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Hood Family History

Hood Surname Meaning

English and Scottish: nickname from Middle English hod hood hodde ‘hood’ either for someone who wore a hood (like the medieval folk hero Robin Hood) or who made and sold hoods. In Kent and Sussex the name may sometimes have been confused with Hoad.

English: from the Middle English personal name Hod(e) a variant of Ode or Odd with prosthetic H-; see Ott and Oates and compare Hodson.

English and Scottish: variant of Hudd from the Middle English personal name Hudde Hutte which could represent Old English Hud(d)a or its ancient Germanic equivalent Hud(d)o but is more likely from Anglo-Norman French Hud(de) a pet form of Hugh.

English: habitational name from Hood in Rattery (Devon) from Old English hōd ‘hood’ probably referring to a hood-shaped hill.

Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó hUid ‘descendant of Ud’ a personal name of uncertain derivation. This was the name of an Ulster family who were bards to the O'Neills of Clandeboy and was later altered to Mac hUid. Compare Mahood. In some cases also an Americanized form of French Houde.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Hood family from?

You can see how Hood families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Hood family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Hood families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 947 Hood families living in London. This was about 14% of all the recorded Hood's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Hood families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Hood 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 Hood ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Hood. 10% of Hood men worked as a General Labourer and 68% of Hood women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Hood were Incapacitated and Private Means.

View Census Data for Hood | 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

  • General Labourer
    10%
  • Bricklayer
    4%
  • Builders Labourer
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    68%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Private Means
    2%

What Hood family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 372,000 census records available for the last name Hood. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Hood census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Hood

Passenger Lists

There are 36,000 immigration records available for the last name Hood. 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.

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Draft Cards

There are 64,000 military records available for the last name Hood. For the veterans among your Hood ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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You've only scratched the surface of Hood family history

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What is the average Hood lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Hood life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1946, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Hood in 1940 was 65, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Hood

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Hood 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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