Rodgers

Rodgers is a patronymic surname deriving from the given name of "Rodger" commonly used by the Normans and meaning "son of Rodger". Variant form of Rogers.

The name Rodger is of Old German origin and is likely derived from the Germanic name Hrodger meaning "famous spear", composed of the elements hruod "fame" and ger "spear".[2]

In England, the name Rodger could’ve derived from the pre-7th century Old English 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. The name was probably first introduced into England during the Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain.

However, it is more likely that the name Rodger was introduced to England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. In Normandy, the name "Rodger" was reinforced by the Old Norse cognate Hróðgeirr and was very popular with the Norsemen. It was they who "borrowed" it from the Gauls they conquered, as they swept through on their long march from Scandinavia to their home in Normandy.[3] According to a 2020 study, those with the surname are more likely to have Viking ancestors.[4]

The Normans brought the name to England, where it replaced the name "Hroðgar" (Old Norse: Hróarr). The name of a legendary Danish king, living in the early 6th century mentioned in Beowulf, Widsith, and also in Norse sagas.[5]

From the Old Norse, Hroð-geirr; from the Danish, Roedeger, Rodgers; from the Flemish, Roger; from the French, Rogier; from the German, Roger; from the Latin, Rodegerus, Rodeghiero; in the Domesday Book, Roger.[6][7]

It was introduced to Ireland when the Anglo-Normans invaded in the 1170s and then later in the 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.[8]

The surname Rodgers was first found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 as Adam filius Rogeri in Lincolnshire; and Robert filius Rogeri in Norfolk. Kirby's Quest of Somerset listed Waltero Rogero in Somerset, 1 Edward III (during the first year of Edward III's reign.) Over 100 years later, the name had evolved from the early Latin versions that held either the vowel "i" or "o" to the more recent spellings we understand today. The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Willelmus Rogerson and as a personal name Rogerus Smyth.

The name was "rare or absent in England north of a line drawn from the River Humber to the River 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." This author continues "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."

From this vantage, we explored the aforementioned "Scotch" (Scottish) origin further. In this case, many of the records were recorded in the Anglo-Saxon or English version rather than the previous entries that had the Latin form. "Roger was appointed abbot of Dryburgh in 1152. Roger, son of Oggou, attested a deed of middle of thirteenth century. William Roger was tenant of the abbot of Coupar-Angus in 1468." Black continues "Rodgers is the more common form with Scots. Rogers, in some parts of central Scotland, is pronounced Rodgie, and some Gaelic-speaking people in Perthshire pronounce it Rougie and sometimes Royger. John Rodgers, born in Maryland, 1771, son of a Scots colonel of militia, fired with his own hand the first shot in the war with Great Britain in 1812."

"The family of Rogers of Home, in Shropshire, are a cadet of the Norburys of Norbury in that county. In 7. Edward II., (seventh year of Edward II's reign) 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."

Roger of Salisbury (died 1139), "also called Roger the Great, bishop of Salisbury and justiciar, was of humble origin, and originally priest of a little chapel near Caen. The future king, Henry I, chanced, while riding out from Caen, to turn aside to this chapel to hear mass. Roger, guessing the temper of his audience, went through the service with such speed that they declared him the very man for a soldier's chaplain, and Henry took him into his service."[9]