Hello, to all Listers:
I hope to encourage you to share your research on this list with the
other subscribers.
My interest in the CALDER name came during my research on my surname,
CADDELL. I have been doing a one-name study for 39 years. Some of my
early research is at "http://www.castles.org/Chatelaine/CALDER.HTM".
I just received a 1st edition copy of "The Book of the Thanes of
Cawdor". It covers the CALDER/CAMPBELL years 1236 - 1742. It was
published in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1859.
Are you familiar with Cawdor Castle in Nairnshire, Scotland? It has been
owned by the Campbell Clan since 22 February 1511 when a King's Charter
granted the castle and estates to Sir John Campbell and his wife, Muriel
(formerly Muriel CALDER, heiress to the Thanedom).
According to Martin Coventry, author of the "Castles of Scotland", in
1236 the Thane of CAWDOR took the name of CALDER when he was granted the
lands by King Alexander II. However, prior to the 1500s, the CAWDOR
family name has been recorded in the early records as CADELLA, CALDOR,
CADDELL, CARDALL, CALDAR, KALEDOR, KALDELL, KALEDOUER, KAUDER, CAUDOR,
CAULDER, CAWDOR, CAWDER, CALDELL, and CATTELL. Subsequently, the name
CALDER was adopted as THE spelling for all references to the name by the
Campbell Clan.
I have a copy of a map of part of Nairnshire printed in the 1590s, which
lists the names CADDELL, CALDALL and CALDEL for CAWDOR castle. During my
1993 trip, I found an ancient map, dated 1654, in a cartographic shop in
Edinburgh which listed CAWDOR as CADDELL Castle. I recently received a
copy of that map. I have been told, but have not seen, a map exhibited
by the Heritage Center at Culloden also shows the name CADDELL in
association with the now CAWDOR Castle.
According to the historian, Cosmo Innes, CADDELL and variations of the
spelling were interchangeable with the name CALDER. CADELL/CALDER
surname was thought to be originally Welsh but, according to Innes, has
been found to be of French origin. One theory places the origin back to
early ancestors of the Pictish kingdom of pre-Scotland. However,
according to historians, the Picts were from an early race of Celtic
people, possibly the same ancestors to the French.
In his "Scottish Nations", William Anderson identified "CALDER, an
ancient surname assumed from the lands of CALDER, now CAWDOR, in
Nairnshire, but derived originally," according to Anderson, "from
the French Knight Hugo deCADELLA, from which the name of CADELL takes
its rise." The Hall of Names International lists Caddell as a ancient
family in Banffshire, possibly even before the Norman Invasion.
In 1058 AD Hugh de CADELLA gave valuable service to King Malcolm (III)
Canmore/Ceanmore III, in whose restoration he was very instrumental, and
was liberally awarded by the monarch, including being granted the
Nairnshire thaneship of CAWDOR. In 1060 AD Hugh was created Baron by the
King.
The past few weeks, I have been doing a soundex search, in the database
of Scots Origin of GRO, surname only for the period of 1550s through
1805 for CADDELLs and CALDERs. The records, if you have not seen them,
include data on births, christenings, marriages, names, spouses, and
parents.
In looking at these OPR records, the name has been spelled: CADDELL,
CADELL, CADDEL and various other phonetic spellings - including
CADEL, CADAL, CADDAL, CADDALL, CADDALE, CADDILL, CADDLE, CADEILL,
CAIDELL, CATTILL, CUTHILL, COUTTILL, CUTHIL, CATELL, COTTHILL, CATLE,
CUTTLE, CUTHELL, CATTELLA, COTTELL, CAIDYLE, COTHILL, COATHILL, COTTLE,
CATTELL, CUTHLE, CATHEL, CATTELL, CUTHALL, CATTEL, CATHELL, CUTILL,
CUTHILL, CUTTAL, CATTLE, CUITHILL, CUTLE, CATHOLE, CADLE, CUDDEL,
CADWELL, COTEHILL, CATHAL, CATIAL, CATHULL, CUTHULL.
CUTHELL/CUTHILL and minor variations were by far the most common. I
found christening records with the parent's surname spelled CUTHELL and
other phonetic spellings and CADDELL for other children of the same
family. Most times in the records, the surnames were phonetically
spelled. Basically, you can not rely on spelling in any of the records.
Generally, most of the family migrated (after 1520s) from Nairnshire to
the areas of Caithness to the north and Aberdeen to the east. Later,
moving to the shires of Lanark/Linlithgow/Perth/Edinburgh. Subsequently,
in the 1800s, most CADELL/CADDELL left Scotland to America, Canada, and
Australia. However, many CALDER remained. There are very few CADDELL in
Scotland today.
More...later.
Bill Caddell
Listowner for CADDELL, CALDER, INVERNESS and several others