NameCensus.

UK surname

Rodgers

An English surname derived from the given name Roger, meaning "famous spear" or "renowned warrior."

In the 1881 census there were 8,211 people recorded with the Rodgers surname, ranking it #512 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 12,146, ranked #539, down from #512 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Edinburgh and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sheffield and Newark and Sherwood.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rodgers is 12,475 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 47.9%.

1881 census count

8,211

Ranked #512

Modern count

12,146

2016, ranked #539

Peak year

2010

12,475 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rodgers had 8,211 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #512 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 12,146 in 2016, ranked #539.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 9,130 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Rodgers surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rodgers surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rodgers 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 4,942 #560
1861 historical 4,953 #569
1881 historical 8,211 #512
1891 historical 7,989 #551
1901 historical 9,130 #576
1911 historical 8,055 #626
1997 modern 11,690 #521
1998 modern 12,050 #526
1999 modern 12,129 #526
2000 modern 12,058 #528
2001 modern 11,731 #531
2002 modern 12,110 #526
2003 modern 11,798 #529
2004 modern 11,864 #530
2005 modern 11,735 #531
2006 modern 11,714 #533
2007 modern 11,752 #532
2008 modern 11,853 #531
2009 modern 12,200 #529
2010 modern 12,475 #533
2011 modern 12,263 #534
2012 modern 11,968 #536
2013 modern 12,147 #539
2014 modern 12,294 #539
2015 modern 12,162 #540
2016 modern 12,146 #539

Geography

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Where Rodgers' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Edinburgh, Manchester, Glasgow and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sheffield and Newark and Sherwood. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sheffield 003 Sheffield
2 Sheffield 009 Sheffield
3 Sheffield 012 Sheffield
4 Newark and Sherwood 002 Newark and Sherwood
5 Sheffield 006 Sheffield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rodgers

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rodgers

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Rodgers surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Rodgers household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Rodgers 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

Rodgers is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Rodgers

The surname Rodgers originated in England and Scotland, derived from the Old English words "rod" meaning "a clearing or pasture" and "ger" meaning "spear". It is believed to have first appeared as a surname in the 12th century, referring to someone who lived near a clearing in a forest or worked as a huntsman or gamekeeper.

In the 13th century, the surname Rodgers was recorded in various forms such as Roger, Rogerson, and Roggers in tax rolls and parish records across England and Scotland. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rodgers can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which mentions a Thomas Rogger.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Rodgers was particularly prevalent in the counties of Northumberland, Yorkshire, and Lancashire in northern England, as well as in the Scottish Lowlands. The name was often associated with rural areas and farming communities.

Notable individuals with the surname Rodgers throughout history include:

1. John Rodgers (c. 1500-1556), a Protestant martyr who was burned at the stake during the reign of Queen Mary I of England. 2. Samuel Rodgers (1763-1835), an American naval officer who served in the Continental Navy during the American Revolutionary War. 3. John Rodgers (1771-1838), an American naval officer and the first commodore in the United States Navy. 4. Richard Rodgers (1902-1979), an American composer best known for his work in musical theater, including collaborations with Oscar Hammerstein II. 5. Ginger Rodgers (1911-1995), an American actress, dancer, and singer who starred in numerous films and is renowned for her partnership with Fred Astaire.

The surname Rodgers has also been connected to various place names in England and Scotland, such as Rodgerfield in Northumberland and Rodgershill in Renfrewshire, Scotland. These place names likely derived from individuals bearing the surname who settled in or owned land in those areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rodgers families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rodgers 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 1,986 Rodgers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.51x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 1,986 2.51x
Lancashire 1,177 1.24x
Derbyshire 710 5.67x
Lanarkshire 507 1.96x
Middlesex 302 0.38x
Staffordshire 272 1.01x
Durham 263 1.11x
Lincolnshire 236 1.85x
Cheshire 227 1.29x
Warwickshire 162 0.80x
Cumberland 160 2.32x
Surrey 157 0.40x
Midlothian 123 1.15x
Devon 108 0.65x
Nottinghamshire 96 0.89x
Shropshire 92 1.33x
Somerset 83 0.64x
Essex 77 0.49x
Renfrewshire 76 1.23x
Worcestershire 72 0.69x
Gloucestershire 67 0.43x
Kent 67 0.25x
Leicestershire 67 0.76x
Sussex 67 0.50x
Ayrshire 63 1.05x
Northumberland 61 0.51x
Angus 57 0.77x
Glamorgan 50 0.36x
Berwickshire 42 4.34x
Hampshire 41 0.25x
Norfolk 41 0.33x
Suffolk 40 0.41x
Cornwall 36 0.40x
Monmouthshire 35 0.61x
Northamptonshire 35 0.47x
Wigtownshire 35 3.30x
Cambridgeshire 31 0.61x
Flintshire 28 1.30x
West Lothian 28 2.33x
Oxfordshire 25 0.51x
Roxburghshire 24 1.66x
Buckinghamshire 23 0.48x
Herefordshire 23 0.70x
Isle of Man 23 1.55x
Rutland 22 3.75x
Denbighshire 21 0.70x
Carmarthenshire 20 0.59x
Berkshire 19 0.32x
Dunbartonshire 19 0.88x
Fife 18 0.38x
Pembrokeshire 18 0.71x
Perthshire 18 0.50x
Stirlingshire 17 0.58x
Aberdeenshire 15 0.20x
Selkirkshire 14 1.94x
Anglesey 11 0.78x
East Lothian 10 0.94x
Dorset 9 0.17x
Wiltshire 8 0.11x
Brecknockshire 7 0.44x
Royal Navy 6 0.63x
Westmorland 6 0.34x
Caernarfonshire 5 0.15x
Clackmannanshire 5 0.76x
Kirkcudbrightshire 5 0.43x
Inverness-shire 4 0.17x
Argyllshire 3 0.13x
Hertfordshire 3 0.05x
Kinross-shire 3 1.48x
Montgomeryshire 3 0.16x
Bedfordshire 2 0.05x
Dumfriesshire 2 0.11x
Kincardineshire 2 0.21x
Merionethshire 2 0.14x
Buteshire 1 0.21x
Cardiganshire 1 0.05x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.06x
Peeblesshire 1 0.27x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sheffield in Yorkshire leads with 285 Rodgers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.30x.

Place Total Index
Sheffield 285 11.30x
Brightside Bierlow 184 11.84x
Ecclesall Bierlow 182 11.29x
Barony 133 2.03x
Glasgow 119 2.59x
Govan 111 1.74x
Leeds 83 1.86x
Oldham 75 2.45x
Liverpool 74 1.28x
Birmingham 64 0.95x
Ecclesfield 63 10.85x
Nether Hallam 63 5.88x
Rotherham 61 13.66x
Staveley 58 26.10x
Eckington 54 17.76x
Ashton Under Lyne 48 2.32x
Toxteth Park 47 1.46x
Salford 45 1.61x
Aston 43 0.77x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 43 1.00x
Lambeth 40 0.57x
Bourn 38 36.80x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 37 5.01x
Chorlton On Medlock 36 2.39x
Kimberworth 36 8.19x
Morton In Bourn 35 134.62x
Handsworth 34 16.23x
Ardwick 33 3.86x
Camberwell 33 0.65x
Islington London 33 0.43x
Stretford 33 6.32x
Bishopwearmouth 32 1.57x
Preston 32 1.26x
Stoke Upon Trent 32 1.12x
Dukinfield 30 3.68x
Paddington London 30 1.02x
Pendleton In Salford 30 2.65x
Warrington 30 2.67x
Chesterfield 29 6.18x
Manchester 29 0.68x
Old Monkland 29 2.83x
Wolverhampton 29 1.40x
Barrow In Furness 28 2.17x
Claylane 28 16.09x
Clowne 28 56.28x
Duffield 28 28.38x
Worsbrough 28 12.06x
Bradford 27 1.41x
Whitehaven 27 7.36x
Carluke 26 11.07x
Darlington 26 2.83x
Holy Trinity 26 1.36x
Hulme 26 1.31x
Kirkdale 25 1.57x
Bramley In Bramley 24 7.91x
Dudley 24 1.89x
Great Bolton 24 1.91x
New Monkland 24 3.14x
Stockport 24 2.64x
Bowling 23 2.93x
Chadderton 23 4.96x
Nottingham St Mary 23 0.83x
Bradfield 22 7.20x
Kelso 22 15.25x
Newton 22 3.01x
Sunderland 22 5.24x
Crich 21 25.71x
Doncaster 21 3.63x
Middlesbrough 21 2.04x
Stockton On Tees 21 1.83x
West Derby 21 0.76x
Denaby 20 44.64x
Derby St Werburgh 20 2.77x
Tormoham 20 2.84x
Turnditch 20 241.25x
Burnley 19 2.38x
Cleator 19 6.63x
Hoyland Nether 19 9.78x
Litchurch 19 3.77x
Montrose 19 4.23x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 591
Elizabeth 275
Sarah 241
Jane 141
Ann 135
Annie 121
Hannah 106
Alice 100
Ellen 94
Eliza 93
Emma 93
Margaret 70
Martha 64
Harriet 56
Emily 52
Catherine 50
Fanny 48
Maria 42
Charlotte 36
Ada 35
Clara 35
Louisa 35
Florence 33
Lucy 32
Agnes 31
Kate 27
Anne 24
Frances 24
Isabella 24
Edith 23
Esther 22
Caroline 21
Rebecca 19
Rose 18
Harriett 16
Bridget 15
Amelia 14
Sophia 14
Susan 13
Elizth. 12
Minnie 12
Selina 12
Susannah 12
Helen 11
Matilda 11
Henrietta 10
Ruth 10
Jessie 9
Rachel 9
Eleanor 8

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 506
William 444
Thomas 283
George 248
James 225
Joseph 207
Henry 141
Charles 101
Robert 95
Samuel 69
Arthur 63
Edward 63
Alfred 56
Richard 55
Walter 54
Harry 44
Frederick 43
Herbert 40
David 35
Albert 34
Patrick 28
Michael 25
Francis 23
Frank 23
Daniel 21
Benjamin 20
Edwin 20
Wm. 20
Isaac 16
Tom 16
Fred 15
Peter 15
Geo. 13
Ernest 11
Thos. 11
Chas. 9
Mark 9
Martin 9
Hugh 8
Stephen 8
Alexander 7
Fredrick 7
Matthew 7
Percy 7
Sam 7
Harold 6
Jno. 6
Andrew 5
Fredk. 5
Wilfred 5

FAQ

Rodgers surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rodgers surname in 1881?

In 1881, 8,211 people were recorded with the Rodgers surname. That placed it at #512 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rodgers surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 12,146 in 2016. That gives Rodgers a modern rank of #539.

What does the Rodgers surname mean?

An English surname derived from the given name Roger, meaning "famous spear" or "renowned warrior."

What does the Rodgers map show?

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