EDDIE
Eddie is a surname of both English and Scottish provenance. The name is classically a patronymic, indicating descent from an individual bearing the personal name Eadie or one of its antecedents.
The earliest forms of the surname derive from the Old English personal names Edwy, Eadwig, and Edith. These names are composed of the elements ead, meaning “prosperity” or “fortune”, and wig or gyð, meaning “war”. Consequently, the surname Eddie may be interpreted as “prosperous in war” or “wealthy in battle”. In Scottish contexts the surname is often linked to the Gaelic language, with references to its use among Christian populations in the British Isles.
Historical records show the surname in the mid‑thirteenth century, for example the name Robert Edwy recorded in 1254, and an entry for Adam Eadwy in the 1275 Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk. Throughout the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries numerous variations appeared, including Eddis, Edds, Edes, Edis, Eddy, Edison, and Edesin. Marriages such as that of Richard Eyddes to Johanna Edley in 1533, and the christening of Herbert Edes in 1606 at University College, Oxford, attest to the surname’s continued usage in England.
In Scotland the surname first appears in the former county of Edinburghshire, now part of the Midlothian council area. It is believed to have been derived from the medieval personal name Edie or Ede, which was itself a diminutive of Adam—a Hebrew name meaning “man” or “to be red”. Over time the surname underwent orthographic changes and merged with the variant Eadie. Nevertheless, the original meaning of “prosperity” or “fortune” linked to the element ead remains a key feature in the etymology of the name.
Although the surname Eddie is relatively rare on a global scale—it ranks at 122,144 in most common surname lists— it is still found more frequently in Scotland than in any other country. It also appears, albeit less commonly, in the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, and Canada. Modern bearers of the surname might trace their lineage to any of the surname’s numerous historical variants and should rely on genealogical and historical records to confirm family connections.
Typical given names associated with the Eddie surname
Male
- Alastair
- Alexander
- Alistair
- George
- Gordon
- James
- John
- Mark
- Robert
- Steven
- William
Female
- Angela
- Barbara
- Carol
- Christina
- Dorothy
- Elizabeth
- Evonne
- Fiona
- Helen
- Mary
- Maureen
- Nicola
- Sacha
- Susan
- Wilma
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Eddie in...
Braille
⠑⠙⠙⠊⠑
Morse
.-..-.....
Semaphore
There are approximately 796 people named Eddie in the UK. That makes it roughly the 8,806th most common surname in Britain. Around 12 in a million people in Britain are named Eddie.
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Scotland
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Gaelic
Famous people named Eddie
- Jessica Eddie - Rower
- James Eddie - Scottish rugby union player
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.