Dodd History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  Wales 
  Ireland 


The surname Dodd is a Welsh name of old Celtic origin. The surname is from one of the various related Old English personal names Dodd, Dodda, Dudd, or Dudda, which were all in common use until the 14th century "from Lincolnshire to Devonshire and from Essex to Lancashire." 1 2 3 4

Early Origins of the Dodd family

The surname Dodd was first found in Worcestershire where the Latin form Brictricus filius Doddi was registered as holding lands in the Domesday Book of 1086. 5 The Domesday also includes an entry for Aluric Dodd in Dorset. Balterus filius Dudde, Walterus Dudde were both Old English Bynames in Worcestershire in the 11th century. Ælfweard Dudd was listed as another Old English Byname in Hampshire c. 1030. 1

As a forename Dodde de Lismanoch was found in the Pipe Rolls for Devon in 1194. Æluric Doddes was recorded in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk c. 1095. Johannes filius Dode was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Lancashire in 1332. 1

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 proved the widespread use of the name in many counties at that time: Benedict Dod, Northamptonshire; Peter Dod, Oxfordshire; Richard Dod, Cambridgeshire; and William Dod, Salop (Shropshire.) 4

George Ormerod (1785-1873) wrote the following about the family: "About the time of Henry II., Hova, son of Cadwgan Dot, married the daughter and heiress of the Lord of Edge, with whom he had the fourth of that manor. It is probable that the Lord of Edge was son of Edwin, who before the Conquest was sole proprietor of eight manors; we may call him a Saxon thane. It appears by Domesday that Dot was the Saxon lord of sixteen manors, from which all of which he was ejected; we may presume he was identical with Cadwgan Dot."

Early History of the Dodd family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dodd research. Another 114 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1549, 1550, 1630, 1645, 1652, 1664, 1665, 1671, 1672, 1683, 1693, 1716, 1717, 1719, 1729, 1743, 1754, 1777 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Dodd History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dodd Spelling Variations

There are relatively few surnames native to Wales, but they have an inordinately large number of spelling variations. Early variations of Welsh surnames can be explained by the fact that very few people in the early Middle Ages were literate. Priests and the few other literate people were responsible for recording names in official documents. And because most people could not specific how to properly record their names it was up to the individual recorder of that time to determine how a spoken name should be recorded. Variations due to the imprecise or improper recording of a name continued later in history when names originally composed in the Brythonic Celtic, language of Wales, known by natives as Cymraeg, were transliterated into English. Welsh names that were documented in English often changed dramatically since the native language of Wales, which was highly inflected, did not copy well. Occasionally, however, spelling variations were carried out according to an individual's specific design: a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations could be indicated by minor variations. The spelling variations of the name Dodd have included Dodd, Dod, Dot, Dodds, Dods and others.

Early Notables of the Dodd family

Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was

Dodd World Ranking

In the United States, the name Dodd is the 1,064th most popular surname with an estimated 27,357 people with that name. 7 However, in Australia, the name Dodd is ranked the 516th most popular surname with an estimated 7,417 people with that name. 8 And in New Zealand, the name Dodd is the 584th popular surname with an estimated 1,223 people with that name. 9 The United Kingdom ranks Dodd as 391st with 16,529 people. 10

Migration of the Dodd family to Ireland

Some of the Dodd family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 73 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Dodd migration to the United States +

During the latter half of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, the people of Wales journeyed to North America to find a new life. They made major contributions to the arts, industry and commerce of both Canada and the United States, and added a rich cultural heritage to their newly adopted societies. A look at the immigration and passenger lists has shown a number of people bearing the name Dodd:

Dodd Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Dodd Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Dodd Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Dodd migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Dodd Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Dodd migration to Australia +

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

Dodd Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Dodd 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:

Dodd Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Dodd migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 18
Dodd Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Dodd (post 1700) +


The Dodd 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: In copia cautus
Motto Translation: Careful amid plenty.


Suggested Readings for the name Dodd +
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