MORDUE
Mordue is a surname of historical significance in the British Isles, demonstrating a composite heritage that spans English, French and Welsh linguistic origins.
In England, the name is traditionally regarded as deriving from the Old French word mordu, meaning “bitten.” The nickname was likely applied to an individual who had suffered a notable bite from an animal or who displayed a fierce or aggressive temperament. Over the centuries this nickname evolved into a hereditary surname, which now remains comparatively rare in contemporary records.
Welsh genealogical sources, however, suggest an alternative source. The surname Mordue has been linked to the earlier Welsh name Meredith, which itself is thought to descend from the personal name Margetud, a 7th‑century king of Dyfed. The elements of this older name are of Old Welsh origin and are often translated as “great chief.” In the post‑Roman period, the name was carried forward in families such as the ap Bleddyn line of Powys, whose prominence is recorded in the 12th‑century annals.
The name has accumulated a wide array of variant spellings, including Merdue, Mordie, Mordy, Mordew, Murdo, Murdue, Merrydew, Merriday, Merredy and Merridew, among others. These variations are readily seen in surviving medieval documents.
The earliest surviving instance of the surname in Britain appears in the Poll Tax register for the county of Yorkshire, where a Thomas Merydewe is recorded in 1379. Further attestations are found in London in 1640, where a Marye Morday is mentioned, and in 1808 at the church of St George the Martyr in Southwark, where a William Mordue is listed in the parish book.
Coat of arms associated with the Meredith family, from which some bearers of the surname Mordue claim descent, is described as a quartered shield argent and gules, four lions passant counterchanged. This heraldic design reflects the martial and noble associations of the family’s historical lineage.
In modern times, the surname Mordue is infrequently encountered, with most individuals bearing the name concentrated in certain counties of England. It does not feature prominently in national surname censuses, underscoring its rarity and the distinct heritage it carries.
Thus, the surname Mordue encapsulates a layered identity that reflects both the linguistic influence of Norman France and the deep-rooted dynastic traditions of early Welsh nobility, together recording a narrative of cultural fusion within the British Isles.
Typical given names associated with the Mordue surname
Male
- Adrian
- Alan
- Barry
- Christopher
- David
- Ian
- John
- Michael
- Paul
- Stephen
- Thomas
- William
Female
- Diane
- Elizabeth
- Helen
- Jacqueline
- Jane
- Jennifer
- Julie
- Leanne
- Louise
- Margaret
- Rebecca
- Sandra
- 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 Mordue in...
Braille
⠍⠕⠗⠙⠥⠑
Morse
-----.-.-....-.
Semaphore
There are approximately 818 people named Mordue in the UK. That makes it roughly the 8,624th most common surname in Britain. Around 13 in a million people in Britain are named Mordue.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Mordue
- Eddie Mordue - Musician (1928 to 2011)
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.