NameCensus.

UK surname

Hodgen

A variant of the English surname "Hodgkin", derived from an Anglo-Saxon personal name.

In the 1881 census there were 129 people recorded with the Hodgen surname, ranking it #17,013 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 143, ranked #24,505, down from #17,013 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dacre, Eccles and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Birmingham, County Durham and Barnsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hodgen is 252 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 10.9%.

1881 census count

129

Ranked #17,013

Modern count

143

2016, ranked #24,505

Peak year

1861

252 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hodgen had 129 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,013 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 143 in 2016, ranked #24,505.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 252 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Hodgen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hodgen surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hodgen 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 146 #13,157
1861 historical 252 #9,804
1881 historical 129 #17,013
1891 historical 150 #18,328
1901 historical 136 #19,110
1911 historical 115 #20,951
1997 modern 123 #23,792
1998 modern 131 #23,495
1999 modern 118 #25,227
2000 modern 125 #24,351
2001 modern 123 #24,242
2002 modern 130 #23,903
2003 modern 128 #23,890
2004 modern 131 #23,756
2005 modern 120 #25,066
2006 modern 121 #25,133
2007 modern 123 #25,208
2008 modern 127 #25,020
2009 modern 131 #25,056
2010 modern 146 #23,921
2011 modern 138 #24,615
2012 modern 139 #24,485
2013 modern 136 #25,252
2014 modern 136 #25,452
2015 modern 139 #24,956
2016 modern 143 #24,505

Geography

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Where Hodgens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dacre, Eccles, Manchester, Preston and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Birmingham, County Durham, Barnsley, Partickhill and Hyndland and Richmond upon Thames. 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 Dacre Cumberland
2 Eccles Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Preston Lancashire
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Birmingham 014 Birmingham
2 County Durham 021 County Durham
3 Barnsley 001 Barnsley
4 Partickhill and Hyndland Glasgow City
5 Richmond upon Thames 015 Richmond upon Thames

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hodgen

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hodgen

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Hodgen surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Hodgen household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Hodgen 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

Hodgen is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hodgen falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hodgen

The surname Hodgen is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "hog" and "denu," signifying a valley or a den where hogs or wild boars were raised or found in abundance.

The earliest recorded instances of the Hodgen name can be traced back to the 13th century, with references appearing in various historical documents and records from the counties of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. One notable early record is the mention of a Robert de Hogdene in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1273.

In the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, there are several entries that may have provided the foundation for the Hodgen surname. For example, the village of Hoghton in Lancashire is recorded as "Hochtun," which could have been an early spelling variation of the name.

As the surname evolved over the centuries, various spellings emerged, including Hodgen, Hogden, Hoggin, and Hoggins. These variations often reflected regional dialects and variations in pronunciation.

One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the Hodgen surname was John Hodgen, who was born in Yorkshire in the late 14th century and served as a soldier during the Hundred Years' War between England and France.

Another notable figure was William Hodgen (1535-1591), a prominent merchant and landowner from Lincolnshire, who played a significant role in the local community and was recognized for his philanthropic efforts.

In the 17th century, Richard Hodgen (1622-1687), a Puritan minister and scholar, made significant contributions to the theological discourse of his time, publishing several influential works on religious topics.

During the 18th century, the name gained prominence in the United States, with the arrival of Hodgen families from England. One such individual was Samuel Hodgen (1745-1821), a Revolutionary War veteran who settled in Virginia and established a successful farming operation.

Another notable American bearer of the Hodgen name was Dr. John Hodgen (1826-1882), a pioneering surgeon from St. Louis, Missouri, who made significant contributions to the field of orthopedics and is credited with developing innovative surgical techniques.

While the Hodgen surname has its origins in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, with individuals bearing this name making their mark in diverse fields, including politics, arts, and academia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hodgen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hodgen 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. Lancashire leads with 28 Hodgens recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.82x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 28 1.82x
Cumberland 22 19.70x
Durham 16 4.15x
Northumberland 14 7.25x
Middlesex 13 1.00x
Yorkshire 13 1.01x
Lanarkshire 7 1.67x
Ayrshire 6 6.18x
Channel Islands 2 5.20x
Dorset 2 2.35x
Isle of Man 2 8.30x
Roxburghshire 2 8.51x
Buckinghamshire 1 1.27x
Devon 1 0.37x
Hertfordshire 1 1.12x
Midlothian 1 0.58x
Shropshire 1 0.89x
Westmorland 1 3.51x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dacre in Cumberland leads with 16 Hodgens recorded in 1881 and an index of 3720.93x.

Place Total Index
Dacre 16 3720.93x
Accrington 10 71.43x
Tynemouth 8 77.37x
Bromley London 7 24.53x
Bethnal Green London 6 10.65x
Girvan 6 245.90x
Lambley 6 1875.00x
Pendleton In Salford 6 32.72x
Usworth 6 292.68x
Pittington 5 458.72x
Stonehouse 5 352.11x
Habergham Eaves 4 28.43x
Heaton 3 217.39x
Lamplugh 3 535.71x
Leeds 3 4.13x
Westhoughton 3 72.99x
Barony 2 1.88x
Braddan 2 151.52x
Coundon 2 128.21x
Finghall Akebar 2 2857.14x
Great Bolton 2 9.81x
Hawick 2 38.02x
Ormesby 2 57.80x
Preston 2 645.16x
Preston 2 4.86x
St Anne 2 289.86x
Aylesbury 1 28.74x
Bradford 1 3.21x
Chipping Barnet 1 64.10x
Crossgate 1 59.17x
Darlington 1 6.71x
Edinburgh St Stephens 1 29.24x
Egremont 1 37.59x
Ellenborough Ewanrigg 1 129.87x
Haile 1 769.23x
Halifax 1 5.30x
Liverpool 1 1.07x
Middleton 1 1000.00x
Shrewsbury St Chad 1 25.45x
Skipton 1 24.69x
Stranton 1 7.70x
Tiverton 1 21.51x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Isabella 6
Mary 6
Elizabeth 5
Margaret 5
Ann 4
Jane 3
Agnes 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Sarah 2
A. 1
Alice 1
Annie 1
Catharine 1
Dorothy 1
Eliza 1
Elizeth 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Margart 1
Marion 1
Martha 1
Minnie 1
Rachel 1
Rebecca 1
Ruth 1
Tamer 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 13
William 11
Thomas 9
James 5
Joseph 3
Edward 2
George 2
Henry 2
Samuel 2
Arthur 1
Edwerd 1
Jno. 1
Matthew 1
Michael 1
Mills 1
Robert 1
Stephen 1
Thompson 1
Thos. 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Hodgen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hodgen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 129 people were recorded with the Hodgen surname. That placed it at #17,013 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hodgen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 143 in 2016. That gives Hodgen a modern rank of #24,505.

What does the Hodgen surname mean?

A variant of the English surname "Hodgkin", derived from an Anglo-Saxon personal name.

What does the Hodgen map show?

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