Show ContentsLadd History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain were the first to use the name of Ladd. The name had a practical origin since it came from when its initial bearer worked as a person who worked as a servant or a page. This surname was originally derived from the Old English word Ladde, an English occupational name for a servant. [1] [2] Conversely, another source claims that name was derived differently as "in Old English and Scotch, a lade means a canal or duct for water. " [3] In this latter scenario, the name would have been again an occupational name for one who works or lives near a canal.

Early Origins of the Ladd family

The surname Ladd was first found in Somerset where Godric Ladda was one of the first records of the name c. 1100. Later Richard Ladde was listed in Northumberland c. 1175 and Walter le Ladd was listed in Kent. [1] The Hundredorum Rolls of lists: Roger Ladde in Huntingdonshire and Thomas Ladde in Cambridgeshire. [2]

Early History of the Ladd family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ladd research. Another 38 words (3 lines of text) covering the year 1664 is included under the topic Early Ladd History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ladd 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 Ladd include Ladd, Ladde, Laddey, Ladds, Lade, Ladey, Laddy and others.

Early Notables of the Ladd family

Notables of the family at this time include

  • Ladd of Somerset

Ladd Ranking

In the United States, the name Ladd is the 1,928th most popular surname with an estimated 17,409 people with that name. [4]

Ireland Migration of the Ladd family to Ireland

Some of the Ladd 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.


United States Ladd migration to the United States +

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 Ladd or a variant listed above:

Ladd Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Daniel Ladd, who settled in Salem in 1633
  • Daniel Ladd, who landed in New England in 1634 aboard the ship "Mary & John", bound for Ipswich [5]
  • John Ladd, who settled in Virginia in 1653
  • Jon Ladd, who arrived in Virginia in 1653 [5]
  • Marrnaduke Ladd, who landed in Virginia in 1657 [5]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Ladd Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Edward Ladd, who landed in Virginia in 1711 [5]
Ladd Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • William F Ladd, who landed in New York, NY in 1844 [5]
  • Samuel S Ladd, who arrived in Mississippi in 1848 [5]

Australia Ladd migration to Australia +

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

Ladd Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. John Ladd, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Dromedary" on 11th September 1819, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) [6]
  • Mr. John Ladd, British convict who was convicted in Berkshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Asia" on 29th September 1831, settling in New South Wales, Australia [7]
  • Mr. William Ladd, British Convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Dudbrook" on 17th November 1852, arriving in Western Australia [8]
  • Lydia Ladd, aged 23, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Hyderabad" [9]
  • Mr. James Ladd, English convict who was convicted in Manchester, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Clara" on 28th January 1864, arriving in Western Australia, Australia [10]

New Zealand Ladd 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:

Ladd Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • John Ladd, aged 25, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Oriental" in 1840
  • Mr. John Ladd, (b. 1814), aged 25, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Oriental" arriving in Port Nicholson, Wellington, New Zealand on 31st January 1840 [11]
  • Eliza Ladd, aged 25, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Lloyds" in 1842
  • Ellen Ladd, aged 5, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Lloyds" in 1842
  • Ann Ladd, aged 4, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Lloyds" in 1842
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Ladd (post 1700) +

  • Jim Ladd (1948-2023), American disc jockey, radio producer and writer, host of Innerview, which aired weekly on over 160 stations nationwide for twelve years
  • Peter Linwood Ladd (1956-2023), American professional baseball pitcher
  • Alan Walbridge Ladd Jr. (1937-2022), American film industry executive and Academy Award winning producer, President of 20th Century Fox from 1976 to 1979 when he approved the production of Star Wars, son of Alan Ladd (1913-1964)
  • Christine Ladd (1847-1903), birth name of Christine Ladd-Franklin, an American psychologist, logician, and mathematician, remembered principally for her theory of color vision and famous for her work at John Hopkins, but was not awarded her PhD because she was a woman
  • Brigadier-General Jesse Amos Ladd (1887-1957), American Member of Army Ground Force Board No. 3 (1946-1947) [12]
  • Jordan Elizabeth Ladd (b. 1975), American actress
  • George Ladd (d. 1869), American Private in the Union Army, Medal of Honor recipient for his actions in the American Civil War
  • Donna Ladd (b. 1961), American investigative journalist
  • Diane Ladd (b. 1935), American actress, film director, producer, and author
  • Cheryl Ladd (b. 1951), American actress, singer, and author
  • ... (Another 8 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

HMS Hood
  • Mr. Charles J Ladd (b. 1920), English Stoker 2nd Class serving for the Royal Navy from West Ham, London, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking [13]
HMS Repulse
  • Mr. Clifford Frederick Ladd (b. 1903), English Chief Ordnance Artificer from Plymouth, England, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and died in the sinking [14]
RMS Lusitania
  • Mr. Owen Ladd, Canadian 2nd Class passenger from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking [15]


Suggested Readings for the name Ladd +

  • One Ladd's Family by Ruth Kline Ladd.

  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  3. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  4. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  5. 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)
  6. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/dromedary
  7. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 12th January 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1831
  8. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 23rd July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/dudbrook
  9. South Australian Register Wednesday 15th March 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Hyderabad 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/hyderabad1854.shtml
  10. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th February 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/clara
  11. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  12. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, April 2) Jesse Ladd. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Ladd/Jesse_Amos/USA.html
  13. H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
  14. HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
  15. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/


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