Waddell Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Waddell last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Waddell coat of arms for you.
Meaning and origin of the Waddell last name
Meaning of the Waddell last name: from Wedale. Waddell is a Scottish surname for a family from Wedale, the old name of the valley of the Gala Water around Stow in the Borders. The last name spread to Ulster and to America. Curiously, the meaning of the name Wedale itself is still debated by place-name scholars.
Arms associated with the Waddell name
Coats of arms associated with the Waddell surname follow Scottish heraldry, where each blazon belongs to one bearer.
Get your full Waddell family history
This is only a glimpse of the Waddell story. The full Waddell 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 Waddell coat of arms. Get the full Waddell report.
Waddell name FAQ
What does the Waddell name mean?
From Wedale. Common variants include Waddel, Weddell.
Where does the Waddell surname come from?
It originates in Scotland, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Waddell coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Waddell coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: George F. Black, The Surnames of Scotland (New York Public Library, 1946); Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).