NameCensus.

UK surname

Hodgson

Son of Hodge, a medieval diminutive of Roger.

In the 1881 census there were 20,728 people recorded with the Hodgson surname, ranking it #176 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 26,093, ranked #216, down from #176 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Allerdale and Eden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hodgson is 27,824 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.9%.

1881 census count

20,728

Ranked #176

Modern count

26,093

2016, ranked #216

Peak year

1911

27,824 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hodgson had 20,728 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #176 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 26,093 in 2016, ranked #216.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 27,824 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hodgson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hodgson surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hodgson 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 14,122 #164
1861 historical 14,142 #173
1881 historical 20,728 #176
1891 historical 22,315 #174
1901 historical 25,942 #176
1911 historical 27,824 #143
1997 modern 26,255 #203
1998 modern 27,034 #207
1999 modern 27,243 #207
2000 modern 27,054 #207
2001 modern 26,490 #206
2002 modern 27,002 #205
2003 modern 26,171 #210
2004 modern 26,103 #209
2005 modern 25,726 #210
2006 modern 25,700 #211
2007 modern 25,784 #211
2008 modern 25,822 #211
2009 modern 26,350 #212
2010 modern 26,848 #212
2011 modern 26,520 #213
2012 modern 26,010 #212
2013 modern 26,529 #214
2014 modern 26,606 #214
2015 modern 26,229 #216
2016 modern 26,093 #216

Geography

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Where Hodgsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes, Gateshead, Bradford and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Allerdale and Eden. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Allerdale 004 Allerdale
2 Allerdale 005 Allerdale
3 Allerdale 009 Allerdale
4 Eden 004 Eden
5 Allerdale 008 Allerdale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hodgson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hodgson

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hodgson, 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 Hodgson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Hodgson 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Hodgson 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

Hodgson 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

Hodgson 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 Hodgson 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 Hodgson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Hodgson

The surname Hodgson originated in England and is derived from the Middle English words "hodge," meaning a familiar form of the name Roger, and "son," meaning son of. It can be traced back to the 13th century and is believed to have its roots in the northern counties of England, particularly Yorkshire and Lancashire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Hodgson can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, where a certain William Hodgeson is mentioned. The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname, but it does mention several place names that may have contributed to its formation, such as Hodgeston (now known as Huddleston) in Yorkshire.

In the 15th century, the surname Hodgson appeared in various historical records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1429, which listed a Ralph Hodgeson. Another notable entry is found in the Feet of Fines for Lancashire in 1486, where a John Hodgeson is mentioned.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Hodgson was Reverend Robert Hodgson (c.1490-1555), who served as the Dean of Carlisle Cathedral in Cumbria. Another prominent figure was Captain John Hodgson (1599-1660), an English sea captain and merchant adventurer who played a significant role in the early colonization of Virginia.

In the literary world, Brian Houghton Hodgson (1800-1894), a British naturalist and ethnologist, made significant contributions to the study of Himalayan cultures and languages. He served as the British Resident in Nepal for over two decades and is credited with introducing the study of Tibetan Buddhism to the West.

Other notable individuals with the surname Hodgson include Studholme Hodgson (1707-1798), an English mathematician and tutor at Oxford University, and Ralph Hodgson (1871-1962), an English poet and playwright best known for his works "The Song of Honour" and "The Bull."

Throughout history, the surname Hodgson has been spelled in various ways, such as Hodgeson, Hodgsonne, and Hodgesone, reflecting regional variations and changes in spelling conventions over time. The name has also been associated with several place names, including Hodgsonton and Hodgson's Farm, both in Nottinghamshire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hodgson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hodgson 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. Yorkshire leads with 7,771 Hodgsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.87x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 7,771 3.87x
Lancashire 3,144 1.31x
Durham 2,883 4.79x
Cumberland 2,355 13.51x
Middlesex 764 0.38x
Westmorland 649 14.59x
Northumberland 486 1.61x
Surrey 406 0.41x
Lincolnshire 358 1.11x
Cheshire 227 0.51x
Kent 203 0.29x
Derbyshire 162 0.51x
Staffordshire 122 0.18x
Sussex 112 0.33x
Warwickshire 87 0.17x
Gloucestershire 86 0.22x
Nottinghamshire 65 0.24x
Hampshire 62 0.15x
Leicestershire 51 0.23x
Hertfordshire 49 0.35x
Northamptonshire 48 0.25x
Shropshire 46 0.26x
Monmouthshire 38 0.26x
Essex 36 0.09x
Norfolk 35 0.11x
Oxfordshire 34 0.27x
Isle of Man 31 0.82x
Wiltshire 31 0.17x
Bedfordshire 29 0.28x
Lanarkshire 29 0.04x
Midlothian 29 0.11x
Glamorgan 26 0.07x
Somerset 25 0.08x
Ayrshire 23 0.15x
Devon 22 0.05x
Worcestershire 20 0.08x
Berkshire 18 0.12x
Dumfriesshire 18 0.40x
Cambridgeshire 16 0.12x
Flintshire 15 0.28x
Anglesey 14 0.39x
Buckinghamshire 11 0.09x
Angus 9 0.05x
East Lothian 9 0.34x
Huntingdonshire 9 0.22x
Perthshire 9 0.10x
Channel Islands 8 0.13x
Roxburghshire 8 0.22x
Suffolk 8 0.03x
Cornwall 7 0.03x
Dunbartonshire 7 0.13x
Herefordshire 6 0.07x
Royal Navy 5 0.21x
Stirlingshire 5 0.07x
Dorset 4 0.03x
Fife 4 0.03x
Montgomeryshire 4 0.09x
Renfrewshire 4 0.03x
Denbighshire 2 0.03x
Kirkcudbrightshire 2 0.07x
Argyllshire 1 0.02x
Brecknockshire 1 0.02x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.01x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.02x
Rutland 1 0.07x
Shetland 1 0.05x
Wigtownshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 410 Hodgsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.62x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 410 3.62x
Bishopwearmouth 273 5.28x
Bradford 239 4.92x
Holy Trinity 203 4.21x
Darlington 193 8.30x
Horton In Bradford 183 5.84x
Preston 176 2.74x
Penrith 167 25.93x
Keighley 161 7.53x
Bowling 154 7.75x
Halifax 141 4.79x
Lancaster 140 9.79x
North Bierley 138 12.74x
Manningham 133 5.38x
Liverpool 129 0.88x
Stockton On Tees 125 4.31x
Islington London 118 0.60x
West Derby 114 1.62x
Caldewgate 106 11.10x
Stranton 106 5.23x
Cleckheaton 104 14.07x
Westoe 104 3.05x
Whitehaven 104 11.19x
Ulverston 98 14.01x
Scarborough 96 5.27x
Blackburn 95 1.49x
Wakefield 95 6.17x
Workington 93 9.32x
Baildon 92 24.35x
St Cuthbert W O 91 10.71x
Barrow In Furness 89 2.72x
Kendal 89 10.93x
Crosscanonby 86 14.92x
Sculcoates 85 2.67x
Hartlepool 84 9.81x
Hunslet 83 2.65x
Evenwood Barony 82 40.04x
Keswick 82 36.80x
Lambeth 82 0.46x
Accrington 80 3.66x
Shipley 80 7.68x
Manchester 79 0.73x
Middlesbrough 77 2.95x
Oldham 76 0.98x
Layton With Warbreck 75 8.51x
Ecclesall Bierlow 74 1.81x
Toxteth Park 74 0.91x
St Marylebone London 73 0.68x
Cockermouth 71 19.35x
Wolsingham 71 12.93x
Southcoates 69 6.20x
Stanhope 69 11.09x
St Pancras London 68 0.42x
Gateshead 67 1.49x
Batley 65 3.41x
Crook Billy Row 65 8.43x
Dalton In Furness 63 6.79x
Bingley 61 4.77x
Chorlton On Medlock 61 1.60x
Idle 60 6.45x
Shildon 60 12.40x
Brightside Bierlow 59 1.50x
Great Harwood 59 13.59x
Ingleton 59 52.26x
Southwick 58 10.17x
Linthorpe 57 4.76x
Poulton Barre 57 20.85x
Barnsley 56 2.71x
Habergham Eaves 55 2.50x
Mirfield 54 4.90x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 53 7.72x
Huddersfield 53 1.81x
Whitby 51 7.54x
Auckland St Andrew 50 31.44x
Morley 50 4.79x
Sheffield 50 0.78x
Dewsbury 48 2.33x
Elswick 47 1.96x
Potter Newton 47 13.28x
Tudhoe 46 8.73x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 1,749
Elizabeth 886
Sarah 732
Jane 608
Ann 519
Margaret 490
Annie 340
Hannah 314
Ellen 256
Alice 251
Emma 199
Martha 190
Isabella 175
Eliza 167
Emily 148
Agnes 126
Ada 114
Edith 112
Frances 103
Harriet 95
Maria 85
Catherine 81
Anne 80
Clara 79
Fanny 77
Florence 73
Eleanor 71
Louisa 71
Charlotte 66
Kate 65
Caroline 54
Grace 52
Esther 49
Lucy 49
Rebecca 44
Ruth 42
Rose 37
Amelia 36
Elizth. 35
Ethel 35
Gertrude 34
Matilda 32
Dorothy 31
Rachel 31
Susannah 31
Amy 29
Sophia 29
Susan 29
Betsy 28
Dinah 27

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 1,611
William 1,299
Thomas 836
George 631
Joseph 552
James 539
Robert 439
Henry 302
Charles 216
Richard 206
Edward 161
Arthur 160
Alfred 136
Samuel 123
Frederick 104
Walter 100
Isaac 95
Albert 91
Harry 90
Christopher 89
Wm. 77
Tom 70
Francis 67
Herbert 66
Fred 59
David 57
Ralph 56
Benjamin 55
Matthew 54
Thos. 54
Frank 53
Edwin 46
Jonathan 41
Ernest 39
Anthony 34
Peter 28
Geo. 27
Robt. 27
Andrew 22
Mark 21
Daniel 20
Leonard 20
Edmund 19
Martin 19
Michael 19
Harold 18
Sam 18
Joshua 17
Wilson 17
Percy 16

FAQ

Hodgson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hodgson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 20,728 people were recorded with the Hodgson surname. That placed it at #176 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hodgson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 26,093 in 2016. That gives Hodgson a modern rank of #216.

What does the Hodgson surname mean?

Son of Hodge, a medieval diminutive of Roger.

What does the Hodgson map show?

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