Cradoc

Recorded in the spellings of Craddock, Cradduck, Cradoc and Cradick, this famous name is of pre 7th century Olde English and Welsh origins. It pre dates the Roman Invasion of England in 55 a.d., and is said to to derive from the ancient personal name 'Caractacus', the name of the chief of the Britons whose bravery in defeat was such that his life was spared by the Rome Emperor Claudius. The site of his capital was believed to be 'Caer Caradoc' in the English county of Salop, now Shropshire, although there is some support for 'Ceredigion', the modern Cardigan. In fact it may have been both, or indeed neither, as few if any written records, survive from those times. What is certain is that this is one of the earliest of all 'names', with examples including Cradoc of Hereford in the year 1177, and Craddoc of Glamorgan, who may have been a Knight Templar (crusader), in the rolls of that Welsh county in 1185. As a surname the first recorded spelling is believed to be that of William Craddoc. This was dated 1205, in the Pipe Rolls of the city of Worcester, during the reign of King John of England (1199 - 1216). Other later hereditary recordings include Phillip Cradoc of Sussex in 1296, and Robert Cradock of Yorkshire, in 1301. Throughout the centuries surnames in every country have continued to "develop", often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.