
Essex 124 0.85x
Angus 123 1.80x
Durham 122 0.56x
Glamorgan 114 0.89x
Renfrewshire 105 1.84x
Cheshire 75 0.46x
Hampshire 75 0.50x
Stirlingshire 72 2.65x
Huntingdonshire 64 4.38x
Northumberland 61 0.56x
Perthshire 47 1.42x
Sussex 47 0.38x
Bedfordshire 46 1.21x
Monmouthshire 43 0.81x
Cambridgeshire 42 0.90x
Dunbartonshire 41 2.07x
Staffordshire 41 0.17x
Aberdeenshire 37 0.54x
Warwickshire 34 0.18x
Dorset 33 0.68x
Hertfordshire 33 0.65x
Pembrokeshire 29 1.24x
Channel Islands 28 1.28x
Clackmannanshire 27 4.44x
Royal Navy 26 2.96x
Cumberland 24 0.38x
Norfolk 24 0.21x
West Lothian 23 2.07x
Lincolnshire 19 0.16x
Derbyshire 16 0.14x
Worcestershire 15 0.16x
Oxfordshire 14 0.31x
Leicestershire 13 0.16x
Berkshire 12 0.22x
Wiltshire 12 0.18x
Brecknockshire 10 0.68x
Northamptonshire 10 0.14x
Ross-shire 10 0.49x
Flintshire 9 0.45x
Nottinghamshire 9 0.09x
Buckinghamshire 8 0.18x
Kincardineshire 8 0.89x
Peeblesshire 8 2.31x
Denbighshire 7 0.25x
Selkirkshire 7 1.05x
Argyllshire 6 0.29x
Buteshire 6 1.34x
Montgomeryshire 6 0.36x
Herefordshire 5 0.17x
Kinross-shire 5 2.69x
Berwickshire 4 0.45x
Suffolk 4 0.04x
Rutland 3 0.55x
Shropshire 2 0.03x
Banffshire 1 0.07x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.03x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.06x
Inverness-shire 1 0.05x
Merionethshire 1 0.07x
Shetland 1 0.13x
Westmorland 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 128 Hodges recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.17x.

Place Total Index
Govan 128 2.17x
Plymouth Charles The 97 14.37x
Stoke Damerel 91 8.48x
St Pancras London 84 1.42x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 80 2.02x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 79 5.81x
Lambeth 78 1.21x
North Meols 78 9.12x
Plymouth St Andrew 78 6.61x
Barony 66 1.10x
Beath 66 47.92x
St Austell 65 22.81x
Islington London 61 0.85x
Kensington London 54 1.32x
West Greenock 50 4.88x
Camberwell 49 1.04x
St Ives 49 30.04x
St Marylebone London 46 1.17x
Tonbridge 40 4.41x
Bishopwearmouth 39 2.07x
Calstock 39 23.86x
Walthamstow 39 7.46x
Dunfermline 37 5.52x
Camborne 36 10.48x
Liff Benvie 36 3.48x
Redruth 36 15.27x
Bridgewater 35 10.88x
Glasgow 35 0.83x
Portsea 35 1.18x
Luton 34 5.15x
Falmouth 33 11.18x
Tiverton 33 12.50x
Ashton Under Lyne 32 1.68x
Birkdale 32 14.48x
Gamlingay 32 65.88x
Muirkirk 32 24.73x
Old Monkland 32 3.39x
Paddington London 32 1.18x
Bristol St George 31 4.64x
South Leith 31 2.79x
Aughton 30 34.67x
Deptford St Paul 30 1.55x
Dundee 30 1.18x
Hamilton 30 4.52x
St Andrews 29 14.62x
Kilrenny 27 33.49x
Madron Penzance 27 8.91x
Chard 26 18.11x
Croydon 26 1.31x
Edinburgh St Stephens 26 13.39x
Maryhill 26 5.58x
Woolwich 26 2.80x
Exeter St Sidwell 25 7.12x
Hampstead London 25 2.18x
Royal Navy 25 3.33x
South Molton 25 29.69x
Tavistock 25 14.32x
Tottenham 25 2.13x
West Ham 25 0.78x
Bluntisham 24 87.59x
East Stonehouse 24 7.95x
Hammersmith London 24 1.32x
Liverpool 24 0.45x
Llanguick 24 10.45x
Tormoham 24 3.70x
Dumbarton 23 8.35x
Newington 23 0.85x
Stoke Climsland 23 43.21x
Westbury On Trym 23 4.70x
Chelsea London 22 0.99x
Crediton 22 15.15x
Scarisbrick 22 21.69x
St Ives 22 29.02x
Cheetham 21 3.22x
Holy Trinity 21 1.20x
New Monkland 21 2.98x
Paignton 21 18.01x
St Cleer 21 29.05x
St Stephens By Saltash 21 58.46x
West Malling 21 37.13x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 442
Elizabeth 291
Sarah 158
Jane 141
Ellen 116
Ann 106
Eliza 100
Annie 91
Emma 87
Emily 86
Alice 78
Margaret 52
Louisa 49
Edith 45
Susan 40
Maria 38
Caroline 37
Fanny 36
Harriet 33
Martha 32
Florence 30
Grace 30
Catherine 28
Ada 26
Anne 25
Hannah 25
Bessie 24
Charlotte 23
Clara 23
Lucy 22
Frances 21
Kate 21
Isabella 19
Rebecca 19
Selina 18
Agnes 16
Elizth. 16
Jessie 15
Minnie 15
Amelia 14
Ethel 14
Laura 14
Rose 14
Beatrice 13
Lydia 13
Eleanor 12
Harriett 12
Matilda 11
Esther 10
Mabel 10

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 441
John 365
Thomas 212
James 164
George 159
Henry 151
Charles 103
Edward 90
Richard 86
Robert 74
Samuel 70
Alfred 58
Joseph 53
Albert 44
Frederick 42
Harry 41
Arthur 34
Walter 31
Francis 29
Frank 26
David 22
Ernest 21
Thos. 19
Edwin 17
Herbert 15
Wm. 15
Stephen 13
Philip 12
Hugh 11
Peter 11
Fredrick 9
Isaac 8
Sidney 8
Alexander 7
Christopher 7
Mark 7
Ralph 7
Abraham 6
Benjamin 6
Fred 6
Hubert 6
Jno. 6
W. 6
Archibald 5
Jesse 5
Phillip 5
Willm. 5
Percy 4
Simon 4
Tom 4

FAQ

Hodge surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hodge surname in 1881?

In 1881, 7,524 people were recorded with the Hodge surname. That placed it at #565 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hodge surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 8,943 in 2016. That gives Hodge a modern rank of #732.

What does the Hodge surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a farm laborer or peasant farmer.

What does the Hodge map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Hodge 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.