KIDD

Kidd is a surname of both English and Scottish provenance. The name first appears within the British Isles and is recorded in the English and Scottish records of the Middle Ages.

The etymological root of the name lies in the Middle English word kid or kide, meaning a young goat. As a nickname, it was applied to a person who resembled a goat in temperament, or who tended to goats as a herder. In some later uses, the name may also stem from the Middle English word kidde, which meant a faggot of wood, indicating an occupation as a seller of firewood and kindling. A further derivation links the name to the pet form Kit, a diminutive of Christopher, a Greek personal name introduced into English by Crusaders in the 12th century.

Historical records provide a chronology of the surname. The earliest known spelling is that of William Kide, who appears in the pipe rolls of the county of Suffolk in 1181, during the reign of King Henry XI, known as “The Builder of Churches.” Later examples include Reginald Kyd in the Hundred Rolls of Oxford dated 1273, Willelmus Kydde in the 1379 Poll Tax Rolls of the same city, and Roger Kidd, recorded at “James Cittye, Virginea” on 23 February 1623, one of the earliest settlers in the New World. In 1696 William Kidd of Boston, Massachusetts, was appointed a privateer by the Crown but later became a pirate, a fact recorded in contemporary accounts.

Variations of the modern surname include Kidd, Kidde, Kyd, Kydde, and Kidman. The name persists within both the English and Scottish populations. Its etymological origins convey a connection to pastoral life, while its appearance in legal and civic archives reflects its transition into a hereditary surname.

Religiously, bearers of the name have historically been identified with Christianity, consistent with the prevailing faith of society in the British Isles during the Middle Ages and later periods. This aligns with the broader pattern of Christian surnames derived from everyday occupations and nicknames within the region.

Typical given names associated with the Kidd surname

Male

• Andrew
• Christopher
• David
• James
• John
• Michael
• Paul
• Robert
• Stephen
• William

Female

• Catherine
• Elizabeth
• Emma
• Helen
• Jennifer
• Lisa
• Margaret
• Mary
• Patricia
• Sarah
• Susan

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 Kidd in...

Braille

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Morse

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Semaphore

Surname type: Nickname

Origin: English

Region of origin: British Isles

Country of origin: England

Religion of origin: Christian

Language of origin: English

Famous people named Kidd

• Jodie Kidd - Fashion model and television personality
• Brian Kidd - Football player and manager
• Eddie Kidd - Stunt performer
• Delena Kidd - Actress
• Carol Kidd - Singer
• Ryan Kidd - Football player
• Albert Kidd - Scottish football player
• Bill Kidd - Politician
• John Kidd - Physician, chemist and geologist (1775 to 1851)
• Lewis Kidd - Football player
• Matthew Kidd - Swimmer
• Ronald Kidd - Civil rights campaigner (1889 to 1942)
• Margaret Kidd - Scottish lawyer, politician and editor (1900 to 1989)
• Billy Kidd - Football player (1907 to 1978)
• Walter Kidd - Scottish football player
• Nikki Kidd - Field hockey player
• Kidd - Rapper
• James Kidd - Unionist Party politician in Scotland (1872 to 1928)
• James Hutton Kidd - Horticulturist, community leader (1877 to 1945)
• Eric Leslie Kidd - Cricketer (1889 to 1984)

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.

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