Show ContentsHood History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Hood family

The surname Hood was first found in Bavaria, where the name was anciently associated with the tribal conflicts of the area. They declared allegiances to many nobles and princes of early history, lending their influence in struggles for power and status within the region. They branched into many houses, and their contributions were sought by many leaders in their search for power.

Early History of the Hood family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hood research. Another 90 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1789 and 1855 are included under the topic Early Hood History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hood Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Hoop, Hoogh, Hooper, Hoopen, Hoopern, Hooperbusch, Hoopermann, Hop, Hope, Hopfer, Hood, Hooden and many more.

Early Notables of the Hood family

More information is included under the topic Early Hood Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hood World Ranking

In the United States, the name Hood is the 510th most popular surname with an estimated 57,201 people with that name. 1 However, in Australia, the name Hood is ranked the 520th most popular surname with an estimated 7,379 people with that name. 2 And in New Zealand, the name Hood is the 566th popular surname with an estimated 1,250 people with that name. 3 The United Kingdom ranks Hood as 583rd with 11,203 people. 4


United States Hood migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Hood Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Ralph Hood, who settled in Virginia in 1621
  • John Hood, who settled in Lynn, Massachusetts in 1630
  • Richard Hood, who arrived in Lynn, Massachusetts in 1650 5
  • Jeremiah Hood, who landed in Massachusetts in 1676 5
  • Thomas Hood, who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1682
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Hood Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • David Hood, who arrived in New England in 1723 5
  • Elizabeth Hood, who landed in South Carolina in 1772 5
  • Joan Hood, who arrived in South Carolina in 1772 5
Hood Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Thomas Hood, who landed in New York in 1810 5
  • McClelland Hood, who arrived in America in 1812 5
  • Joseph Hood, aged 21, who arrived in Rhode Island in 1812 5
  • Robert Hood, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1813 5
  • Peter Hood, aged 28, who landed in New York, NY in 1821 5
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Hood migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Hood Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Johannes Hood, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1749-1752
Hood Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • James Hood, who arrived in Canada in 1820
  • Ann Jane Hood, aged 10, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Billow" in 1833
  • Isabella Hood, aged 30, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Leslie Gault" in 1834
  • Eliza Hood, aged 14, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Leslie Gault" in 1834
  • Thomas Hood, aged 26, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the ship "Edwin" from Dublin, Ireland
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Australia Hood migration to Australia +

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

Hood Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • John Hood, a coachmaker, who arrived in New South Wales, Australia sometime between 1825 and 1832
  • Robin V. Hood, a carpenter, who arrived in Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania) sometime between 1825 and 1832
  • Mr. Thomas Hood, Scottish convict who was convicted in Perth, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Elizabeth" on 3rd October 1831, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 6
  • Miss Mary Hood who was convicted in North Riding, Yorkshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Edward" on 23rd April 1834, arriving in Tasmania, (Van Diemen's Land) 7
  • Mr. John Hood, British convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "England" on 6th June 1835, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 8
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Hood 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:

Hood Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Augustus Hood, aged 20, a smith, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Slains Castle" in 1841
  • Mr. Augustus Hood, (b. 1820), aged 20, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Slains Castle" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 25th January 1841 9
  • Robert Hood, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1842
  • Arthur Hood, aged 22, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Jane Gifford" in 1842 10
  • Janet Hood, aged 18, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Jane Gifford" in 1842 10
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Hood (post 1700) +

  • Donald Harris "Don" Hood (1949-2023), American Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher who played from 1973 to 1983 for the Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Cardinals, and the Kansas City Royals
  • Karen Fort Hood (d. 2021), American judge who served as a judge of the 1st District of the Michigan Court of Appeals from 2003 to 2021
  • Morris Hood III (1965-2020), American politician, Member of the Michigan Senate; he died from COVID-19
  • Darla Jean Hood (1931-1979), American child actress, best known as the leading lady in the Our Gang series from 1935 to 1941
  • Nicholas Hood Sr. (1923-2016), American Congreational minister, Civil Rights activist and politician
  • Lucille A. "Lucy" Hood (1957-2014), American founder of Fox Mobile Entertainment, President of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (2013-2014)
  • Frederick Emmart "Ted" Hood (1927-2013), American yachtsman and Naval architect, winner of the America's Cup in 1974 skippering the yacht Courageous, inducted into the America's Cup Hall of Fame in 1993
  • James Hood (1943-2013), American civil rights pioneer, one of the first African Americans to register at the University of Alabama
  • Graham Hood (b. 1972), Canadian gold medalist track and field athlete at the 1999 Pan American Games
  • Major-General Reuben Columbus Jr. Hood (1907-1985), American Commander of the Headquarters Command, U.S. Air Force, Bolling AFB, D.C (1958-1959) 11
  • ... (Another 19 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Hillcrest Coal Mine
  • Mr. John Hood (1889-1914), Canadian Miner from Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada who worked in the Hillcrest Coal Mine, Alberta, Canada and died in the mine collapse 12
RMS Titanic
  • Mr. Ambrose Hood Jr. (d. 1912), aged 21, English Second Class passenger from Fritham, Hampshire who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 13


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  3. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  4. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  5. 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)
  6. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 9th March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elizabeth
  7. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th January 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/edward
  8. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th April 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/england
  9. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  10. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  11. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, March 30) Reuben Hood. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Hood/Reuben_Columbus_Jr./USA.html
  12. List Of Miners - Hillcrest Mine Disaster Data. (Retrieved 2014, June 24) . Retrieved from http://www.hillcrestminedisaster.com/data/index.php?title=List_Of_Miners
  13. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html


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