Caudill
A surname of French-origin shape, most likely linked to an old personal name or nickname rather than a place or trade.
The #1,913 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 16,403 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Caudill is usually treated as a surname of French look and likely French ultimate origin, but its exact source is not secure. It may be an altered form of a medieval personal name or nickname that was carried into English-speaking areas and then reshaped in spelling and pronunciation. Because no single derivation is firmly established in the standard reference tradition, the safest explanation is that it is an old name of uncertain etymology that entered English usage through French contact.
History
The name is especially associated with the United States, where it is found in small but noticeable numbers, particularly in the Appalachian and southern upland regions. Like many surnames of uncertain origin, its modern spelling may reflect local phonetic spelling and later standardization rather than a single fixed medieval form. It appears in American records as an established family name by the 19th century.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Caudill is the kind of surname that often preserves a local pronunciation even when its older written history is hard to pin down.