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The Welsh name Theodore comes from the personal name Tudur, an ancient Celtic name of unknown meaning. It is thought that the name, especially the form Tewdwr, may have also emerged as a Welsh version of the Latin Theodorus.
The surname Theodore was first found in Herefordshire, where Tudor Trevor was Lord of Hereford, Whittington, and both Maelors. He was founder of the Tribe of the Marches, born in Denbigh, son of Ynyr Ap Cadforch, whose descendants intermarried with the distinguished families of North Wales.
Theodore (602?-690), was Archbishop of Canterbury, a native of Tarsus in Cilicia. "He studied at Athens, had a scholarly knowledge of Greek and Latin, and was well versed in sacred and profane literature and in philosophy, which caused him to receive the surname 'Philosopher.' At the time of Theodore's arrival the English church lacked order, administrative organisation, discipline, and culture. " 1
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Theodore research. Another 82 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1400, 1401, 1406, 1411, 1485, 1486, 1499, 1500, 1502 and 1503 are included under the topic Early Theodore History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Welsh surnames are relatively few in number, but they have an inordinately large number of spelling variations. There are many factors that explain the preponderance of Welsh variants, but the earliest is found during the Middle Ages when Welsh surnames came into use. Scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, which often resulted in a single person's name being inconsistently recorded over his lifetime. The transliteration of Welsh names into English also accounts for many of the spelling variations: the unique Brythonic Celtic language of the Welsh had many sounds the English language was incapable of accurately reproducing. It was also common for members of a same surname to change their names slightly, in order to signify a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations. For all of these reasons, the many spelling variations of particular Welsh names are very important. The surname Theodore has occasionally been spelled Tudor, Tudyr Tuder, Tudar and others.
Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was Maredydd ap Tudur (Meredith Tudor) (died 1406), Welsh soldier and nobleman from the Tudor family of Penmynydd and Owen Tudor's father, supported the 1400 Welsh uprising of his first cousin Owain Glyndwr, following the demise of Glyndwr's revolt, much of the Tudor family's lands at Penmynydd and elsewhere were forfeited to the English Crown; Rhys ap Tudur (died 1411), a Welsh nobleman and a key figure in the revolt of Owain Glyndwr, held the offices of sheriff and escheator of Anglesey as well as the Forester of Snowdon, outbreak of the...
Another 162 words (12 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Theodore Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
In the United States, the name Theodore is the 9,078th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2 However, in France, the name Theodore is ranked the 7,941st most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 3
The Welsh migration to North America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries contributed greatly to its rapid development. These migrants were in search of land, work, and freedom. Those Welsh families that survived the long ocean journey were critical to the development of new industries and factories, and to the quick settlement of land. They also added to an ever-growing rich cultural heritage. A search of the immigration and passenger lists has shown a number of people bearing the name Theodore:
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: