The Hedges surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 9,625 people carried this name — #3,690 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 30,700 people counted. That is up 3% from 9,371 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Hedges surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘at the hedge’.

An early record he cites: John de la Hegge, Kent, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Hedge and Hedges.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 372 · public domain.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Hedges was found among the farmers of 4 counties.

It was most frequent in Buckinghamshire: 55 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 182. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Buckinghamshire 55
Berkshire 30
Oxfordshire 20
Hertfordshire 15

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

56 families named Hedges, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 304 people lived in those households, 5.4 to a family on average. The table counts it together with one other spelling. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

New York 30
Maryland 10
Massachusetts 9
Vermont 3
Connecticut 3
Pennsylvania 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 244 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Hedges in American newspapers,
1899–1910.

Newspaper page from Fergus County Argus carrying the name Hedges
Fergus County Argus 1904-12-28
Newspaper page from Fergus County Democrat carrying the name Hedges
Fergus County Democrat 1910-10-18
Newspaper page from Fergus County Argus carrying the name Hedges
Fergus County Argus 1899-05-03

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 5,808 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Hedges in Australian newspapers,
1820s–1990s.

26,485 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Hedges. The most, 6,123, date from the 1910s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Western Australia, at 3.7 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Western Australia 9,016
New South Wales 8,193
Victoria 3,763
Queensland 3,055
South Australia 1,542
Tasmania 672
ACT (Canberra) 180
Northern Territory 7

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Hedges.

Who carried it

People named Hedges,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Elizabeth Hedges d. 1750
  • Anne Hedges d. 1719
  • John Hedges 1503–1562 · politician
  • William Hedges 1632–1701 · civil servant
  • Charles Hedges 1650–1714 · judge
  • John Hedges 1688–1737 · politician

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Hedges,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States860 records

860 records of the Hedges name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 395
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 156
  • Other U.S. records 309
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Edward B. Hedges

    Born 1919 in New York. Enlisted 1942 at Fort Jay Governors Island; machine shop worker. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1983, buried at Calverton National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Daniel Macom Hedges

    Born 1949; from Malvern, Arkansas. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1970 in Quang Ngai, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Charles Hedges

    Arrived at New York in 1849 aboard the Shannon from Bristol, aged 31; baker. From Great Britain.

    U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain)

Showing 3 of 860 records for Hedges in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia481 records

481 records of the Hedges name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 207
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 129
  • Other Australian records 145
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record James Hedges

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the John Barry, sailing from London in 1834. Native of Wallingford, Berkshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1843. Married 1844 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 43.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Mary Anne Elizabeth Hedges

    Born 1844 in Hobart, Tasmania. Married 1864 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 19.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Heny Hedges

    Arrived in Victoria in 1853 aboard the Launceston, aged 36; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 481 records for Hedges in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

United Kingdom46 records

46 records of the Hedges name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 28
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 15
  • Other British records 3
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record George Richard Henry Hedges

    Died 1997, aged 84; buried at St Thomas Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Emma Hedges

    Will proved in 1938; of Mold, Flint.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record J. R. Hedges

    Bedfordshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1919.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 46 records for Hedges in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Canada22 records

22 records of the Hedges name in Canada
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 8
  • City of Winnipeg cemetery records 6
  • Other Canadian records 8
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Jas Hedges

    Came to Ontario in 1870 aboard the Austrian, landing at Quebec, bound for Hamilton, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Frederick John Hedges

    Died 1949; buried at Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Frank John Hedges

    Died in service in 1917.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 22 records for Hedges in Canada.

Counts: Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

New Zealand13 records

13 records of the Hedges name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 12
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Catherine Mary Hedges

    Died 1964, aged 88; buried at Waimairi Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record A. Hedges

    New Zealand Infantry. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Allen Henry Hedges

    Died 1993, aged 69; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 13 records for Hedges in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

Germany2 records

2 records of the Hedges name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Georg Hedges

    From Altona. Reported missing in the Prussian casualty list of 28 November 1918; then reported taken prisoner in the list of 31 March 1919 (Landwehr Infantry Regiment No. 46).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Thomas Hedges

    From Altona. Reported dead in the Prussian casualty list of 18 February 1915 (Landwehr Infantry Regiment No. 85).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

Netherlands1 record

1 record of the Hedges name in the Netherlands Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Elfried Hedges

    Married in 1944 in Eindhoven.

    Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Hedges.

When the index is not enough

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