Fodden History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Fodden

What does the name Fodden mean?

Fodden is a name whose history dates far back into the mists of early British times to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes. It is a name for a god of Anglo Saxon origin. The surname Fodden 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 Fodden family

The surname Fodden 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 Fodden family

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

Fodden Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Fodden has been recorded under many different variations, including Foden, Fodon, Vodden, Voden and others.

Early Notables of the Fodden family

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

Migration of the Fodden family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Fodden or a variant listed above: 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)