The Abdon surname is thought to be derived from one of several place names in West
Yorkshire. The place names come from the Old English "heope," or "(rose) hip," and "denu," which meant "valley."
Early Origins of the Abdon family
The surname Abdon was first found in
Yorkshire where they held a
family seat from early times. In 1120 the manor of Hebden was granted by Roger de Mowbray to Uctred de Hebden, who was a descendant of Uctred, Earl of Northumberland.
Early History of the Abdon family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Abdon research.
Another 295 words (21 lines of text) covering the years 1220, 1612 and 1670 are included under the topic Early Abdon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Abdon 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 Abdon include Hebden, Hebdon, Heberden, Hepden, Habton, Habdon, Hibdon, Hibden, Ebdon and many more.
Early Notables of the Abdon family (pre 1700)
Another 43 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Abdon Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Abdon family to the New World and Oceana
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 Abdon or a variant listed above: John Ebden who settled in Barbados in 1670; Thomas Ebdon settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1716; Thomas Hebden settled in Virginia in 1634; John Hebden settled in Virginia in 1651..
Contemporary Notables of the name Abdon (post 1700)
- Abdon Alinovi (1923-2018), Italian politician, Member of the Chamber of Deputies (1976-1992)
The Abdon 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: Re e merito
Motto Translation: This through merit.