Meaning & History
Hood is an English surname with multiple possible origins, primarily deriving from the Old English word hod (meaning „hood”). It could have been a metonymic occupational name for a maker of hoods or a nickname for someone who wore a distinctive hood. The surname may also have originated from the Middle English personal name Hode, a variant of Ode or Odd with a prosthetic H-, and is related to names like Ott and Oates, as well as Hodson. In some cases, Hood may be a variant of Hudd, or an Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó hUid (“descendant of Ud”), which can be compared with Mahood. Additionally, the French surname Houde has occasionally been Americanized as Hood.
Notable Bearers
Among the most prominent bearers of the surname Hood is Robin Hood, the legendary English outlaw from medieval folklore, though the name is not historically documented for him until later ballads. In real life, the surname has been borne by figures such as Horace Hood (1870–1916), a Royal Navy admiral, and William Hood (1848–1921), a British Member of Parliament. Other notable Hoods include the American Civil War general John Bell Hood (1831–1879), the English novelist Sarah Hood, and the Irish actor Gerard Hood. In the United States, the U.S. Navy cruiser USS Hood was named after the Hood family.
Distribution
The surname Hood is most common in the United Kingdom, particularly in Scotland (e.g., the Isles of Lewis and Harris) and the English counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire, where it ranks among the top 500 surnames. It has spread through migration to other Anglophone countries, especially the United States, Canada, and Australia.
Variant Forms
Related or variant surnames include Hood, Hudd, Hodson, Mahood, and Houde (as Americanized forms).
- Meaning: Maker of or wearer of hoods; metaphorical nickname from hood
- Origin: Old English hod; also English/Irish/French adaptations
- Type: Occupational or nickname surname
- Usage regions: England, Scotland, Ireland, United States, Australia