O'Dell / Coat of Arms, Family Crest and O'Dell / Family History

O'Dell / Family History

The family history of the ancient name O'Dell was found in the irishsurnames.com archives.

Surnames developed a wide number of variants over the centuries. Many different spelling variations of the same name can be traced back to a single original root. Also, when a bearer of a name emigrated from Ireland it was not uncommon that their original name would be incorrectly transcribed in the record books upon arrival at their new location. Some names have dozens of spelling variations. Some Surnames were also altered over the years based on how they sounded phonetically, by their sound, and depending on the prevailing political conditions it may have been advantageous to change a name from one language to another. This was especially so in Ireland where most Gaelic names were 'anglicized' at some stage.

Variants of the name O'Dell include Odell, O'Delle and Odle. This sept came from Limerick.

A sept or clan is a collective term describing a group of persons whose immediate ancestors bore a common surname and inhabited the same territory. It is also the case that many Irish septs or clans that are related often belong to a larger groups, sometimes called tribes. For example the 'Tribes of Galway' consisted of fourteen distinct families. The 'Tribes of Kilkenny' were ten families, etc.

This name has always been connected with Limerick and according to the family records the senior branch, which are now seated at Kilcleagh, Moate, in County Westmeath, obtained their extensive estates in County Limerick by the Patent of 1667. Other branches of the family were well established in County Limerick before this date. A John Odell was recorded as a 'gent' in the Census of 1659, and was resident at Pallice in the parish of Ballingary. Another Odle was among the gentlemen appointed as officers to lead the militia to be raised in County Limerick in 1659. This bearer of the name later held the post of High Sheriff of Limerick from 1667 to 1679. The O'Dell family crest (or coat of arms) came into existence many centuries ago. The process of creating these coats of arms began as early as the eleventh century although a form of Proto-Heraldry may have existed in some countries prior to this, including Ireland. The new more formalized art of Heraldry made it possible for families and even individual family members to have their very own family crest, coat of arms, including O'Dell descendants.