HODGES
The surname Hodges is of English origin and developed as a patronymic designation meaning “son of Hodge.” The personal name Hodge itself is recorded as a medieval diminutive of Roger, which was introduced into England by the Normans after the conquest of 1066. The name Roger was adapted from the Germanic Roger, comprising the elements hrod “renown” and geri or gari “spear.” In English usage the initial r of Roger was often replaced by h because it was difficult to pronounce the Norman French r, leading to forms such as Hodge and later Hodges.
Early evidence of the name Hodge as a personal name is found in the 1208 Fines Court Records of Lincolnshire where it appears as Hogge. The first documented uses of the surname in England are recorded in the late fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries. For instance, the 1379 Suffolk Poll Tax rolls contain a reference to Ricardus Hoge and the same records list an Ebbota Hoggese. In the early sixteenth century the Jubilee Subsidy Roll of 1524 notes a William Hodges and, in the London Marriage Licence lists of 1577, an Agnes Hodgett appears. These entries demonstrate the transition from the given name Hodge to a distinct family surname.
The suffix s in Hodges reflects the old patronymic practice of denoting “son of,” a feature common to many English surnames such as Thomas or James. The modern spellings of the name, including Hodge, Hodges, Hodgeson, Hodgson, Hodgett and Hodgetts, first appear in the sixteenth century with variations recorded in parish and court documents. The earliest attested use of the family name in the source material is the entry for Alicia Hogges in the 1327 Subsidy Rolls of Somerset, which documents her tax liability during the reign of King Edward I.
The heraldic arms originally granted to the Hodges family in Gloucestershire in 1610 are described as a gold field charged with three black crescents, set against a black canton bearing a gold coronet. This coat of arms has been preserved in registers of arms and is legally associated with the surname. The use of crescents, a common emblem in English heraldry, alongside a coronet, reflects the family's status and the customary practice of naming arms to signify lineage and associations.
The surname Hodges has spread beyond England and is now widely found in other English‑speaking countries, a testament to the popularity and continuity of the name through centuries of migration. Its usage remains predominantly within Christian contexts in the United Kingdom, where the name continues to be recorded in census and parish registers. The enduring presence of the name in modern records underscores its well‑established place within the tapestry of English family names.
Typical given names associated with the Hodges surname
Male
- Christopher
- David
- John
- Mark
- Matthew
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Christine
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Jane
- Karen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
- Victoria
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Hodges in...
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There are approximately 15,392 people named Hodges in the UK. That makes it the 573rd most common surname in Britain. Around 236 in a million people in Britain are named Hodges.
Surname type: From name of parent
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Hodges
- Chas Hodges - Musician (1943 to 2018)
- Mike Hodges - Film director and screenwriter
- Dan Hodges - Commentator
- Glyn Hodges - Welsh football player and manager
- Adrian Hodges - Television writer
- Lee Hodges - Football player
- C. Walter Hodges - Illustrator and theatre historian (1909 to 2004)
- Kevin Hodges - Football player and manager
- Richard Hodges - Archaeologist and president of The American University of Rome
- Lee Hodges - Football player and manager
- Wilfrid Hodges - Mathematician
- Lewis Hodges - Pilot and Air Chief Marshal (1918 to 2007)
- Thomas Hodges - Artist
- Cyril Hodges - Football player (1919 to 1979)
- Frank Hodges - Football player (1891 to 1985)
- John Hodges - Australian cricketer (1855 to 1933)
- Faustina Hasse Hodges - -American Organist and composer (1823 to 1895)
- Peggy Hodges - Engineer (1921 to 1)
- Edward Hodges - Anglo-American composer and organist (1796 to 1867)
- George Hodges - Cleric (1851 to 1921)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.