The ancient
Anglo-Saxon surname Doodson came from Dodd or Dodda. They were Old English personal names common in
England from
Lincolnshire on south. The name Doodson denotes "son of Dodd or Dodda."
Early Origins of the Doodson family
The surname Doodson was first found in
Worcestershire where they held a
family seat from very ancient times. Alternatively, the family could have originated in Dutson, a hamlet northeast of Launceston in Cornwall.
Early History of the Doodson family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Doodson research.
Another 148 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1066 and 1379 are included under the topic Early Doodson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Doodson Spelling Variations
Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore,
spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Doodson family name include Dodson, Dodshon, Doddson, Doddshon, Doddsaun, Dodsaun, Dodsen, Dodsin, Doddsen, Doddsin, Dodsine, Doddsan and many more.
Early Notables of the Doodson family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Doodson Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Doodson family to the New World and Oceana
For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for
Ireland, the Canadas, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Doodson surname or a spelling variation of the name include: Benjamin Dodson settled in Virginia in 1635; Edward Dodson settled in St. Christopher in 1635; George Dodson settled in Barbados in 1678; with his wife Elizabeth, and son George.
Contemporary Notables of the name Doodson (post 1700)
- Dr. Arthur Thomas Doodson (1890-1968), British oceanographer, Fellow of the Royal Society (1933)
- Peta Doodson (b. 1955), Australian television actress
The Doodson 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: Virtus semper eadam
Motto Translation: Virtue is always the same.
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