Edden History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany
Ireland

Of all the Anglo-Saxon names to come from Britain, Edden is one of the most ancient. The name is a result of the original family having lived in the region of Eden in Durham. "Though the pedigree is not traced higher than the year 1413, there is no reason to doubt that the name is local and derived from either Castle Eden or Little Eden in the county of Durham, where, as Mr. Courthope asserts, the family were resident for several generations prior to the close of the XIV. century." 1

The source Norman People, pushes back earlier: "William de Torp or Torpes and his fief in Normandy are mentioned 1180 (Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae), he granted part of his lordship of Eden, Durham, to the Church of Durham before 1180. His descendant, Eustace de Eden, granted part of Eden to the same church 1318. Eustace and Utred de Edene were witnesses to the charter of William de Torp of Eden, being probably his younger brothers. The family appears to have always remained seated in Durham." 2

Early Origins of the Edden family

The surname Edden was first found in Suffolk. Hellaby Hall in Stainton, in the West Riding of Yorkshire was an ancient mansion on the property of Sir R. J. Eden, but is now a farmhouse. 3

Some of the family have recently branched to Windleston in Durham. "It comprises by computation 1250 acres, and has been long the property of the Eden family, of whom Sir Robert Johnson Eden, Bart., rebuilt Windleston Hall about twenty years since [(1860s.)] " 3

West Auckland in Durham also had some early records of the family. "The place gives the title of Baron to the family of Eden, who formerly resided here: the estates now belong to Sir R. J. Eden, Bart." 3

Let's take a moment to turn back the pages of time for this family and explore some of the early rolls. In Oxfordshire, we found Tomas filius Edon listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1203; Edon le Poleter in the Feet of Fines for Suffolk in 1270; Roger Edun in the Subsidy Rolls for Cambridgeshire in 1327; and Stephen Edoun in the Subsidy Rolls for Suffolk in 1327. In Northumberland, Nicholas de Edune was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1178 and William de Eden was listed in the Assize Rolls for 1256. 4

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 includes: Nicholas filius Edon, Norfolk; Roger filius Edon, Norfolk; Nel filius Edine, Oxfordshire; and Henry Edon, Oxfordshire. 5

Early History of the Edden family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Edden research. Another 92 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1270, 1521, 1535, 1544, 1546, 1576 and 1645 are included under the topic Early Edden History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Edden Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Edden has been spelled many different ways, including Eden, Edin, Edden, Edens and others.

Early Notables of the Edden family

Distinguished members of the family include Richard Eden (1521?-1576), English translator, born in Herefordshire about 1521, and studied at Queens' College, Cambridge, 1535-1544, under Sir Thomas Smith; he held...
Another 28 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Edden Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Edden family to Ireland

Some of the Edden 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.

Edden migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Eddens to arrive in North America:

Edden Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Edden, who arrived in Virginia in 1642 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Edden (post 1700) +

Albert J. Edden, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Florida, 1996, 2000 7
Alan Edden Huckle (b. 1948), British colonial administrator, Commissioner of the British Indian Ocean Territory and the British Antarctic (2001-2004), Governor of the Falkland Islands (2006-)
Edden Hammons (1876-1955), American fiddler from West Virginia

The Edden 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: Si sit prudentia
Motto Translation: If there be prudence.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
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)
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 28) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html