Foaden History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Foaden

What does the name Foaden mean?

The name Foaden comes from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It was a name for a god of Anglo Saxon origin. The surname Foaden originally derived from the Old English word Odin, Fodin, or Voden. which referred to an ancient pagan god of the Saxons. Often nicknames described strong traits or attributes that people wished to emulate in a specific animal. In the pre-Christian era, many pagan gods and demigods were believed to be a mixture of animals and humans, such as the Greek god Pan who was the god of flocks and herds and was represented as a man with the legs, horns and ears of a goat.

Early Origins of the Foaden family

The surname Foaden was first found in Sussex where two early entries of the family were found: Thomas Foydn in 1296 and John Fodyn in 1327. Both were recorded in the Subsidy Rolls. 1

While these previous entries are the oldest, we must look to Cheshire as the stronghold for the family. Here they established Foden, now Foden Bank "in the township of Sutton, parish of Prestbury, Cheshire. This surname is well represented in Cheshire and Lancashire." 2

Early History of the Foaden family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Foaden research. Another 133 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1563, 1568, 1592 and 1613 are included under the topic Early Foaden History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Foaden Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Foaden has undergone many spelling variations, including Foden, Fodon, Vodden, Voden and others.

Early Notables of the Foaden family

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

Migration of the Foaden family

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Foaden were among those contributors: Richard Foden who settled in Maryland in 1726.

Sources +

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)