Show ContentsOddey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Oddey is a name that came to England in the 11th century wave of migration that was set off by the Norman Conquest of 1066. Oddey is a name for a on a heath, or perhaps in Hoath, in Kent. 1 The place-name and the surname are derived from the Old English word hoth (with a long o), which means heath. The surname means "dweller at the heath," while the place-name means "place at the heath." Hoath was recorded as La Hathe at some point in the 13th century. 2

Early Origins of the Oddey family

The surname Oddey was first found in Sussex. "A hoad in the South means a heathy or rough ground. In Sussex many names of places which comprise the syllable hoth or heath have had it corrupted by the peasantry to hoad, and thus Hothly and Roeheath become Hoadly and Roehoad. " 3

Early feudal rolls provided the king of the time a method of cataloguing holdings for taxation, but today they provide a glimpse into the wide surname spellings in use at that time: John del Hoth was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1275 in Norfolk; and Simon atte Hothe was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1296 and also in the Assize Rolls for Kent in 1317. 2

Early History of the Oddey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Oddey research. Another 70 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1300, 1643, 1655, 1659, 1662, 1676, 1705, 1706, 1757 and 1761 are included under the topic Early Oddey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Oddey Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Oddey include Hoad, Hoath, O'Hode, Oade, Oades, Oadt, Odo and others.

Early Notables of the Oddey family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Samuel Hoadly (1643-1705), schoolmaster and writer of educational books, was born 30 Sept. 1643 at Guildford, New England, whither his parents had fled at the outbreak of the great rebellion. In 1655 his parents returned to Great Britain and settled in Edinburgh, where Samuel was educated, matriculating in...
Another 55 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Oddey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Oddey family to Ireland

Some of the Oddey family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 39 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Oddey migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Oddey Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century


The Oddey Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Veritas et patria
Motto Translation: Truth and faith.


  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)
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  4. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th February 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eliza


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