This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Roger.' In Domesday Rogerus, Norfolk Exceedingly common in the 13th century all over the country, giving us the nicks. Hodge and Dodge, and through them Hodgson, Hodgkins, Hodgkinson, &c, which see. Roger vied with Robert, John, and William for popularity for several centuries. In France, too, the name was a favourite, the French proverb for 'There's a good time coming' being 'Roger Bon Temps.' Hodge is now an English synonym for a peasant or agricultural labourer. Once a knightly name, Roger has fallen from his high estate, and is, as Joan, ever among the poor. Early registers teem with the name. I furnish one or two instances for form's sake:

Adam fil. Rogeri, Lincolnshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Robert fil. Rogeri, Norfolk, ibid.

Eufemia fil. Rogert. Suffolk, 30 Edward I: Placita de Quo Warranto, temp. Edward I-III.

Waltero Rogero, Somerset, 1 Edward III: Kirby's Quest.

Willelmus Rogerson, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Rogerus Smyth, 1379: ibid.

1788. Married — John Cooper and Elizabeth Rogerson: St. George, Hanover Square.

1808. — James Rodgers and Mary Spencer: ibid.

This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Roger,' from nick. Hodge, and suffix -kin = Hodgkin (v. kin, Skeat). Genitive form Hodgkins; compare Williams, Wilkins, Jones, &c. With Hodgkiss (a corruption of Hodgkins), compare Hotchkiss, Popkiss, or Purkiss.

John Hogekyn. Rolls of Parliament.

Charles Hodgskines, temp. Elizabeth: Calendar of Proceedings in Chancery, temp. Elizabeth I.

John Hoddeskynson, temp. Elizabeth: Calendar of Pleadings, temp. Elizabeth I.

1562. John Hodgkin and Isanna Truxton: Marriage Lic. (London).

1601-2. Richard Abby and Elizabeth Hodgkins, widow: ibid.

1656-7. Married — William Parker and Elizabeth Hodgskins: St. Dionis Backchurch.

'son of Hodge,' which see. Thomas Hodgis was burgess of Glasgow in 1487 (LCD., p. 202). Hodgs 1573.

From the Old English personal name Hroðgar, 'famous spear.' Rodger is the more common form with Scots. Roger was appointed abbot of Dryburgh in 1152 (Dryburgh). Roger, son of Oggou, attested a deed of middle of thirteenth century (Neubotle, p. 27). William Roger was tenant of the abbot of Coupar-Angus in 1468 (Cupar-Angus, I, p. 142), another William Roger had a safe conduct into England in 1470 (Bain, IV, 1388) and the lands of another William Roger in Glasgow are noted in 1551 (Protocols, I). John Roger, mason in Dundee in first miarter of sixteenth century, appears in record as Rogy, Rogie, Rogzy, and William Roger about same time appears as Rogze (Rent. Dunk.). Alexander Rodger (1784-1846), minor poet. Rogear 1606. compare Rogie.

'son of Roger.' See Rodger. Macrory is sometimes (but wrongly) so rendered. Rory is from Gaelic Ruadhri for Ruadhraigh, and Roger is from Teutonic Hrothgar. See also under RODGERSON.

= Rodger, q.v.

Rogerus, Rogerius.—Domesday-Book.

See the quotations from Chaucer, etc., under Hodge.

Roger (variantly Rogier) is a common French surname, found also with the diminutive suff. -eau (earlier -el), -et, -on. In Wace’s ‘Roman de Rou’ Rogier is the usual form, as ‘Rogier de Montgomeri.’

(Welsh, English) The son of Roger (fame, spear).

A personal name, unknown here before the Conquest. Many persons called Roger, and Rogerus, occur as tenants in Domesday. From it are formed Rogers, Rodgers, Rogerson, &c., and from its nick-name, Hodge, we get Hodges, Hodgson, Hodgkin, Hotekin, Hotchkins, Hotchkiss, Hodgkinson, Hoskins, Hodd, Hodson, Hudson. The Norman patronymical form is Fitz-Roger, and the Welsh, Ap-Roger, now Prodger.

See Roger. The family of Rogers of Home, in Shropshire, are a cadet of the Norburys of Norbury in that county. In 7. Edward II., Roger de Norbury, son of Philip, and grandson of Roger de Norbury, had a grant of the estate of Home. His son took the name of Rogers, and his posterity under that appellation have ever since resided at Home. B.L.G.

Peace.

From Hodge, a nick—name of Roger, the "s" being added for son.

(Teutonic.) Rhu, rest, quiet, peace, and gard, a keeper; or Rhu—geren, one desirous of rest; Rodgarus, all counsel or strong counsel.

N. Rogere, Normandy 1180; Robert R. 1195 (Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae); Alexander, Richard, Roger, Engl. c. 1272 (Rotuli Hundredorum).

Rogers. —Rare or absent in England north of a line drawn from the Humber to the Mersey. Scattered over the rest of England and also Wales, but generally infrequent in the eastern counties, being by far the most numerous in the western half of its area. It is most common in Herefordshire and Shropshire, and also in Cornwall. The counties next distinguished are Bucks and Sussex. Its only representatives in the north of England are the Rogersons of Lancashire. Rodger is the Scotch form, it has no definite distribution. In England we only find it occasionally, as in the case of Rodgers in Derbyshire. Lower says that there is an ancient family of Rogers in Shropshire dating back to the time of Edward II.