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Hod
Variants on Isle of Man
Hodgson is a popular
name on Isle of Man with variants such as Hodson, Hudson, Hudgson and
Hudgeon. The Isle of Man records are very well preserved and well worth
pursuing for further defining the roots of Hodgson. The Island has been
the Viking Headquarters for the whole of the Western Isles and the Bishop
is still of "Sodor (Western Isles) and Man." Isle of Man is an exclusive
part of Great Britain with its own government, laws and tax system.
It has probably the oldest Parliament in the world, Tynwald, which was
set up in 853 AD when Iceland had been colonised by Norsemen from Man
and the Hebrides.
Their coming, and
in particular the arrival of Harold Fairhair I to rule all of Norway,
saw settlements in the Hebrides, Man and Ireland in addition to Cumbria
and Scotland from 794 AD. Details are recorded in the Annals of Clonmacnoise,
with further details in the Annals of Ulster in 851 AD. The strategic
importance of Isle of Man as the natural centre for all operations in
the Irish Sea is obvious, and the Kingdom of Man and the Sudreys (Hebrides)
was founded on sea power. Among many ensuing battles was one between
the men of Lochlannaich (Vikings) and the men of Argyll at Otter in
Argyll. It would be strange indeed if the name Otter (Odd or Odson)
did not feature in the rich history of this area.
The saga of Odin
is depicted on Sigurd Slabs on the Isle of Man and in Norwegian Wood
Carvings in the Oslo National Museum. The Anglo-Saxon name for Odin
is Woden, whose name is preserved in Woden's day or Wednesday.
It is said that Odd or Ottar is recorded on a cross-slab found embedded
in the wall of St. German's Cathedral on St. Patrick's Isle, Peel, whilst
there is an Odd's Cross standing in Old Kirk Braddan Cemetery. Adh Mkotar
(Aodh Mac Otar) appears along with other names on a runic cross-slab
found in Andreas, Isle of Man, the MacOtar being abbreviated as was
common to Cotar or the present name Cottier which exists in Man in addition
to Hodgson, Hodson and Hudson (Odd's sons). The archival records of
Isle of Man may shed new light on the derivation of the surname Hodgson
and its variants.
From SHARE
Newsletter #4, page 32, The Isle of Man
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