Rogers (surname)

Rogers is a patronymic surname of English origin, deriving from the given name of Roger commonly used by the Normans and meaning "son of Roger". Variants include Rodgers.

Rogers
Pronunciation/ˈrɒdʒərz/
Origin
Word/nameAnglo-Saxon and Norman
Region of originEngland
Other names
Variant form(s)Rodgers, Rogerson
[1]

Most genealogists believe that the name Roger is derived from the pre-7th century Anglo-Saxon name Hrothgar, which means 'fame spear' ("hroð" fame or renown, "gari" spear), the first reference to which is in Beowulf, the Anglo-Saxon epic poem.

According to a recent study those with the surname are more likely to have Viking ancestors.[2]

The surname was probably first introduced into England during the Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain. The "Rogers" given name was probably first introduced to England after the Norman Conquest of 1066, and is first recorded as "Rogerus" in the Domesday Book of 1086. It was introduced to Ireland when the Anglo-Normans invaded in the 1170s.

The first recorded mention of the surname is in mid-13th-century England. Examples include William Rogger in the subsidy tax rolls of the county of Sussex in 1296, and Henry Rogeres in similar records for Worcestershire of 1327.

The first recorded spelling of the surname is shown to be that of Richard Roger from 1263. This is found in the "Archaeological Records" of the county of Kent during the reign of King Henry III (1216–1272).

The surname is now found commonly throughout Britain (often spelled "Rodgers"), particularly in southern and western England and also occasionally in Scotland and Wales. The surname was also taken from England to Ireland in Norman and later Cromwellian invasions.

However many occurrences of it in Ireland represent an Anglicisation of Mac Ruaidhrí and Mac Ruairí in the newer and current standard spelling.[3]

In England and Wales it ranks as the 77th most common surname.[4]

The surname is also popular in North America where it was introduced during English colonisation. According to the 1990 United States Census, 'Rogers' ranked fifty-fourth in frequency among all reported surnames, accounting for 0.12% of the population.[5]

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See also

References
  1. 1990 Census Name Files Archived 2010-10-07 at the Library of Congress Web Archives
  2. If you have one of these 22 surnames you could be of Viking descent, according to new research
  3. Hanks, Patrick; Hodges, Flavia (2002). The Oxford Names Companion. Oxford University Press ISBN 0198605617; p. 529
  4. Behind the Name: Search Results
  5. United States Census Bureau (9 May 1995). s:1990 Census Name Files dist.all.last (1-100). Retrieved on 2008-07-06.
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