THE ORIGIN OF THE LADD SURNAME

By: Donald Ladd

The LADD line is supposed to have originated in the Scandinavian countries,
and took part in the invasion fo France about the year 900AD. They were known
as Normans [North men - men of the North] and conquered that part of France
that is now known as Normandy and settled there. The spelling of the surname
was somewhat different from what it is now. It was La LAD & De LAD in France.
In 1066 these "LADDs" joined William the Conqueror when he invaded England.
For their services, they were granted land in what is now County Kent, around
the Deal and Dover area. There, as in Normandy, they were farmers and
fishermen.

The name evolved into LADDE, LADE, LAD and LADD. In following lines in
England, each of these spellings can be found. There is a probability that the
surname of LADDS is also descended from the La LAD and/or the De LAD line.
There is considered to be just four LADDs of note that came to
America in the very early years of this country. Daniel LADD, in 1634 to Haverhill, MA.;
Joseph LADD to Portsmouth, RI in 1642 [purported to be the brother of Daniel]; John LADD
to VA by Oct 1653; and John LADD to Burlington, NJ by 1678. All of these
family lines spread out across these United States as the years passed, so
today it is sometimes difficult to know which line that one belongs to. There
are many researchers, with LADD connections, that are frantically looking for
that "lost generation" that would link them to one of these original four men.
I find that there were also less noted LADDs that came here in about the same
time periods but seemed to have disappeared from view after arriving. It is
also likely that other LADDs migrated to America at a much later date and they
could very well be part of that"lost generation" Richard LAD in 1668 of
Calvert Co., MD,
bk 17 pg 416; Richard LADD transported 1674, bk 15 pg 322; and the first LADDS
to arrive seem to be Jane and William LADDS to Maryland in 1642, bk 7 pg 472.
[Immigrants to MD; Gust. SKORDAS]
By: Donald Ladd

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