Eaddy
A surname from the pet form of the medieval given name Ede or Edie, ultimately meaning “the son of Ede.”
The #9,598 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 91,210 Americans shares it.
Etymology
This surname is generally explained as a derivative of the medieval personal name Ede, with Eaddy reflecting a diminutive or pet form such as Edie or Eddie. In the older surname-books, it is treated as meaning “the son of Ede,” though the precise feminine or hypocoristic pathway is not always stated consistently. The ending -y/-ie is characteristic of affectionate nickname forms in English.
History
The name appears in older English surname lists alongside spellings such as Eady, Eadie, Eddy, and Ede, showing that these forms were used interchangeably in some records. Bardsley treats Eaddy as part of a broader family of names built from the pet form of Ede/Edie. The surname is now relatively uncommon in the United States.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Older surname dictionaries group Eaddy with a whole cluster of similar names, which is why it often appears near Eady, Eadie, and Eddy in historical indexes.
From the historical record
“Eaddy, Bady, Badie.— Bapt. * the son of Ede,' from the pet Edie or Eddie. For fuller statement and many instances, v. Eddie. 1779. Married— James Eady and Char-”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (alternate scan)