Show ContentsPaddan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Paddan is one of the thousands of new names that the Norman Conquest brought to England in 1066. The Paddan family lived in Essex. The name, however, is a reference to Patin, Normandy, the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

Early Origins of the Paddan family

The surname Paddan was first found in Essex, where Richard Patten, son and heir of Richard Patten was of Patine, or Patten, near Chelmsford in 1119. 1 The Pattens of Bank Hill, county Lancaster claim lineal descent from this family. 2 Later some of the family became well established at Wainfleet in Lincolnshire. "A free grammar school was founded in 1424, by William Patten, generally known as William of Waynflete, Bishop of Winchester, lord high chancellor of England in the reign of Henry VI., and founder of Magdalen College, Oxford." 3

Early History of the Paddan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Paddan research. Another 143 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1376, 1395, 1398, 1447, 1456, 1460, 1486, 1536, 1548, 1580, 1630, 1635, 1666, 1714 and 1790 are included under the topic Early Paddan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Paddan Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Paddan are characterized by many spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Paddan include Patten, Paten and others.

Early Notables of the Paddan family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was William Paten or Pattyn (d. 1486), Bishop of Winchester. His son, William of Wainfleet (1395-1486) was Bishop of Winchester, Lord Chancellor of England, and founder of Magdalen College, Oxford. William Patten (fl. 1548-1580) was historian and teller of the exchequer, was eldest son and third child of Richard Patten (d. 1536), a clothworker of London. His father was a son of Richard Patten of Boslow, Derbyshire...
Another 73 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Paddan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Paddan migration to the United States +

Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Paddan, or a variant listed above:

Paddan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Patrick Paddan, who arrived in Iowa in 1879 4


The Paddan 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: Nulla pallescere culpa
Motto Translation: To turn pale from no crime.


  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  4. 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)


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