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Etymology of Lodges

What does the name Lodges mean?

The name Lodges came to England with the ancestors of the Lodges family in the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Lodges family lived in Suffolk. Their name, however, is a reference to the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, Loges in Calvados, Normandy.

Not all of the family emigrated to early England as we found Richard, William, Ralph, Robert de Loges, Normandy, 1180-95 listed in the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae. "Geroius de Logis occurs in Normandy 1050. From him descended Bigod de Loges, Baron of Aldford, Chester, and Odard de Loges, Baron of Wigton, Cumberland, temp. William I. The family also appears in Berkshire and Devon." 1

The name is also derived from the Middle English word "logge" which means "small cottage, place to rest in." By extension the variant Logge, was derived from "lytylle howse" and denoted 'dweller at the cottage', but probably often in a more technical sense, with reference to the masons' logge. The early "atte Logge" use often denoted the warden of the masons' lodge. 2

The surname also denotes "a temporary building; sometimes a more permanent one. In many instances a manor-house of small pretensions is called a Court-Lodge [from the] French loge, a lodge or cabin, particularly in Forest districts." 3

Early Origins of the Lodges family

The surname Lodges was first found in Suffolk where Adam atte Logge was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls for 1327. Years later in Yorkshire, we found Johannes del Loge recorded in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 2

Roger de la Logge was listed in the Close Rolls, 32 Edward I (during the 32nd year of King Edward I's reign.) 4 In Somerset, William atte Logg was listed there 1 Edward III. 5

Early History of the Lodges family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lodges research. Another 181 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1327, 1520, 1558, 1562, 1563, 1575, 1582, 1625, 1648, 1649, 1677, 1689, 1716, 1719, 1730, 1744, 1751, 1756, 1759, 1771, 1772, 1773, 1774, 1782, 1787, 1793, 1801, 1821, 1822, 1828, 1832, 1838, 1839 and 1873 are included under the topic Early Lodges History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lodges Spelling Variations

Multitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Lodge, Loge and others.

Early Notables of the Lodges family

Sir Thomas Lodge, Lord Mayor of London (1562-1563); and his son Thomas Lodge (c. 1558 -1625), an English dramatist and writer. William Lodge (1649-1689), was an English engraver and printmaker from Yorkshire and John Lodge (d. 1774), was an archivist, born at Holton, Lancashire, the son of Edmund Lodge, farmer. He was educated at Clapham school, Yorkshire, under Mr. Ashe, and was admitted sub-sizar of St. John's College, Cambridge on 26 June 1716 (College Admissions Register). He graduated B.A. in 1719, M.A. in 1730. He settled in Dublin previously to 1744, in which year he published a 'Report of the Trial in...
Another 318 words (23 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Lodges Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Lodges family

Because of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland, North America, and Australia in enormous numbers, traveling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Lodges or a variant listed above: George Lodge settled in Virginia in 1638; Henry Lodge settled in Jamaica in 1686; Adam, Charles, Frank, George, James, John, Richard and Thomas Lodge, all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860.



  1. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  4. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  5. 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.


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