Show ContentsCoddyr History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Although Ireland already had an established system of hereditary surnames, the Strongbownians brought many of their own naming traditions to the island. There were, however, similarities between the two systems. The Strongbownians, like the Irish, frequently used patronymic surnames, a form of surname that was built from the name of the initial bearer's father, or another older relative. Norman patronymic names, because they were originally formed in French, were often created by the addition of a diminutive suffix to the given name, such as -ot, -et, -un, -in, or -el. Occasionally, two suffixes were combined to form a double diminutive, as in the combinations of -el-in, -el-ot, -in-ot, and -et-in. These Stronbownians also created patronymic names by the prefix Fitz-, which was derived from the French word fils, and ultimately from the Latin filius, which both mean son. This prefix probably originated in Flanders or Normandy, it has disappeared from France entirely but remains common in Ireland even today. The Strongbownian surname of Coddyr is derived from the popular Norse personal name Oitir. The Gaelic forms of the surname Coddyr are Mac Coitir and Mac Oitir.

Early Origins of the Coddyr family

The surname Coddyr was first found in Oxfordshire, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Coddyr family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Coddyr research. Another 168 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1273, 1630, 1689, 1705, 1720, 1754, 1763, 1831 and 1884 are included under the topic Early Coddyr History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Coddyr Spelling Variations

A single person's name was often spelt simply as it sounded by medieval scribes and church officials. An investigation into the specific origins the name Coddyr has revealed that such a practice has resulted in many spelling variations over the years. A few of its variants include: Cotter, Cotters, Cottar, Cottare, Cotteres, Cottares, Coitter and many more.

Early Notables of the Coddyr family

Notable amongst the family up to this time was Sir James Fitz Edmond Cotter (c.1630-1705) Irish soldier, colonial governor and the commander-in-chief of King James's forces, in the Irish Counties of Cork, Limerick, Tipperary and Kerry...
Another 36 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Coddyr Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Coddyr family

Ireland experienced a dramatic decrease in its population during the 19th century. This was in a great measure, a response to England's imperialistic policies. Hunger and disease took the lives of many Irish people and many more chose to leave their homeland to escape the horrific conditions. North America with its promise of work, freedom, and land was an extremely popular destination for Irish families. For those families that survived the journey, all three of these things were often attained through much hard work and perseverance. Research into early immigration and passenger lists revealed many immigrants bearing the name Coddyr: James Cotter who settled in Bay De Verde, Newfoundland, in 1783; John Cotter settled in Boston in 1764 with his wife Elizabeth; Edward Cotter settled in New York, with his wife and four children in 1823.



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