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Show ContentsRodgers History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
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Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

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The earliest origins of the family name Rodgers date back to the Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It was a name given to a fame-spear or one who was a skilled soldier. The surname Rodgers was originally a Germanic personal name derived from the elements hrod, or "renown" combined with geri, or "spear;" thus the name suggested "prowess with a spear." 1 The surname Rodgers may have derived from the Old French word Rogier. After the Norman Conquest, the Old English naming system gradually dissolved. Old English names became less common and were replaced by popular continental European names. The earliest surnames in England were found shortly after the Norman Conquest and are of Norman French rather than native English origins.

Early Origins of the Rodgers family

The surname Rodgers was first found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 as Adam filius Rogeri in Lincolnshire; and Robert filius Rogeri in Norfolk. 2 Kirby's Quest of Somerset listed Waltero Rogero in Somerset, 1 Edward III (during the first year of Edward III's reign.) 3

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. 2

The name was "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." 4 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." 4

From this vantage, we explored the aforementioned "Scotch" (Scottish) origin further. In this case, many of the records were recorded in the Anglo 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." 1 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." 1

"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. " 5

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." 6

Early History of the Rodgers family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rodgers research. Another 85 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1550, 1583, 1598, 1602, 1618, 1620, 1621, 1630, 1636, 1655, 1658, 1679, 1682, 1684, 1690, 1718, 1732 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Rodgers History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rodgers Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Rodgers include Rogers, Roger, Rodger, Rodgers and others.

Early Notables of the Rodgers family

Distinguished members of the family include Richard Rogers (c.1550-1618), an English clergyman, a nonconformist under both Elizabeth I and James I; Henry Rogers (1583-1658), an English Anglican priest and writer, attended Jesus College, Oxford (1602) at the age of eighteen; Nathaniel Rogers (1598-1655), an English clergyman and early New England pastor; John Rogers (1630-1684), an English academic from Coggeshall, Essex who emigrated to America...
Another 64 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Rodgers Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rodgers World Ranking

In the United States, the name Rodgers is the 365th most popular surname with an estimated 74,610 people with that name. 7 However, in Canada, the name Rodgers is ranked the 865th most popular surname with an estimated 6,141 people with that name. 8 And in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Rodgers is the 157th popular surname with an estimated 249 people with that name. 9 Australia ranks Rodgers as 524th with 7,356 people. 10 New Zealand ranks Rodgers as 425th with 1,565 people. 11 The United Kingdom ranks Rodgers as 477th with 13,558 people. 12

Ireland Migration of the Rodgers family to Ireland

Some of the Rodgers family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

United States Rodgers migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Rodgers Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Ellener Rodgers, aged 19, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 aboard the ship "Transport" 13
  • Andrew Rodgers, who arrived in New England in 1671 14
  • Thomas Rodgers, who arrived in Maryland in 1677 14
  • Francis Rodgers, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1682 14
Rodgers Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Moses Rodgers, who arrived in America in 1795 14
  • Samuel Rodgers, who landed in Ohio in 1798 14
Rodgers Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Catherine Rodgers, aged 30, who arrived in New York, NY in 1803 14
  • Mary Rodgers, who landed in New York, NY in 1811 14
  • Patrick Rodgers, who arrived in New York, NY in 1815 14
  • Morris Rodgers, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1828 14
  • David Rodgers, who landed in Somerset County, Pennsylvania in 1833 14
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Rodgers Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Mr. Rodgers, (b. 1862), aged 38, Cornish miner, from Camborne, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Campania" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 17th March 1900 en route to Butte, Montana, USA 15
  • Mr. Richard Rodgers, (b. 1875), aged 30, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "Philadelphia" arriving at Ellis Island, New York in 1905 en route to Hancock, Michigan, USA 15
  • Mrs. Caroline Mary Rodgers, (b. 1880), aged 25, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Philadelphia" arriving at Ellis Island, New York in 1905 en route to Hancock, Michigan, USA 15

Canada Rodgers migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Rodgers Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • James Rodgers, aged 23, who landed in Quebec in 1833
  • Mary Rodgers, aged 23, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Prudence" in 1838
  • Miss. Francis Rodgers, aged 4 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Margaret" departing from the port of New Ross, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in August 1847 16
  • Miss. Mary Rodgers, aged 5 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Greenock" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle in August 1847 16
  • Mr. John Rodgers, aged 40 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Covenanter" departing 17th June 1847 from Cork, Ireland; the ship arrived on 9th August 1847 but he died on board 17
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Australia Rodgers migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Rodgers Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Job Rodgers, Jr., English convict who was convicted in Derby, England for life, transported aboard the "Dromedary" on 11th September 1819, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 18
  • George Rodgers, a cutler, who arrived in New South Wales, Australia sometime between 1825 and 1832
  • Mr. John Rodgers who was convicted in Chatham, Kent, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "England"on 31st March 1832, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 19
  • Mr. William Rodgers, British convict who was convicted in Fredericton, Nova Scotia, Canada for 14 years, transported aboard the "Eden" on 27th August 1836, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 20
  • Mr. George Rodgers, English convict who was convicted in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Cressy" on 28th April 1843, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 21
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Rodgers migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Rodgers Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Charles Rodgers, aged 29, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Oriental" in 1840
  • Cecelia Rodgers, aged 20, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Oriental" in 1840
  • Mr. Charles Rodgers, (b. 1810), aged 29, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Oriental" arriving in Port Nicholson, Wellington, New Zealand on 31st January 1840 22
  • Mrs. Rodgers, (b. 1819), aged 20, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Oriental" arriving in Port Nicholson, Wellington, New Zealand on 31st January 1840 22
  • William Rodgers, aged 32, a gardener, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Clifford" in 1842
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Rodgers (post 1700) +

  • Richard Charles Rodgers (1902-1979), American composer, songwriter, and writer of musicals and is one of only two persons to have won an Oscar, a Grammy, an Emmy, a Tony award, and a Pulitzer Prize, one half of the famous duo Rodgers and Hammerstein
  • Aaron Charles Rodgers (b. 1983), American football quarterback for the Green Bay Packers who led them to named Super Bowl XLV victory
  • James Frederick "Jimmy" Rodgers (1933-2021), American singer who had a run of hits and mainstream popularity in the 1950s and 1960s, perhaps best known for his 1950's hit "Honeycomb"
  • Jimmie Charles Rodgers (1897-1933), American country singer-songwriter and musician who rose to popularity in the late 1920s, regarded as "the Father of Country Music"
  • Franklin Cullen "Pepper" Rodgers (1931-2020), American football player and coach
  • Johnny Rodgers (b. 1974), American singer-songwriter
  • Johnny Rodgers (b. 1951), American football player
  • Jimmy Rodgers (b. 1943), American basketball coach
  • Guy Rodgers (1935-2001), American professional basketball player
  • George Washington Rodgers (1822-1863), American officer of the United States Navy
  • ... (Another 12 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Halifax Explosion
  • Mr. Matthew  Rodgers, Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 23
HMS Repulse
  • Mr. George Herbert Rodgers, British Ordinary Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 24
USS Arizona
  • Mr. John Dayton Rodgers, American Seaman First Class from Pennsylvania, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 25

The Rodgers Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Nos Nostraque Deo
Motto Translation: We and ours to God.
  1. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  3. Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
  4. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  5. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  6. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  7. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  8. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  9. The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
  10. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  11. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  12. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  13. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  14. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  15. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
  16. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 53)
  17. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 94)
  18. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/dromedary
  19. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 26th April 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/england
  20. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 20th October 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eden
  21. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 21st May 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/cressy
  22. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  23. Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
  24. HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
  25. Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html
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