Surname Roddey - Meaning and Origin
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Roddey: What does the surname Roddey mean?
The surname Roddey is of Anglo-Saxon and Celtic origin. It is a habitational name, derived from any one of several places in the United Kingdom called 'Rodden', 'Roding', or 'Roddey'. It would have been used to refer to the family of someone who were associated with the place name, either as an original resident, or as the family who had moved to reside in it.
The meaning of the name is thought to originate from the Old English words ‘hroda’, meaning 'promontory' or 'long point', and ‘leah’, meaning 'wood or grove', together meaning 'long point of land in a wood', and likely referring to a particular feature of the terrain associated with the place names in which the family were resident.
The growth of the Roddey family name over the centuries is indicative of how they have become more common in various areas of the United Kingdom, particularly in Scotland and Northern Ireland, although they also have a presence in England and Wales.
The Roddey family name is still widely used in the United Kingdom today and is often found on maps and in records of areas where it has a long-held presence. People with this name can take pride in its long history, its connection to the United Kingdom and its promising future prospects.
Order DNA origin analysisRoddey: Where does the name Roddey come from?
The surname Roddey is particularly common in the United States, but is also found in Europe. There is a particularly high concentration of Roddey families in the Southern states such as Mississippi, Alabama, North Carolina and South Carolina.
Roddey is a derivation of the old English "rode", meaning a clearing in a forest, and is thought to have been used to distinguish individuals that lived in such clearings. This would likely explain the concentration of Roddey families in the South, where these clearings existed in abundance.
It is likely that the Roddey name was brought to the Southern states by early settlers travelling there from England, Scotland or Ireland during the 1700s. This is supported by the fact that many Roddeys have traced their genetic origins to Northern and Western Europe, typically countries such as England and Ireland.
The migration of the Roddey family continued as other generations left the South for other parts of the United States, particularly during the 20th century. As a result, the Roddey name can now be found in large cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago and New York.
Despite this there remains a strong community of Roddey descendants in the South, and that community is continuing to grow with each new generation.
Variations of the surname Roddey
The surname Roddey, which is derived from the Middle English elements "rode" or "rod" meaning "rode, way, cross" and "ey", a diminutive of "ey" meaning "island, area of high ground", is an old family name originating in the United Kingdom.
Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for Roddey include Roddy, Rodi, Rodey, Rhoddy, Roddie and Roddey, as well as the similar sounding surnames Ridder, Rudd, Ridley, Riddle and Rodie.
In addition to the variants, there are also several spelling variations of the surname Roddey. One example is the name Rodie, which has been spelled Roddey, Rhody, Rhodye, Roddy, Rodie and Rodye.
The name Ridley is another variant of Roddey. Ridley is derived from the Old English elements "ridd" meaning "cleared area in the wood" and "leah" meaning "wood or clearing". Another spelling variation is Ridder, which is derived from the Middle English words "riddere" and "ridere" meaning "knight" or "rider".
Finally, the surname Rudd is derived from the Old English elements "hrod" and "hryd" both of which mean "famous".
The spelling variations of the Roddey surname are more signficant than other names derived from the same elements, making it a unique family surname.
Famous people with the name Roddey
- Rockmond Dunbar: American actor and writer.
- Selwyn Roddey: South African cricketer.
- Schloy Roddey: American songwriter and producer.
- Robert Roddey: Scottish artist and botanist.
- Abraham Roddey: American rancher, politician, and businessman.
- Peter Roddey: American politician, lawyer, and judge.
- Andrew Roddey: American Revolutionary War soldier and politician.
- John Roddey: Glasgow industrialist and philanthropist.
- Jeffrey Roddey: American businessman and politician.
- David Roddey: American professional snowboarder.