The
Norman Conquest of
England of 1066 added many new elements to the already vibrant culture. Among these were thousands of new names. The Hodinett name is derived from the Norman name
Odinet, from which the more commonly known
Odo is derived.
Early Origins of the Hodinett family
The surname Hodinett was first found in
Shropshire at Hodnet, a village and civil parish in the union of Drayton, in the
hundred of North Bradford. The first record of the place name was found in the
Domesday Book of 1086 where it was listed as Odenet.
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8) Apart from the aforementioned
patronymic origin, the place name could also mean "pleasant valley," from the
Welsh "hawdd" meaning "pleasant" or "peaceful" and "nant," a "glen or valley."
[2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Early History of the Hodinett family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hodinett research.
Another 239 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1116 and 1237 are included under the topic Early Hodinett History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Hodinett Spelling Variations
Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of
spelling variations. When the
Normans became the ruling people of
England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Hodenet, Hignett, Hignet, Hodnet, Hodnett, Hodenett, Hodinett, Hodinutt, Hodinut, Hodinott, Hodinot, Hoddenett, Hoddinet, Hoddinutt and many more.
Early Notables of the Hodinett family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Hodinett Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Hodinett family to Ireland
Some of the Hodinett family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 197 words (14 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Hodinett family to the New World and Oceana
For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in
England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Hodinett or a variant listed above were: Humphrey Hadnett, who sailed to Virginia in 1635; Elizabeth and James Hignett sailed to Maryland in 1666; John Hignett to Maryland in 1675; Francis Hadnett arrived in Boston Massachusetts in 1767.