NameCensus.

UK surname

Hodson

An English habitational surname derived from places meaning "Hod's son" or "son of Hod."

In the 1881 census there were 6,169 people recorded with the Hodson surname, ranking it #706 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 7,718, ranked #861, down from #706 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, London parishes and Preston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Kesteven, Huntingdonshire and Cannock Chase.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hodson is 8,526 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.1%.

1881 census count

6,169

Ranked #706

Modern count

7,718

2016, ranked #861

Peak year

1911

8,526 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hodson had 6,169 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #706 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 7,718 in 2016, ranked #861.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 8,526 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hodson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hodson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hodson 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 4,120 #695
1861 historical 4,099 #680
1881 historical 6,169 #706
1891 historical 6,814 #666
1901 historical 7,814 #685
1911 historical 8,526 #579
1997 modern 7,954 #812
1998 modern 8,260 #803
1999 modern 8,316 #806
2000 modern 8,286 #806
2001 modern 8,100 #803
2002 modern 8,232 #810
2003 modern 8,004 #813
2004 modern 7,933 #815
2005 modern 7,766 #825
2006 modern 7,731 #829
2007 modern 7,693 #843
2008 modern 7,654 #856
2009 modern 7,920 #846
2010 modern 8,032 #855
2011 modern 7,899 #855
2012 modern 7,712 #855
2013 modern 7,856 #854
2014 modern 7,916 #851
2015 modern 7,776 #859
2016 modern 7,718 #861

Geography

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Where Hodsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, London parishes, Preston and Walsall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Kesteven, Huntingdonshire, Cannock Chase and Salford. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Preston Lancashire
4 Walsall Staffordshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Kesteven 007 North Kesteven
2 Huntingdonshire 003 Huntingdonshire
3 Cannock Chase 003 Cannock Chase
4 Cannock Chase 002 Cannock Chase
5 Salford 030 Salford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hodson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hodson

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

Hodson is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Hodson

The surname Hodson originated in England during the medieval period, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "hog" and "dun," meaning a hog herder or someone who lived near a hog hill or down. Some variations of the spelling include Hodgeson, Hodghson, and Hodgshon.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, dated 1273, which mentions a John Hogesone. The Hodson name is also found in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1301, listing a William Hogeson.

In the 14th century, the Hodson surname can be found in various records, such as the Pipe Rolls of Cumberland from 1332, which lists a Robert Hoggeson. The name also appears in the Calender of Inquisitiones Post Mortem from 1365, referencing a John Hoggeson.

During the 15th century, the surname continued to spread across England, with records such as the Feet of Fines for Essex from 1429, mentioning a John Hoggeson. The Hodson name is also found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire from 1476, listing a Thomas Hodgeson.

Notable individuals with the surname Hodson throughout history include Sir Robert Hodgson (c. 1490-1551), an English merchant and diplomat during the reign of Henry VIII. Another prominent figure was Nathaniel Hodson (1629-1688), an English clergyman and Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Oxford.

In the 18th century, Jeremiah Hodson (1719-1783) was an English clergyman and author, known for his work "The Vindication of the Doctrine of Scripture and Embracing Universal Restitution." James Hodson (1757-1835) was a British general who served in the Napoleonic Wars.

During the 19th century, Sir Robert Hodgson (1798-1871) was a British colonial administrator who served as the Governor of Prince Edward Island and British Columbia. Wilfred Hodson (1865-1933) was an English cricketer who played for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club.

These examples demonstrate the historical presence and significance of the Hodson surname, which has its roots in medieval England and has been carried by notable individuals across various professions throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hodson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hodson 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 1,978 Hodsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.76x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,978 2.76x
Staffordshire 828 4.06x
Lincolnshire 544 5.63x
Middlesex 423 0.70x
Yorkshire 409 0.68x
Warwickshire 283 1.86x
Northamptonshire 160 2.81x
Cheshire 159 1.19x
Nottinghamshire 145 1.78x
Derbyshire 124 1.31x
Huntingdonshire 123 10.25x
Surrey 116 0.39x
Kent 112 0.54x
Cambridgeshire 105 2.74x
Shropshire 93 1.78x
Leicestershire 64 0.95x
Durham 58 0.32x
Hertfordshire 56 1.34x
Norfolk 46 0.49x
Essex 44 0.37x
Gloucestershire 33 0.28x
Isle of Man 33 2.94x
Sussex 33 0.32x
Hampshire 28 0.23x
Worcestershire 21 0.27x
Suffolk 20 0.27x
Buckinghamshire 19 0.52x
Somerset 19 0.20x
Westmorland 17 1.28x
Lanarkshire 13 0.07x
Cumberland 12 0.23x
Glamorgan 12 0.11x
Northumberland 10 0.11x
Berkshire 7 0.15x
Devon 6 0.05x
Denbighshire 5 0.22x
Monmouthshire 5 0.11x
Wiltshire 5 0.09x
Bedfordshire 4 0.13x
Brecknockshire 4 0.33x
Oxfordshire 4 0.11x
Royal Navy 4 0.56x
Dumfriesshire 3 0.22x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.08x
Channel Islands 2 0.11x
Midlothian 2 0.02x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.10x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.07x
Perthshire 1 0.04x
Rutland 1 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Preston in Lancashire leads with 222 Hodsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.57x.

Place Total Index
Preston 222 11.57x
Birmingham 138 2.72x
Blackburn 104 5.45x
Wolverhampton 92 5.86x
Salford 80 3.79x
Great Bolton 74 7.79x
Wednesbury 72 14.12x
Aston 70 1.67x
Walsall Foreign 66 6.26x
Manchester 65 2.01x
Islington London 62 1.06x
Stoke Upon Trent 60 2.77x
West Derby 57 2.72x
Wigan 52 5.19x
Westhoughton 48 25.07x
Stone 47 18.00x
Atherton 46 17.62x
Liverpool 44 1.01x
Wrockwardine 43 37.44x
Little Bolton 41 4.44x
North Meols 41 5.84x
Great Grimsby 39 6.36x
St Pancras London 39 0.80x
Lambeth 38 0.72x
Pendleton In Salford 38 4.45x
Hulme 37 2.47x
Brightside Bierlow 35 2.98x
Farnworth 35 8.14x
Ashton Under Lyne 34 2.17x
Dukinfield 34 5.51x
Nottingham St Mary 34 1.61x
Penwortham 34 100.06x
Shoreditch London 34 1.30x
Chorley 33 8.20x
Eccleshall 31 40.06x
Kirkdale 31 2.57x
Stafford St Mary 31 10.73x
Pennington In Leigh 30 21.79x
Warboys 30 86.48x
Foleshill 28 17.45x
Sheffield 28 1.47x
Everton 27 1.18x
Broughton In Salford 26 3.96x
Doncaster 25 5.71x
Bilston 24 6.07x
Bootle Cum Linacre 24 4.21x
Deptford St Paul 24 1.51x
Hindley 24 7.85x
Toxteth Park 24 0.99x
Wednesfield 24 7.99x
Willenhall 24 6.28x
Dilworth 23 52.32x
Rushen 23 30.29x
Standish With Langtree 22 24.90x
Holy Trinity 21 1.46x
Horwich 21 26.84x
Moulton 21 45.14x
Oldham 21 0.91x
St Marylebone London 21 0.65x
Burton Latimer 20 58.21x
Camberwell 20 0.52x
Castle Church 20 16.30x
Hackney London 20 0.59x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 20 14.71x
Accrington 19 2.91x
Finedon 19 38.14x
Tottenham 19 1.97x
Clerkenwell London 18 1.26x
Great Lever 18 23.65x
Kimberworth 18 5.41x
Newton 18 3.26x
Sawtry St Andrew 18 236.22x
Handsworth 17 3.38x
Hopwood 17 18.13x
Ince In Makerfield 17 5.09x
St George Hanover Square 17 1.60x
Tranmere 17 3.47x
Habergham Eaves 16 2.44x
Newton 16 446.93x
Walsall Borough 16 10.10x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 446
Elizabeth 252
Sarah 238
Jane 145
Ann 123
Alice 118
Emma 102
Eliza 95
Ellen 90
Margaret 84
Annie 83
Hannah 70
Emily 66
Martha 62
Harriet 42
Louisa 35
Fanny 34
Maria 34
Catherine 33
Clara 33
Charlotte 32
Edith 30
Ada 28
Florence 28
Lucy 26
Anne 21
Kate 20
Rebecca 20
Rose 20
Frances 19
Isabella 19
Agnes 17
Esther 17
Betsy 16
Elizth. 16
Caroline 14
Helen 13
Susan 13
Harriett 12
Rachel 11
Eleanor 10
Jessie 10
Sophia 10
Susannah 10
Ethel 9
Gertrude 9
Grace 9
Julia 9
Lydia 9
Ruth 9

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 396
William 392
Thomas 269
James 202
George 196
Joseph 130
Henry 116
Charles 104
Edward 84
Richard 77
Robert 67
Arthur 52
Samuel 52
Harry 51
Alfred 41
Frederick 40
Albert 39
Wm. 30
Frank 28
Herbert 24
Francis 22
Peter 21
Thos. 20
Benjamin 18
David 18
Walter 18
Edwin 15
Isaac 15
Fred 13
Ernest 11
Daniel 10
Anthony 9
Fredrick 9
Enoch 8
Martin 8
Matthew 8
Percy 8
Abraham 7
Chas. 7
Alexander 6
Christopher 6
Miles 6
Stephen 6
Edgar 5
Fredk. 5
Geo. 5
Hugh 5
Leonard 5
Robt. 5
Joshua 4

FAQ

Hodson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hodson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6,169 people were recorded with the Hodson surname. That placed it at #706 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hodson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 7,718 in 2016. That gives Hodson a modern rank of #861.

What does the Hodson surname mean?

An English habitational surname derived from places meaning "Hod's son" or "son of Hod."

What does the Hodson map show?

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