Puddy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Puddy was first found in Yorkshire where they held a family seat at Pudsey in the West Riding of that county. Pudsey is about six miles from the city of Leeds. 2

In 1086 Ilbert de Lacy held the lands, village and manor of Pudsey. One of the first of the name to be recorded was Hugh de Pudsey, Bishop of Durham who lived from c. 1125 to 1195. He was probably the son of that Hugh de Puiset, viscount of Chartres, who was for many years the opponent of Louis VI of France. He is thought to have emigrated to England under the protection of his uncle, Henry of Blois, Bishop of Winchester, who made him his archdeacon. 3

Hugh de Puteaco, Pusaz, or De Pudsey, was elected Prince-Bishop of Durham in 1153. "No author has told us of the place of his birth, or the name of his father: we only know that he was a nephew of King Stephen, and of the Bishop of Winchester, and at that time Treasurer of York. Nevertheless, as the Archbishop had not been consulted in the election, both he and the monks who had chosen him were forced to submit to a sound whipping, standing with bare backs in the church at Beverley."1 A little later, William de Pusaz was Bishop of Durham in 1189. 4

The Pudseys were very numerous in the county of York, where they gave their name to Burton Pudsey (Pidsey), and were seated at Settle, Northam, Barforth-on-Tees, Arnford, Lawfield, &c. In the time of Edward III. Simon Pudsey of Barforth married Catherine de Bolton, who brought him the fair domain of Bolton-by-Bolland, in Craven; where, for many generations "the Pudseys enjoyed, within the compass of a moderate estate, every distinction, feudal or ecclesiastic, which their age and country could bestow—the manor, free-warren, park, advowson, and family chantry." Here, in their ancient hall, standing "very pleasantly among sweet woods and fruitful hills," Sir Ralph Pudsey sheltered Henry VI. during the summer months that succeeded the disastrous battle of Hexham. 1