Cadwall History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland
England

Etymology of Cadwall

What does the name Cadwall mean?

The annals of Scottish history reveal that Cadwall was first used as a name by ancestors of the Pictish tribe of ancient Scotland. The Cadwall family lived at or near the wooded stream derived from the Gaelic word coillie, a wood and dur which means stream.

Early Origins of the Cadwall family

The surname Cadwall was first found in Banffshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Bhanbh), former Scottish county located in the northeasterly Grampian region of Scotland, now of divided between the Council Areas of Moray and Aberdeenshire.

One source notes, "the northern Cawdors were disguised as Cadells and de Cadella even in old Scots chroniclers, and they have kept that variety permanently in the South. " 1

Further to the south in England, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed: Cristina Caudel, Cambridgeshire; William Caudel, Cambridgeshire; and (Prior) de Caudewelle, Bedfordshire. 2

"Cadel was a surname in Oxfordshire and Sussex at the close of the 13th century." 3

Cadell (d. 909), was "King of Ceredigion and afterwards of Powys, one of the six warlike sons of Rhodri Mawr, the most powerful of the early Welsh kings. He was Rhodri's eldest son, and received as his patrimony Ceredigion, with the palace at Dinevwr, and an overlordship over his other brothers. " 4

Cadell (d. 943), was a Welsh prince, the son of Arthvael, who was the son of Hywel. Cadell (d. 1175), was a South Welsh prince, the son of Gruffudd, the son of Rhys, the son of Tewdwr. 4

Early History of the Cadwall family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cadwall research. Another 179 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1530, 1536, 1558 and 1600 are included under the topic Early Cadwall History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cadwall Spelling Variations

Before the first dictionaries appeared in the last few hundred years, scribes spelled according to sound. spelling variations are common among Scottish names. Cadwall has been spelled Cadell, Caddell, Cadel, Cadwell and others.

Early Notables of the Cadwall family

More information is included under the topic Early Cadwall Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Cadwall family to Ireland

Some of the Cadwall family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Cadwall family

In those unstable times, many had no choice but to leave their beloved homelands. Sickness and poverty hounded travelers to North America, but those who made it were welcomed with land and opportunity. These settlers gave the young nations of Canada and the United States a strong backbone as they stood up for their beliefs as United Empire Loyalists and in the American War of Independence. In this century, the ancestors of these brave Scots have begun to recover their illustrious heritage through Clan societies and other heritage organizations. Early passenger and immigration lists reveal many Scottish settlers bearing the name Cadwall: John Cadell who settled in Barbados in 1654; another John arrived in New York in 1774; Elizabeth Cadell arrived in New England in 1767; Albert Cadwell, aged 36, who arrived at Ellis Island, in 1921.

The Cadwall 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: Vigilantia non cadet
Motto Translation: Vigilance will not miscarry.

Sources +

Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print