Show ContentsNudding History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Nudding is an ancient Anglo-Saxon surname that came from Cnute, a popular name in England in the early Middle Ages. It was popular thanks to the influence of Cnut, a Dane, who became King of England in 1016. "There are two Cnuts in Domesday, one in Yorkshire, the other in Derbyshire." 1

Alternatively, it may be of nickname origin, from the Old English word hnutu, which meant brown, and would have been given to someone with a brown complexion. It may be that this is the origin of the English saying "Brown as a nut," used for someone who has spent a lot of time in the sun.

Early Origins of the Nudding family

The surname Nudding was first found in Gloucestershire where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the Nudding family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Nudding research. Another 86 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1550, 1576, 1577, 1600, 1605, 1612, 1620, 1623, 1640, 1653, 1656, 1660, 1668, 1716, 1722 and 1987 are included under the topic Early Nudding History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Nudding 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. Nudding has been recorded under many different variations, including Nutt, Nudd, Nutting, Knutt, Nuttman, Nutter and others.

Early Notables of the Nudding family

Distinguished members of the family include John Nutt (1605-1668), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 to 1653; and John Nutt (fl. 1620-1623), English pirate born in Devon who raided the Newfoundland and western England for three years before his capture by Sir John Eliot in 1623. His arrest and conviction caused a scandal in the English court as Nutt had paid Eliot £500 in exchange for a pardon. He was eventually released by the Secretary of State George Calvert. He arrived at Torbay Newfoundland in 1620 aboard the ship Dartmouth in 1620, but soon organized...
Another 204 words (15 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Nudding Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Nudding family to Ireland

Some of the Nudding family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 31 words (2 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 Nudding 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 Nudding or a variant listed above: James Nutt and his wife Rebecca settled with their three children in New York in 1739; Thomas and William Nudd settled in Barbados in 1663; William Nutt settled in Virginia in 1636.



  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)


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