Name of the Week: Hudson

 

Origin:

Hudson is an English surname meaning "son of Hudd." Hudd itself was medieval pet-name for Hugh, and sometime Richard.

Usage:

According to Reaney and Wilson*, "Hudde was very common," and they show several examples of how it was well used as a pet-name, or possibly even a vernacular form. For example, the Curia Rolls of Yorkshire in 1212 has the entry Hugo filius Johannis and Johannes pater ipsius Hudde; the 1219 Yorkshire Assize Rolls records a Hugo Sturdy who is later listed as Hudde Sturdi on the 1230 Yorkshire Pipe Rolls.  Reaney and Wilson also point to some evidence that it was also used as a pet-form of Richard, citing the 1346 Calendar of the Close Rolls with the entry "Ricardus dictus Hudde de Walkden". As it was used as a pet-form of Hugh or Richard, it is very difficult to ascertain how common Hudd was. However, in George Redmond's survey of 1000 names from ten English counties 1377-81, Richard ranks at #4 and Hugh at #11, showing they were both in popular use.  Hudd itself developed the diminutive forms Huddel and Huddlin. The surname Hudson itself dates from at least the 14th century.   English explorer and navigator Henry Hudson (c.1570-1611) is one of the most famous early bearers of the surname. His discovery of major North American landmarks is the reason he is the namesake of numerous geographical features, including the Hudson Straight, the Hudson Bay and the Hudson River. As with almost all English surnames, Hudson began to be adopted as a given name from the 17th century. Its early use was generally to honour a godparent or a family member, especially if it was the mother's maiden name.  According to the 1881 UK census, Hudson was the 137th most common surname, and was especially common in the north of England -- especially West Yorkshire. Unsurprisingly, the highest concentration of Hudson as a given name matches up to the areas of the highest concentration as a surname.  Records for Hudson as a first name in the England and Wales Birth Index: 1840s: 1850s: 1860s: 1870s: 1880s: 1890s: 1900s: 1910s: 1920s: 1930s: 1940s: 1950s: 1960s: 1970s: 69 births 70 births 72 birth 84 births 71 births 49 births 36 births 28 births 22 births 8 births 9 births 9 births 16 births 19 births From 1996 to 2005, Hudson had no more than 20 births in any given year in England and Wales, putting it firmly below the top 1000. It rose from #885 (27 births) in 2006 to #538 (58 births) in 2007 and has been steadily rising ever since.  In Scotland, too, Hudson began to rise after 2006, going from #1059 (1 births) in 2007 to #544 (4 births) in 2011 and #268 (16 births) in 2014.  In 2017, Hudson ranked #135 with 442 births in England and Wales, and #199 with 27 births in Scotland.  When we look at England and Wales individually, Hudson ranked at #136 (404 births) in England in 2017, but broke into the Welsh top 100 for the first time at #83 (38 births).

Famous Bearers:

History: * Sir Hudson Lowe (1769–1844) British general and Governor of St Helena. * Hudson Maxim (1853-1927), American inventor and chemist. * Hudson Stuck (1865–1920), British born Episcopalian Archbishop in Alaska who organized the first expedition to summit Mount McKinley. * Hudson Fysh (1895–1974), Australian aviator and co-founder of Qantas Airways. Contemporary: * Hudson Felipe Gonçalves, Brazilian footballer. * Hudson Rodrigues dos Santos, Brazilian footballer. Literature and Other Media: * Hudson Hawk, titular character, played by Bruce Willis in the film Hudson Hawk (1991).

Variants:

Hutson

Pronunciation:

HUD-sən [key]

Possible diminutives:

Hud, Huds

Sibling Names:

Hallie     Darcy     Ariana     Lacey     Myla        Piper  Lincoln     Cole     Parker     Austin     Blake     Cody

Name Lists:

N/A

 

If you like Hudson you may also like:   Jackson, Holden, Greyson, Landon, Layton, Hartley, Cooper, Harrison, Sawyer, Carson

Thanks to Jamie for requesting this name.