Roud History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Wales
Ireland

Etymology of Roud

What does the name Roud mean?

The surname Roud is derived from the Old English root "rud-," a component in the words "rudig," which means "ruddy," and "ruddoc," which means "red-breast." The surname was originally a nickname for a ruddy complexioned or red-haired person, or perhaps for someone who habitually wore the color red. The surname Roud may also be a local name derived from residence "at the rood;" that is, residence near a crossroads.

Early Origins of the Roud family

The surname Roud was first found in Carmarthenshire (Welsh: Sir Gaerfyrddin), located in Southwest Wales, one of thirteen historic counties and presently one of the principal area in Wales, 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 Roud family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Roud research. Another 130 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1674, 1757 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Roud History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Roud Spelling Variations

Welsh surnames are relatively few in number, but they have an inordinately large number of spelling variations. There are many factors that explain the preponderance of Welsh variants, but the earliest is found during the Middle Ages when Welsh surnames came into use. Scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, which often resulted in a single person's name being inconsistently recorded over his lifetime. The transliteration of Welsh names into English also accounts for many of the spelling variations: the unique Brythonic Celtic language of the Welsh had many sounds the English language was incapable of accurately reproducing. It was also common for members of a same surname to change their names slightly, in order to signify a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations. For all of these reasons, the many spelling variations of particular Welsh names are very important. The surname Roud has occasionally been spelled Rudd, Wrudd, Rutt, Rud, Rut, Roud, Routt, Ruttle and others.

Early Notables of the Roud family

Another 36 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Roud Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Roud family to Ireland

Some of the Roud family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 93 words (7 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 Roud family

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many people from Wales joined the general migration to North America in search of land, work, and freedom. These immigrants greatly contributed to the rapid development of the new nations of Canada and the United States. They also added a rich and lasting cultural heritage to their newly adopted societies. Investigation of immigration and passenger lists has revealed a number of people bearing the name Roud: John and Abraham Rudd, who settled in Virginia in 1698; Elizabeth Rudd settled in Delaware in 1682; Amos, Isaac, Michael, Richard, Thomas and William Rudd all arrived in Philadelphia between 1775 and 1850..