Hood Family History

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.