Get in touch

555-555-5555

mymail@mailservice.com

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">

The Hodgson Clan

Where all things Hodgson come together...

The Hodgson Coat of Arms

On this page:

Coats of Arms

Officially, rights to bear a coat of arms are granted in law by the ancient College of Arms in London in England. People do not automatically have the right to display a coat of arms just because they have the same name.

To quote from the College of Arms website:

There is no such thing as a 'coat of arms for a surname'. Many people of the same surname will often be entitled to completely different coats of arms, and many of that surname will be entitled to no coat of arms. Coats of arms belong to individuals. For any person to have a right to a coat of arms they must either have had it granted to them or be descended in the legitimate male line from a person to whom arms were granted or confirmed in the past.

Commercial companies selling wall plaques and fancy pictures of family origins typically ignore these facts. They lure the buyer into believing that coats of arms apply automatically to surnames.

But today we live in a more democratic age. There is no other logo or symbol relating to all Hodgsons, and many have adopted the coat of arms above. For this reason it is respectfully and judiciously displayed on this website, and adopted as the logo or symbol - rather than an official coat of arms - of the world-wide Hodgson Clan.

The Hodgson Coat of Arms

Historically, a few Hodgson families adopted the coat of arms pictured here. Its technical description is ‘per chevron, embattled or and azure, three martlets counterchanged’.

According to one authority (J. Hodgson 1925), the above coat of arms was displayed by a Hodgson family at the Battle of Towton in Yorkshire on 29th March 1461, during the Wars of the Roses. This was one of the largest and bloodiest battles ever fought on British soil. The first documented family carrying this coat of arms is the Hodgsons of Hebburn in County Durham, in the sixteenth century (Surtees 1820).

This coat of arms is also associated with several other Hodgson families, including the Hodgsons of West Keal in Lincolnshire, the Hodgsons of Bascodyke, near Ainstable in Cumberland, the Hodshons of Amsterdam, the Hodgson-Hindes of Stella and Acton, Northumberland and Thomas Hodgson the eighteenth-century mill-owner of Caton in Lancashire.

Beware of Poorly-Researched Surname Merchandise that is Available for Sale

Commercial companies selling wall plaques and fancy pictures of family origins typically ignore these facts. They lure the buyer into believing that coats of arms apply automatically to surnames.

Buyers should also beware of accounts of surname 'origins' displayed on commercially advertised wall plaques and posters that show no evidence of appropriate research. For example, a Hodgson surname poster published by ‘Hall of Names Limited’, claims that the surname is Anglo-Saxon and originates from the county of Northumberland. However, Hall of Names Limited has failed yet to respond to three written requests over twenty years ago to supply evidence supporting their claims. The website www.houseofnames.com also declares that the surname comes from Northumberland. These claims may simply result from the fact that the first recorded Hodgson was in Newcastle-upon-Tyne (see Early Hodgsons) in the thirteenth century.

But one name does not authenticate general surname origins. It would be absurd to suggest that the many Hodgsons (or variants) appearing in Lancashire, Yorkshire or elsewhere in the fourteenth century and after were all descended from one Newcastle family. James Hodgson (1925) conjectures that this ancient Newcastle Hodgson family previously migrated from Cumberland. All the evidence we have on Hodgson surname distribution suggests that most Hodgsons originate from Cumberland.

The 'Hodgson Motto'

Reproduced from The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales by Sir Bernard Burke

While the Hodgson coat of arms was awarded to a number of individuals, the Latin motto "miseris succurrere disco" - I learn to succour the poor - was awarded, as far as we are aware, to the Hodgson-Hindes of Stella and Acton, Northumberland only, according to The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales by Sir Bernard Burke (1884).

A caution here remains that coats of arms (and their mottos, if any) are granted (by the College of Arms) to individuals, not families. It may be possible therefore to find several Hodgson mottos. We are not currently aware of any others that have been awarded, but would welcome any evidence to suggest otherwise.

Bibliography

Hodgson, James (1925) ‘The Hodgsons of Bascodyke’, Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society, New Series, volume 25, pp. 244-49.

Surtees, Robert (1820) History and Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham, volume 2 (London: Nichols).

Burke, Bernard, Sir (1884) The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales