Show ContentsCodington History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The present generation of the Codington family is only the most recent to bear a name that dates back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. Their name comes from having lived in the town of Coddington, Cheshire. Although there are locations of the same name in Nottingham and Herefordshire, the Cheshire branch of the family is thought to be the source of most, if not all, cases of the name.

Early Origins of the Codington family

The surname Codington was first found in Cheshire at Coddington, a civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West. The place name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 where it was listed as Cotintone. Coddington is also located in Nottinghamshire (a village), Derbyshire (home of two farms) and Herefordshire (a tiny hamlet.) The Domesday Book lists Cotintone in Nottinghamshire and Cotingtune in Herefordshire. 1 The place name literally means "estate associated with a man called Cot(t)a," from the Old English personal names + "ing" + "tun." 2

Early History of the Codington family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Codington research. Another 64 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1601, 1630, 1651, 1678, 1689 and 1797 are included under the topic Early Codington History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Codington Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Codington include Coddington, Codington and others.

Early Notables of the Codington family

Notables of the family at this time include William Coddington High Sheriff of Dublin. William Coddington (1601-1678) was founder and 1st Governor of Rhode Island, United States. He was a native of Lincolnshire and was chosen in England to be an 'assistant' or magistrate to the colony at Massachusetts Bay. Arriving at Salem 12 June 1630, along with...
Another 56 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Codington Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Codington family to Ireland

Some of the Codington family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 66 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Codington migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Codington were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records:

Codington Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John Codington, aged 37, who landed in South Carolina in 1840 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Codington (post 1700) +

  • William R. Codington, American politician, Member of New Jersey State House of Assembly from Union County, 1896-97 4
  • George S. S. Codington, American politician, Member of Dakota Territorial House of Representatives, 1877-78 4


The Codington 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: Nec metuas nec optes
Motto Translation: Neither fear nor wish.


  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  3. 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)
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 4) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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