Hodson

Hodson is a surname of English origin, traditionally a patronymic meaning “son of Hod.” The root name is thought to derive from the Old Norse personal name Hóði, which appears in the sagas, or from the Old English word hod, meaning “counsel.” The name spread throughout England during the medieval period and later emigrated to the Commonwealth and the United States.

The name has been recorded in several place names. Hodson, Arkansas, an unincorporated community in the Ouachita Mountains, was settled in the late nineteenth century by settlers bearing the name. In the United Kingdom, a street named Hodson Lane can be found in the Luton area of Bedfordshire, and a minor tributary of the River Grampian in Scotland bears the designation Hodson Burn. In Canada, a small hamlet in Nova Scotia occasionally appears on local maps as Hodson.

Notable individuals with the surname include the British violinist and educator Christopher Hodson (1928‑2016), the Australian politician and economist Les Hodson (1909‑1988), and the American industrial designer Thomas Barney Hodson (1845‑1913), known for pioneering advances in lighting fixtures. More recently, the English cricketer Matthew Hodson (born 1991) has played for the Northamptonshire County Cricket Club.

Beyond individuals and places, Hodson is also a respected brand in the United Kingdom associated with optical instruments, particularly high‑precision telescopic lenses manufactured since the early twentieth century. The company retains a niche reputation among professional astronomers and collectors of historical optics.

The surname is related to other patronymic forms such as Hodges, Hodge, and Hoddson, reflecting the same etymological root.