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ArchivesOrigins and use of the surname SPRIDDELL
Does anybody know the origins of the surname Spriddell? It is a family surname on my mother's side and seems very unusual. I have recently been tracing the family tree and all branches of families with this surname seem to be related as it is so rare.
Also, I am getting married soon and have been thinking about the pros and cons of changing my surname. Both my current surname (Pritchard) and my fiance's surname (Mooney) seem relatively common and I was wondering if there was any way of incorporating Spriddell as a way of keeping the name going? (it was my grandfather's name and my mother is one of 4 daughters, all of whom have married and so changed their names, and one son who has never married and does not have children so the family name will die with him).
Does anybody know if I could do this (maybe a hyphenated Spriddell-Mooney or something like that) and the legal restrictions on doing this (since it has never been my surname, could I just select it like this?).
Any light anybody could shed would be greatly appreciated.
Also, I am getting married soon and have been thinking about the pros and cons of changing my surname. Both my current surname (Pritchard) and my fiance's surname (Mooney) seem relatively common and I was wondering if there was any way of incorporating Spriddell as a way of keeping the name going? (it was my grandfather's name and my mother is one of 4 daughters, all of whom have married and so changed their names, and one son who has never married and does not have children so the family name will die with him).
Does anybody know if I could do this (maybe a hyphenated Spriddell-Mooney or something like that) and the legal restrictions on doing this (since it has never been my surname, could I just select it like this?).
Any light anybody could shed would be greatly appreciated.
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Replies
Just out of intrest it is so rare there are only twenty nine people listed in the UK with that particular spelling of that surname.
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This is a very rare surname, so ensuring it's continuity in some form sounds like a good idea. Reaney and Wilson, "A Dictionary of English Surnames" give the origin as an Old English (Anglo-Saxon, if you like) male given name, Sprytel. They write that the name is " ... unrecorded in independent use, but found in Spridlington ..." So this Lincolnshire place name means "the farm of Sprytel's clan." Same source cites four examples of the surname between 1213 and 1642, all in Devon, so that county may be the home of the Spriddells/Spriddles.
As for adopting the name as part of a compound name, I believe that I'm right in stating that, in the UK, you can call yourself by any surname that takes your fancy. However it's a good idea to have some legal document with your new name on so there's no argument about it being your name. A marriage certificate would do the trick, of course, but it might be a good idea to discuss the name change with someone at the Register Office beforehand.
As for adopting the name as part of a compound name, I believe that I'm right in stating that, in the UK, you can call yourself by any surname that takes your fancy. However it's a good idea to have some legal document with your new name on so there's no argument about it being your name. A marriage certificate would do the trick, of course, but it might be a good idea to discuss the name change with someone at the Register Office beforehand.
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