RODGERS
Rodgers is a surname that has long been in use across the British Isles, with particular concentrations in England and Scotland. It is understood to be of English and Norse origin, arising from the personal name Roger.
The personal name Roger itself is derived from the Old Norse *Hroðgeirr*, a compound of the elements *hrod* meaning “renown” and *geirr* meaning “spear”. In this sense the name carries the meaning “famous spear”. The name was introduced to Britain by the Normans in the eleventh century and it entered the English language in the forms Roger and Rogier.
Evidence of the personal name in Britain is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears in Latinised versions as Rogerius and Rogerus. From the personal name a number of surnames developed, notably the patronymic forms Rogers and Rodgers, and the pet forms Hodge and Dodge. The spelling Rodgers is the variant most frequently found in Scotland.
An early example of the surname in the region is the marriage of David Rogers and Janet Symsoun, which was recorded in Edinburgh in August 1616. The surname also appears in English administrative records; for instance, a 1327 Subsidy Roll from Worcestershire contains an entry for Henry Rogers.
A notable bearer of the name was John Rodgers, born in Maryland in 1771 to a Scottish colonel of militia. He is recorded as having fired the first shot in the war with Great Britain in 1812, an event that marks the surname in the wider transatlantic historical narrative.
The Rodgers surname remains a common name throughout the United Kingdom, often linked historically to the patronymic tradition of naming a child after a progenitor and carrying forward the symbolic meaning of the ancient name derived from renown and spear.
Typical given names associated with the Rodgers surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Stephen
- William
Female
- Catherine
- Elizabeth
- Helen
- Jane
- Julie
- Karen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Sarah
- Susan
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 Rodgers in...
Braille
⠗⠕⠙⠛⠑⠗⠎
Morse
.-.----..--...-....
Semaphore
Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Rodgers are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Hobnob.
There are approximately 16,945 people named Rodgers in the UK. That makes it the 522nd most common surname in Britain. Around 260 in a million people in Britain are named Rodgers.
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 Rodgers
- Brendan Rodgers - Football player and manager from Northern Ireland
- Paul Rodgers - -Canadian singer-songwriter
- Aaron Rodgers - American football quarterback
- Anton Rodgers - Actor (1933 to 2007)
- Clodagh Rodgers - Northern Irish singer and actress
- Anton Rodgers - Football player
- Michael E. Rodgers - Actor
- Bill Rodgers, Baron Rodgers of Quarry Bank - Politician
- Luke Rodgers - Football player, soccer player
- Andy Rodgers - Scottish football player
- Ilona Rodgers - Australian actress
- Paul Rodgers - Football player
- Susie Rodgers - Paralympic swimmer
- Sir John Rodgers, 1st Baronet - Politician (1906 to 1993)
- Harvey Rodgers - Football player
- David Rodgers - Football player
- Arnold Rodgers - Football player (1923 to 1993)
- Cliff Rodgers - Football player (1921 to 1)
- Arthur Rodgers - Football player (1907 to 1987)
- George Rodgers - Politician (1925 to 2000)
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.