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Bodger Family History

Bodger Surname Meaning

The term is a variant of Butcher derived from Middle English bocher, meaning ‘butcher,’ featuring the voicing of the intervocalic consonant. Examples from history include Willmi Butcher in 1577, Barnard Botcher in 1601, and Jonathan Bodger in 1643, as noted in IGI (Sutton, Cambs).

Alternatively, it may stem from Middle English bocchere, which signifies ‘bodger,’ referring to someone who mends or patches metal items. This also showcases the same irregular voicing of the consonant.

For instance, Adam Bochecollok, meaning ‘mend tub,’ is documented in 1326 within the Patent Rolls.

While some medieval instances of Bocher(e) might reflect this definition, distinguishing between the two interpretations based solely on formal characteristics proves to be challenging.

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


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Where is the Bodger family from?

You can see how Bodger families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bodger family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bodger families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 59 Bodger families living in London. This was about 12% of all the recorded Bodger's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Bodger families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bodger surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Bodger ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Grocers Assistant and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Bodger. 24% of Bodger men worked as a Grocers Assistant and 75% of Bodger women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bodger were Carpenter joiner and Housewife.

View Census Data for Bodger | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Grocers Assistant
    24%
  • Gardener
    18%
  • General Labourer
    12%
  • Carpenter joiner
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    75%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • Domestic Duties
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%

What Bodger family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 13,000 census records available for the last name Bodger. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bodger census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bodger

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Bodger. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Bodger immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 577 military records available for the last name Bodger. For the veterans among your Bodger ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bodger military records

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What is the average Bodger lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Bodger life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1997, and highest in 1968. The average life expectancy for Bodger in 1963 was 76, and 83 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bodger

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bodger ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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