About the study
I started the one-name study after researching my family history and discovering that my husband’s pedigree was revealing patterns about the Caldicott surname and where the surname originated. I began the study at the start of 2017 so it is in its infancy but I am excited to learn more and go far and wide.
The objective of a one-name study is not just the collection of data; collection is a means to an end. A one-name study aims to research the genealogy and family history of all persons with a given surname (and its variants). As part of this, it attempts to ascertain such things as –
- The origin of the name or early references
- The name’s meaning: is it patronymic, topographical, toponymic, occupational, etc? Or a mix of these? (See Surnames for more information on this.)
- Relative frequency
- Distribution in geography and time
- Patterns of immigration and emigration
- Name variants and “deviants” (see Variants and deviants)
Variant names
So far I am including the following variants in my study, although I will continue to add to this list as I progress. I strongly suspect that there will be many more as the name can be spelt in many different ways.
CALDECOTT
CALDECUTT
CALDICOTE
CALDICUTT
Name origin
The name Caldicott means “dweller of cold huts” and dates back to Anglo Saxon times. The first appearances of the name are found in Peterborough and Worcestershire. The name appears in the Doomsday Book in Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Warwickshire, Leicestershire and Northamptonshire.
My own interests have been with the my husband’s pedigree which were based in Gloucestershire in the village of Tredington in the 1700s.
Historical occurrences of the name
One notable Caldicott was William Caldicott who, along with his large family were amongst the first settlers in 1843 in Epson, Auckland, New Zealand in during the Great Migration.
Other notable people are –
Alfred James Caldicott b1842 -1897 – Famous Composer
Reverend John William Caldicott – Renowned Head Master of Bristol Grammar School
Alfred Jolly Caldicott – A Pioneer in More Ways Than One!
