Rodewald History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Rodewald

What does the name Rodewald mean?

The Rodewald surname is a habitational name, taken on from any of various place names, such as Radway in Devon, Radway in Warwickshire, Rodway in Somerset, or Roadway in Devon. These place names are all from the Old English words "re-ad," meaning "red," and "waye," meaning "road." 1

Another source claims the name denotes "a descendant of the Anglo-Saxon personal name Rœdwíg = Fleet Warrior [Old English (h)rœd, swift + wíga, warrior]" 2

Early Origins of the Rodewald family

The surname Rodewald was first found in Somerset where Henry de Radeweie was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of 1205. Thomas de Radeweye was recorded at Roadway, Devon in the Feet of Fines for 1242. The same rolls listed Geoffrey de Radeweye in Reddaway, Devon in the same year. A very rare name, we must move to the 16th century to find the next entry for the family, that of Stephen Rodweye or Radwaye who as listed in Oxfordshire in 1581. 1

The Testa de Nevill, sive Liber Feodorum, temp. Henry III-Edward I listed Geoffrey de Radeweye, Devon and Thomas de Radeweye, Devon. 3

Back in Somerset, we found John de Radewaye and Henry de Radewaye, listed 1 Edward III (during the first year of the reign of King Edward III) 4

Early History of the Rodewald family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rodewald research. Another 65 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1385, 1525, 1581 and 1642 are included under the topic Early Rodewald History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rodewald Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Rodewald has undergone many spelling variations, including Radway, Rodway, Radaway, Rodaway, Reddaway, Roadway and many more.

Early Notables of the Rodewald family

More information is included under the topic Early Rodewald Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rodewald migration to the United States +

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Rodewald were among those contributors:

Rodewald Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johann Rodewald, who landed in America in 1780 5

Rodewald Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Albert Rodewald, who landed in Texas in 1845 5
Catharina Sophie Dorothea Rodewald, who arrived in America in 1850 5
Charles Rodewald, who landed in Schuyler County, Illinois in 1853 5
Heinrich Fr Rodewald, aged 28, who arrived in New York, NY in 1854 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Rodewald (post 1700) +

Richard Rodewald, American Republican politician, Candidate in primary for Kansas State Senate 2nd District, 2000 6

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Testa de Nevill or "Liber Feodorum" or "Book of Fees," thought to have been written by Ralph de Nevill, for King John (1199–1216)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 2) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html