Show ContentsHoddye History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Hoddye family

The surname Hoddye was first found in the parish of Creed in Cornwall where "Pennans or Pennance, a name supposed to have been imposed as a commutation for sins, which the term seems to imply, belonged formerly to the family of Huddy; by them it was sold to Mr. Thomas Lower, brother of the famous Dr. Lower." 1

"Nethway, [Torquay, Devon] at one time belonged to Sir John Hody, Chief Justice of the King's Bench 1440, and the family continued to live there until 1696. Sir William Hody was Lord Chief Baron in 1487." 2

Early History of the Hoddye family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hoddye research. Another 153 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1046, 1092, 1153, 1425, 1436, 1441, 1451, 1455, 1487, 1510, 1522, 1539, 1600, 1659, 1675, 1677, 1679, 1682, 1685, 1689, 1692 and 1707 are included under the topic Early Hoddye History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hoddye Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Hoddye include Huddy, Hoddy, Hoddye, Huddye, Huddey, Hoddey, Hudy, Hody, Hodey and many more.

Early Notables of the Hoddye family

Distinguished members of the family include Sir John Hody (d. 1441), Chief Justice of the King's Bench, of an old Devonshire family, "son of Thomas Hody, lord of the manor of Kington Magna, near Shaftesbury, Dorset, and king's escheator there under Henry V, by Margaret, daughter of John Cole of Nitheway, Torbay. From 1425 his name often occurs in the year-books, and he must have become a serjeant-at-law before 1436, for in that year he contributed as a serjeant to the equipment...
Another 81 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hoddye Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hoddye family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Hoddye or a variant listed above: the name represented in many forms and recorded from the mid 17th century in the great migration from Europe. Migrants settled in the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland, to Maine, to Virginia, the Carolinas, and to the islands..



  1. Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
  2. Worth, R.N., A History of Devonshire London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.G., 1895. Digital


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