The Eddy Surname

The surname Eddy is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word ead - English. Eade, Eadie, Eddy, being the root for words meaning wealth, prosperity and success. Ead, Saxon, meaning blessed or happy. Eddie, in Gaelic means an instructor. Eddy in Welsh means motion and Eddu in Welsh means to go or to move. Eddy, appearing in the simple form, not compound, shows it is one of the most ancient of Anglo-Saxon names. Without doubt the families of Edie, Edye, Eddie, Eadie, Edy, Ady, Adey are descendants from the same ancestors as those bearing the patronymic Eddy.

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The Eddy Crest

In his introduction to the Genealogy published in 1881 Robert Henry Eddy wrote, "The author has made considerable effort to obtain the 'Armorial Bearings' of Eddy; having sent therefore to the Herald's College of London . He has been informed that the arms are not to be found therein ; but from the best authorities, the shield had upon it three old men's heads couped at the shoulders. One branch had three cross-croslets in the shield, with a cross-croslet and dagger saltierwise for the crest; the motto being 'Crux mihi grata quies' . As only those who were in the holy wars were entitled to have a cross in their armorial bearings, it is fair to presume that, as the Eddy family is a very ancient one (Eady being a name found in Domesday Book), some if not many of the race, like their descendants, manfully combatted against irreligion and infidelity, and, having devoted the sword to the cross, found in the latter the grateful rest, as is indicated by the above admirable motto." He did not state who the best authorities were, but in the engraving printed in his book he rejected the crosses crosslet in the shield, retaining the three old men's heads, with the crest described above. This arrangement was also followed in the commemorative tablet erected to the memory of William Eddye in 1902 in St . Dunstan's Church, in accordance with the terms of his will. It has used by various members of the family in this country for fifty years and it also appears in Matthew's "American Armoury and Blue Book." Unfortunately, we lack one piece of evidence that might have been very helpful. Caleb Eddy, father of Robert Henry, wrote in 1840 to the Rev. Ira Eddy, of Portage, Ohio: "I have in my possession a silver tankard which was brought to this country by Samuel Eddy, the Pilgrim and given to his son Caleb, who gave it to his son Caleb, who gave it to his son Caleb, who gave it to his son Benjamin, who gave it to his son Caleb, myself. I have likewise the copy original of Coat-of-Arms worn by David Eddie in the Holy Wars at Jerusalem in the 11th century." It will he noted that no mention is made of any armorial engraving on the tankard, but in the article Caleb Eddy states that it "had on it, beautifully engraved, armorial hearings", and also bore the mark "Caleb and Martha Eddy, 1747." In 1880 this tankard was in the possession of Robert Henry Eddy, but at his death, without issue, all trace of it was lost, and what the armorial bearings were, or of what value they would be in investigating the matter, is unknown. "The copy original of Coat-of-Arms worn by David Eddie" has also disappeared.

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