Rogers: Surname Meaning and Family History

Rogers is a patronymic surname derived from the given name Roger, and meaning "son of Roger." The given name Roger means "famous spear," derived from the Germanic elements hrod, meaning "fame" and ger, or "spear."

Rogers is also possibly a modern form of the ancient Irish name "O'Ruadhraigh."

Rogers is the 61st most popular surname in the United States and the 77th most common surname in England.

Surname Origin: English

Alternate Surname Spellings: ROGER, RODGERS, ROGERSON, RODGERSON, ROGARS

Famous People With the Rogers Surname

• Fred Rogers - host of the public television show, Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, which ran on PBS from 1968 to 2001
• Kenny Rogers - American award-winning singer/songwriter
• Roy Rogers - American actor and singer
• Will Rogers - American humorist, actor and author
• Carl Rogers - American psychologist; one of the founding fathers of psychotherapy research

Where Is the ROGERS Surname Most Common?

Read More

Russell Surname Meaning and Family History

By Kimberly Powell

The Rogers surname is the 946th most common last name in the world, according to surname distribution information from Forebears. It is most prevalent in the United States, where it ranks 58th, but is also a common surname in Wales, Australia, and England.

WorldNames PublicProfiler indicates the Rogers surname is fairly common in Wales, particularly in the Wrexham region, as well as in Australia, New Zealand, and the North East region of Ireland. Within the United States, Rogers is most popular in the southeast, particularly in South Carolina and Arkansas, as well as in the New England state of Vermont.

Genealogy Resources for the Surname Rogers

Rogers Family Crest - It's Not What You Think
Contrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Rogers family crest or coat of arms for the Rogers surname. Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted.

Genealogy Forum
This free message board is focused on descendants of Rogers ancestors around the world. Search the forum for posts about your Rogers ancestors, or join the forum and post your own queries. 

FamilySearch - Genealogy
Explore over 7.6 million results from digitized historical records and lineage-linked family trees related to the Rogers surname on this free website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

GeneaNet - Records
GeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Rogers surname with a concentration on records and families from France and other European countries.

Ancestry.com: Surname
Explore over 13 million digitized records and database entries, including census records, passenger lists, military records, land deeds, probates, wills, and other records for the Rogers surname on the subscription-based website, Ancestry.com.

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References: Surname Meanings & Origins

Cottle, Basil. Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967.

Dorward, David. Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998.

Fucilla, Joseph. Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003.

Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989.

Hanks, Patrick. Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003.

Reaney, P.H. A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997.

Smith, Elsdon C. American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.