Todd Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Todd last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Todd last name
Meaning of the Todd last name: fox. Todd comes from tod, an old word for "fox" still used in northern England and Scotland. It was a nickname for a crafty or red-haired man, or perhaps for a fox hunter. The name is most common in the north of England and the Scottish Borders, and many Todds settled in Ulster. A curious detail: Mary Todd, from a Kentucky family, became the wife of Abraham Lincoln.
Arms associated with the Todd name
Animals on English shields were chosen for the qualities they stood for, such as the lion for courage, a tradition seen in arms used by Todd families.
Get your full Todd family history
This is only a glimpse of the Todd story. The full Todd history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Todd coat of arms. Get the full Todd report.
Todd name FAQ
What does the Todd name mean?
Fox. Common variants include Tod, Todde, Fox.
Where does the Todd surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Is there a Todd coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Todd coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; George F. Black, The Surnames of Scotland (New York Public Library, 1946); Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford); US Census Bureau 2010.