Niddrie History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
England

The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 brought much change to the island nation, including many immigrants with new names. Among these immigrants were the ancestors of the Niddrie family, who lived in Midlothian, Scotland. Today, Niddrie is a suburb of south east Edinburgh, Scotland and an electoral district near Melbourne, Australia.

Early Origins of the Niddrie family

The surname Niddrie was first found in Midlothian where they held a family seat in the lands of Niddry in the parish of Libberton. Alexander of Niddrie (Nodref) was the first on record, he is believed to be the son of the first settler who moved north in the train of the Earl of Huntingdon, later to be David, King of Scotland, and these many Normans were granted lands by the King. Niddry Castle is a fourteenth-century tower house near Winchburgh, West Lothian, Scotland. Mary, Queen of Scots stayed there on the 2nd of May in 1568, after her escape from captivity in Loch Leven Castle.

Early History of the Niddrie family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Niddrie research. Another 158 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1364, 1426, 1446, 1450, 1519 and 1539 are included under the topic Early Niddrie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Niddrie Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Niddrie family name include Niddry, Niddrie, Niddray, Niddrey, Nidderey, Nudre, Nudrey, Nudry, Nudrie, Nuddre, Nuddrey, Nuddry, Nudery, Nidry, Nidrie, Nidray, Nidrey, Nideray and many more.

Early Notables of the Niddrie family

Notable among the family at this time was

David Niddrie, Chief of the family

Niddrie migration to Canada +

To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Niddrie family to immigrate North America:

Niddrie Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

John Niddrie (b. 1863 in the Scottish Highlands), came twice to Canada, first in 1876 and again in 1885, where he was a teacher and missionary, ordained in 1915

Niddrie migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Niddrie Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Grathwaite Niddrie, who arrived in Victoria, Australia aboard the ship "Brightman" in 1853
James Niddrie, who arrived in Victoria, Australia aboard the ship "Brightman" in 1853
Francis Niddrie, who arrived in Victoria, Australia aboard the ship "Commodore Perry" in 1861

Niddrie migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Niddrie Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

William Low Niddrie, aged 49, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Eveline" in 1865 1
Eliza Niddrie, aged 31, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Eveline" in 1865 1
Mary Ann Niddrie, aged 12, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Eveline" in 1865 1
Roseanne Niddrie, aged 7, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Eveline" in 1865 1
Arthur Niddrie, aged 4, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Eveline" in 1865 1
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Niddrie (post 1700) +

John W. Niddrie (1863-1940), Scottish-born pioneer and missionary in Canada; his memoirs were collected in a book entitled "Niddrie of the North-West"
Frederick James Niddrie (1889-1958), Canadian farmer and politician, member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta (1950 to 1958)
David Niddrie, Canadian photographer

Citations +

New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 4th November 2011). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html