Hoddel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Etymology of Hoddel

What does the name Hoddel mean?

The ancestors of the bearers of the Hoddel family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found in Odell, or Woodhill, which were in Bedsfordshire. The surname Hoddel comes from the Old English words wad, and hyll, which mean woad (a plant collected for the blue dye produced by its leaves), and hill.

Early Origins of the Hoddel family

The surname Hoddel was first found in Bedfordshire (Old English: Bedanfordscir), located in Southeast-central England, formerly part of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the Hoddel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hoddel research. Another 82 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hoddel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hoddel Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Hoddel include Odell, O'Dell, Odehull, Wodehull, Wodhull and others.

Early Notables of the Hoddel family

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

Migration of the Hoddel family to Ireland

Some of the Hoddel family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hoddel family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Hoddel or a variant listed above: William Odell, who came to New England in 1630; Henry Odell, who arrived in Virginia in 1654; as well as Elizabeth Odell and her husband, who settled in Boston in 1820..