Show ContentsStoddard History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Concerning "the origin of this name there is a tradition, that the first of the family came over with William the Conqueror, as standard-bearer to Viscompte De Pulesdon, a noble Norman, and that the name is derived from the office of a standard-bearer, and was anciently written De La Standard, corrupted to Stodard or Stodart." 1

Other sources note the name was an occupational name for a "horse-keeper" from the Old English ‘stud (of horses)’ and hlerde ‘herd.’ 2 3 4

Early Origins of the Stoddard family

The surname Stoddard was first found in Cumberland (Cumbria) where Vlfus Stodhyrda was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1195. A few years later, Geoffrey Stodhurd was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls for Northumberland in 1219. Later again, John the Stodhirde was found in the Assize Rolls for Cheshire in 1286 and Richard le Stodehard was found in Yorkshire in 1332. Thomas Stoderd and John Stodard were both listed as Freemen of York in 1481 and 1482 respectively. 4

Early History of the Stoddard family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Stoddard research. Another 120 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1376, 1568, 1750, 1755, 1765, 1770, 1773, 1779, 1780, 1790, 1791, 1794, 1796, 1798, 1801, 1803, 1807, 1812, 1816, 1826, 1827, 1828, 1834, 1836, 1839, 1846, 1853, 1856, 1872, 1879 and 1895 are included under the topic Early Stoddard History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Stoddard Spelling Variations

Stoddart, Stoddard, Stodart, Stodhard, Stodhart, Stothert, Stodird

Early Notables of the Stoddard family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was Sir John Stoddart (1773-1856), English journalist, eldest son of John Stoddart, lieutenant in the Royal Navy, born at Salisbury on 6 Feb. 1773. He was educated at Salisbury grammar school, and matriculated on 25 Oct. 1790 from Christ Church, Oxford, where he was elected a student in 1791, and graduated B.A. in 1794, B.C.L. in 1798, and D.C.L. in 1801. He was admitted a member of the College of Advocates in 1801, and from 1803 to 1807 he was the king's and the admiralty advocate at Malta. Returning to England...
Another 99 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Stoddard Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Stoddard Ranking

In the United States, the name Stoddard is the 2,249th most popular surname with an estimated 14,922 people with that name. 5


Stoddard migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Stoddard Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Anthony Stoddard who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1635
  • Anthony Stoddard, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1639 6
  • John Stoddard, who arrived in Connecticut in 1642 6
  • Solomon Stoddard (1643-1729) American Congregational theologian and pastor who became the first librarian of Harvard lived in Boston
  • Simeon Stoddard, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1675 6
Stoddard Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Benjamin Stoddard who settled in Boston in 1765
  • Benjmn S Stoddard, who landed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1772 6
Stoddard Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Oliver Stoddard, who settled in Portland Me. in 1822
  • John Stoddard, who settled in Charles Town [Charleston] South Carolina in 1823
  • A Stoddard, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 6
  • Mark Stoddard, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 6
  • E P Stoddard, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1855 6
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Stoddard Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Jimmie Augustus Stoddard, who landed in Alabama in 1923 6

Stoddard migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Stoddard Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Ichabod Stoddard, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1760

Stoddard migration to Australia +

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

Stoddard Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • John Stoddard, aged 35, a bricklayer, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Cheapside" 7

Stoddard migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Stoddard Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • James Stoddard, aged 25, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Adelaide" in 1858 8
  • Charlotte Stoddard, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Empress" in 1865
  • Maria Stoddard, aged 17, a servant, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Hudson" in 1879

Contemporary Notables of the name Stoddard (post 1700) +

  • Brandon Stoddard (d. 2014), American television executive, President of ABC Entertainment (1985-1989)
  • Tim Stoddard (b. 1953), American Major League Baseball player
  • Seneca Ray Stoddard (1844-1917), American landscape photographer
  • Joshua C Stoddard (1814-1902), American inventor
  • Richard Henry Stoddard (1834-1902), American poet and critic
  • James Stoddard (1838-1864), American sailor, eponym of the USS Stoddard (DD-566)
  • Elizabeth Drew Stoddard (1823-1902), American poet and novelist
  • Bob Stoddard (b. 1957), American Major League Baseball pitcher
  • Charles Warren Stoddard (1843-1909), American poet and author
  • Michael Stoddard Laughlin (1938-2021), American film director, producer and screenwriter

Halifax Explosion
  • Mrs. Clement  Stoddard (1885-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 9
HMS Hood
  • Mr. George H P Stoddard (b. 1915), English Marine serving for the Royal Marine from Alverstoke, Hampshire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 10
USS Arizona
  • Mr. William Edison Stoddard, American Seaman First Class from Louisiana, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 11


Suggested Readings for the name Stoddard +

  • The Wheel of Truth by Gertrude S. Lowry .
  • The Story of Mrs. Eliza Platt Stoddard of Succasuma, Morris County, New Jersey by Edwin W. Hancock.

  1. Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
  2. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  3. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  4. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  5. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  6. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  7. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The CHEAPSIDE 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Cheapside.htm
  8. Shadow Time Settlers (Retrieved 5th November 2010), retrieved from http://shadowsoftime.co.nz/settlers.html
  9. Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
  10. H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
  11. Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html


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