Hodgson is a surname. In

Britain Britain most often refers to: * Great Britain, a large island comprising the countries of England, Scotland and Wales * The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a sovereign state in Europe comprising Great Britain and the north-eas ...

, the Hodgson surname was the 173rd most common (766 per million) in 1881 and the 206th most common (650 per million) in 1998. In the

United States of America The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguo ...

, Hodgson was the 3753rd most popular surname (30 per million) in the 1990 census.

Origin and meaning

Hodgson is a

patronymic surname A patronymic surname is a surname originated from the given name of the father or a patrilineal ancestor. Different cultures have different ways of producing patronymic A patronymic, or patronym, is a component of a personal name based o ...

, thought by some to mean "son of Hodge", with Hodge being a Middle English personal name usually representing a pet-form of the name Roger. However, Geoffrey Hodgson shows that both distribution of the name and DNA suggest a Norse-Irish origin, making “son of Oddgeir” a more likely derivation.

Variants

The Hodson surname is less common and generally derives from Hodgson. Other probable variants of Hodgson include Hodgeson, Hodgshon, Hodshon, Hodgin, Hodgins, Hodgen, Hodgens, Hodghson, Hodgon and Hodgeon. In the North of England the "s" is often silent in the pronunciation of Hodgson. This accounts for variants such as Hodgin, Hodgen, Hodgon and Hodgeon.

Coat of arms

The Hodgsons of

Hebburn Hebburn is a town in the South Tyneside borough of Tyne and Wear, England. It was formerly in County Durham until 1974 with its own urban district from 1894 until 1974. It is on the south bank of the River Tyne between Gateshead and Jarrow and ...

, a mine-owning Catholic family living in the North East of England in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries (Surtees 1820, vol. 2, pp. 77, 319, James 1974, Hodgson 2008), bore a heraldic coat of arms,

blazon In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct an accurate image. The verb ''to blazon'' means to create such a description. The visual d ...

ed as "per chevron, embattled or and azure, three martlets counterchanged". This same coat of arms is associated with several other Hodgson families, including the Hodgsons of West Keal in Lincolnshire, the Hodgsons of Bascodyke in Cumberland (Hodgson 1925), the Hodshons of

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...

, and with Thomas Hodgson (1738–1817) a

Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...

merchant and slave trader, and the owner of a mill in Caton, Lancashire (Hodgson 2008).

Border Reivers and Hodgson clans

For centuries before

James VI James may refer to: People * James (given name) * James (surname) * James (musician), aka Faruq Mahfuz Anam James, (born 1964), Bollywood musician * James, brother of Jesus * King James (disambiguation), various kings named James * Prince Ja ...

's assentation to the throne of England (

Union of the Crowns The Union of the Crowns (; ) was the accession of James VI of Scotland to the throne of the Kingdom of England as James I and the practical unification of some functions (such as overseas diplomacy) of the two separate realms under a single ...

), the remote Anglo-Scottish borderland region had been the lair of unruly clans and gangs of robbers that were largely beyond the reach of the law. A peculiar form of clan organisation grew up in this area. This was the land of the

Border Reivers Border Reivers were Cattle raiding, raiders along the Anglo-Scottish border. They included both Scotland, Scottish and England, English people, and they raided the entire border country without regard to their victims' nationality.Hay, D. "E ...

. These clans had a legal system distinct from that of the majority of England and Scotland (Robb 2018). The suppression of this legal system led to a generalised breakdown of Reiver society (Robb 2018). They would steal goods, cattle and women from across the nominal border. Some Hodgsons in

Cumberland Cumberland ( ) is an area of North West England which was historically a county. The county was bordered by Northumberland to the north-east, County Durham to the east, Westmorland to the south-east, Lancashire to the south, and the Scottish ...

were themselves a clan organisation (Fraser 1971). The border clans were eventually subjected by state authorities. Many were forced or obliged to emigrate to

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

in the 18th century (Fischer 1989). Many Hodgsons emigrated in this period.

People with the surname

* Alex Hodgson, Scottish singer/songwriter * Andrew Hodgson (disambiguation) *

Arthur Hodgson __NOTOC__ Sir Arthur Hodgson KCMG (29 June 1818 – 24 December 1902) was an Australian squatter and politician. Early life Hodgson was born in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, England; the second son of the Rev. Edward Hodgson and his third wi ...

(1818–1902), Australian pioneer and politician *

Brett Hodgson Brett Hodgson (born 12 February 1978) is an Australian rugby league coach and former professional player during the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. A New South Wales State of Origin representative goal-kicking , he played his club football in the NR ...

, Australian professional rugby league player * Brian Hodgson, British television composer and sound technician *

Brian Houghton Hodgson Brian Houghton Hodgson (1 February 1801 – 23 May 1894) was a pioneer natural history, naturalist and ethnologist working in India and Nepal where he was a British Resident (title), Resident. He described numerous species of birds and mammals fr ...

(1800–1894), British naturalist *

Bryan Hodgson Bryan Hodgson (born April 11, 1987) is an American college basketball coach who is currently serving as the head coach of the South Florida Bulls men's basketball team. Early life Hodgson was born at Olean General Hospital in 1987 to a teenag ...

, American college basketball coach * Caroline Hodgson (1851–1908), Australian brothel proprietor * Charles Hodgson (artist) (c. 1770 – 1856), amateur English landscape painter * Christopher Hodgson (disambiguation) * Claire Merritt Hodgson (1897–1976), second wife of Babe Ruth *

Cody Hodgson Cody Douglas Hodgson (born February 18, 1990) is a Canadians, Canadian former professional ice hockey centre (ice hockey), centreman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). Hodgson played at the junior ice hockey#Major junio, major juni ...

(born 1990), Canadian professional ice hockey player * David Hodgson (disambiguation) * Derek Hodgson (disambiguation) * Edward Hodgson (disambiguation) *

Frances Hodgson Burnett Frances Eliza Hodgson Burnett (24 November 1849 – 29 October 1924) was a British-American novelist and playwright. She is best known for the three children's novels ''Little Lord Fauntleroy'' (1886), ''A Little Princess'' (1905), a ...

, born Frances Eliza Hodgson (1849–1924), English–American playwright and author * Francis Roger Hodgson (1853–1920), British clergyman and Bible translator * Frederick Hodgson (disambiguation) * Gaynor Hodgson, British child actress *

Geoffrey Hodgson Geoffrey Martin Hodgson (born 28 July 1946, Watford) is Emeritus Professor in Management at the London campus of Loughborough University, and also an editor of the ''Journal of Institutional Economics.'' Hodgson is recognised as one of the le ...

(born 1946), economist * George Hodgson (disambiguation) * Henrietta Mildred Hodgson (1805–1891), great-great-grandmother of Queen Elizabeth II * Henry Hodgson (disambiguation) * Herbert John Hodgson (1893–1974), soldier and printer of ''The Seven Pillars of Wisdom'' * Isaac Hodgson (architect) (1826–1909), Irish-US architect * James Hodgson (disambiguation) * Jane Elizabeth Hodgson (1915–2006), American obstetrician and gynecologist * Joel Hodgson (born 1960), creator and former host of Mystery Science Theater 3000 * John Hodgson (disambiguation) * Joseph Hodgson (1788–1869), British physician * Julian Hodgson (born 1963), English chess grandmaster * Ken Hodgson (1942–2007), English footballer from Newcastle. * Laurence C. Hodgson (1874–1937), US newspaper writer and politician * Leonard Hodgson (1889–1969), Anglican priest, philosopher, theologian, and historian *

Leyland Hodgson Leyland Hodgson (5 October 1892 – 16 March 1949), also known as Leland Hodgson, was an English-born American character actor of the 1930s and 1940s. Born in London on 5 October 1892, Hodgson entered the theatre in 1898. In his early 20s Hodgs ...

1892–1949), American actor *

Lucy Hodgson Lucy Hodgson (born 1940 in Damariscotta, Maine) is an American sculptor and printmaker based in the New England and New York City. For years, her work celebrated the emotive power of land and seascapes. More recently it focused on her anger and d ...

, American sculptor and printmaker * Mark Hodgson (1880–1967), British trade union leader * Mark A. Hodgson (1793–1868), American politician from Pennsylvania *

Marshall Hodgson Marshall Goodwin Simms Hodgson (April 11, 1922 – June 10, 1968), was an Islamic studies academic and a world historian at the University of Chicago. He was chairman of the interdisciplinary Committee on Social Thought in Chicago. Life Marshall ...

(1922–1968), American Islamic scholar * Martin Hodgson (1909–1991), English rugby league forward and goalkicker * Matthew Hodgson (disambiguation) * Miriam Hodgson (1938–2005), British editor of children's books *

Nick Hodgson Nicholas James David Hodgson (born 20 October 1977) is an English musician and songwriter, formerly of the indie rock band Kaiser Chiefs. Early life He attended St. Mary's Menston with Nick Baines and Simon Rix. He then went on to Trinity ...

(born 1977), English drummer and musician * Patricia Hodgson, Principal of Newnham College, Cambridge * Paul Hodgson (disambiguation) * Peter Hodgson (disambiguation) * Ralph Hodgson (1871–1962), English poet * Randolph Hodgson (1870–1952), English clergyman and writer under the pen-name "A Country Vicar" * Richard Hodgson (disambiguation) * Robert Hodgson (disambiguation) * Robert Willard Hodgson (1893–1966), an American botanist * Robert MacLeod Hodgson (1874–1956), British diplomat * Robin Hodgson, Baron Hodgson of Astley Abbotts (born 1942), British politician * Roger Hodgson (born 1950), English singer/songwriter * Shadworth Hodgson (1832–1912), English philosopher *

Sharon Hodgson Sharon Hodgson (born 1 April 1966) is a British politician who has served as Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) for Washington and Gateshead South since 2024, and previously for Washington and Sunderland West and G ...

(born 1966), British politician *

Sharyn Hodgson Sharyn Hodgson (born 25 August 1968) is an Australian former actress, best known as an original character in TV serial ''Home and Away'' playing troubled teenager Carly Morris (later Luccini), she has subsequently returned to the role guest app ...

(born 1968), Australian actress who appeared in ''Home and Away'' * Stuart Milton Hodgson (1924–2015), Canadian commissioner *

Studholme Hodgson Field Marshal Studholme Hodgson (1708 – 20 October 1798) was a British Army officer who served during the 18th century. After serving as an Aide-de-Camp to the Duke of Cumberland at the Battle of Fontenoy during the War of the Austrian Suc ...

(1708–1798), British field marshal * Sydney Hodgson (died 1591), English Roman Catholic lawyer and martyr * Telfair Hodgson (1840–1893), American Episcopal priest and academic administrator * Telfair Hodgson Jr. (1876–1952), American academic administrator, banker, developer * Thomas Hodgson (disambiguation) * Walter Joseph Hodgson (1924–1978) (Lt.Col, USAF, Retired) American Helicopter Test Pilot, one of only three men to fly the Avro Canada VZ-9 Avrocar, and the only two-time recipient of the Frederick L. Feinberg Memorial Award (1960, 1979) * W. N. Hodgson (1893–1916), First World War poet who published under the pen name Edward Melbourne *

Wil Hodgson Wil Hodgson (born 1978) is a non-binary English comedian. They have lived in Chippenham their whole life and began performing comedy in 2003. Prior to this, they had worked part-time as a lecturer at Wiltshire College and had a stint training to ...

(born 1978), English stand-up comedian * William Hodgson (disambiguation) ;Sportspeople: * Arthur Hodgson (footballer) (1926–2003), Australian rules footballer * Aub Hodgson (1912–1982), Australian rugby union player * Billy Hodgson (1935–2022), Scottish footballer *

(born 1978), Australian rugby league player * Charlie Hodgson (born 1980), rugby union player *

(born 1990), Canadian ice hockey player * Dan Hodgson (born 1965), Canadian ice hockey player * Dan Hodgson (cricketer) (born 1990), English cricketer * Geoffrey Hodgson (cricketer) (born 1938), English cricketer * Gordon Hodgson (1904–1951), South African-born English footballer, cricketer and baseball player * Gordon Hodgson (footballer) (1952–1999), English footballer * Isaac Hodgson (1828–1867), English cricketer * Joe Hodgson (born 1988), 2012 British supermoto quad champion * Martin Hodgson, English rugby league footballer * Michael Hodgson (born 1979), Australian rugby league player * Neil Hodgson, English motorcycle racer * Nick Hodgson (swimmer) (born 1964), British swimmer * Pat Hodgson (born 1944), US American football player * Philip Hodgson (1935–2015), English cricketer * Rick Hodgson (born 1956), Canadian ice hockey player * Robert Hodgson (cricketer) (born 1973), Australian cricketer * Roy Hodgson (born 1947), English football manager * Rusty Hodgson (born 1981), British motorcycle racer * Ted Hodgson (born 1945), Canadian ice hockey player * Tim Hodgson (born 1975), English cricketer ;Fictional characters: * Tom Hodgson, a character from '' Channel Zero'', portrayed by

Brandon Scott Brandon Maurice Scott (born April 8, 1984) is an American politician serving as the Mayor of Baltimore, mayor of Baltimore, Maryland, since 2020. He was the president of the Baltimore City Council from 2019 to 2020, having been elected to the p ...

Hodgson can also be a given name: *

Hodgson Pratt Hodgson Pratt (10 January 1824 – 26 February 1907) was an English pacifist who is credited with founding the International Arbitration and Peace Association in 1880. Early life Born at Bath, Somerset on 10 January 1824, he was the eldest of ...

(1824–1907), English pacifist

References

Bibliography

* Fischer, David Hackett (1989) '' Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America'' (Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press). * Fraser, George MacDonald (1971) ''The Steel Bonnets: The Story of the Anglo-Scottish Reivers'' (London: Barrie and Jenkins). ''Antiquarian and Archaeological Society'', New Series, 25, pp. 244–49. * Hanks, Patrick, Richard Coates and Peter McClure, eds. (2016) ''The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland'', volume 2 (Oxford: Oxford University Press) * Reaney, P. H. (1958) ''A Dictionary of English Surnames'', first edition (London: Routledge and Kegan Paul). * Robb, G. (2018). ''The Debatable Land: The Lost World Between Scotland and England'' (London: Picador) * Surtees, Robert (1820) ''History and Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham'', volume 2 (London: Nichols). {{surname English-language surnames Surnames of English origin Patronymic surnames