Show ContentsPudge History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Pudge

What does the name Pudge mean?

The Welsh name Pudge is a patronymic surname created from the Welsh personal name Hugh. The original Welsh form of this forename was Huw, but the English form of the name was adopted by the upper-class Welsh during the 17th century. The surname Pudge was originally ap-Hugh: the distinctive Welsh patronymic prefix "ap," means "son of," but the prefix has been assimilated into the surname over the course of time.

Early Origins of the Pudge family

The surname Pudge was first found in Montgomeryshire (Welsh: Sir Drefaldwyn), located in mid-Eastern Wales, one of thirteen historic counties, and anciently the medieval kingdom of Powys Wenwynwyn, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Pudge family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pudge research. Another 75 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1609, 1610, 1656, 1678, 1679, 1686, 1709, 1718, 1721, 1758, 1760, 1765, 1766 and 1788 are included under the topic Early Pudge History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pudge Spelling Variations

There are relatively few surnames native to Wales, but they have an inordinately large number of spelling variations. Early variations of Welsh surnames can be explained by the fact that very few people in the early Middle Ages were literate. Priests and the few other literate people were responsible for recording names in official documents. And because most people could not specific how to properly record their names it was up to the individual recorder of that time to determine how a spoken name should be recorded. Variations due to the imprecise or improper recording of a name continued later in history when names originally composed in the Brythonic Celtic, language of Wales, known by natives as Cymraeg, were transliterated into English. Welsh names that were documented in English often changed dramatically since the native language of Wales, which was highly inflected, did not copy well. Occasionally, however, spelling variations were carried out according to an individual's specific design: a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations could be indicated by minor variations. The spelling variations of the name Pudge have included Pugh, Pew and others.

Early Notables of the Pudge family

Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was Robert Pugh (1610-1679), a Welsh Jesuit priest and controversialist. Ellis Pugh (1656-1718) was a Welsh Quaker, born in the parish of Dolgelly in June 1656. In 1686 he and his family sailed for the Quaker settlement in Pennsylvania. They had a stormy passage, and were detained for six months at Barbados. In 1721 there was published at Philadelphia a tract by him entitled "Annerch i'r Cymry" ("Address to the Welsh People"), which was probably the first Welsh book printed...
Another 89 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Pudge Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Pudge family to Ireland

Some of the Pudge family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Pudge family

North America in the 1800s and 1900s saw the arrival of many Welsh people hoping to share in the wealth of land, work, and freedom that they felt North America held. Those who made the journey often attained those expectations, but only through an enormous amount of hard work, perseverance, and often a bout of good luck. These immigrants helped contribute to the growth of industry, commerce, and culture of both Canada and the United States. Discovered in the immigration and passenger lists were a number of people bearing the name Pudge: James Pugh settled in Virginia in 1654; Anne Pugh settled with her husband in Virginia in 1701; Mary and Sarah Pugh arrived in Virginia in 1741; David Pugh arrived in Virginia in 1608.



The Pudge Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Sic itur ad astra
Motto Translation: Such is the way to immortality.


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