Dadswell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Dadswell is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived in a region called Doda's well or spring. The surname Dadswell is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. Habitation names form the other broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Other local names are derived from the names of houses, manors, estates, regions, and entire counties. As a general rule, the greater the distance between an individual and their homeland, the larger the territory they were named after. For example, a person who only moved to another parish would be known by the name of their original village, while people who migrated to a different country were often known by the name of a region or country from which they came.

Early Origins of the Dadswell family

The surname Dadswell was first found in Gloucestershire at Dowdeswell, an ancient Saxon village that dates back to the 8th century when it was known as Gogodeswellan. By the time of the Domesday Book of 1086, it was known as Dodesuuelle. 1 The place name literally means "spring or stream of a man called Dogod," from the Old English personal name + "wella." 2

The first record of the family was found here when William de Dowdeswelle was listed as a Knights Templar in 1185. 3 Years later, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed William de Doudeswell, Oxfordshire and Robert de Doudeswell, Gloucestershire. 4

Early History of the Dadswell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dadswell research. Another 45 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1601, 1641, 1648, 1660, 1673, 1678, 1682, 1683, 1711, 1712, 1722, 1728 and 1784 are included under the topic Early Dadswell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dadswell Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Dadswell are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. 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. The variations of the name Dadswell include: Dodswell, Dodwell, Dodswall, Dodwall and others.

Early Notables of the Dadswell family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Richard Dowdeswell (1601-1673), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1660, an active Royalist in the...
Another 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dadswell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Dadswell family to Ireland

Some of the Dadswell family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 138 words (10 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dadswell migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Dadswell or a variant listed above:

Dadswell Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Emily Dadswell, aged 43, who settled in America, in 1907
Thomas Dadswell, aged 19, who immigrated to the United States from South Huelds, England, in 1907
Wm. Chas. Dadswell, aged 23, who landed in America from Uxbredge, in 1907
M. Dadswell, aged 25, who settled in America, in 1922
George Dadswell, aged 37, who landed in America, in 1923

Dadswell migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Dadswell Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

Gilbert Dadswell, aged 43, who settled in Montreal, Canada, in 1918

Contemporary Notables of the name Dadswell (post 1700) +

Andy Dadswell, English General Manager of The Blackburn Buccaneers, Blackburn, England
Doug Dadswell (b. 1967), Canadian retired former professional NHL ice hockey goaltender who played for the Calgary Flames (1986 to 1988)

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)