This name, with variant spellings Rodie, Rhoddie, Roddy and Ruddy, has two distinct possible origins, the first being an Anglicization of the Olde Gaelic "O'Rodochain", written in modern Irish as O' Rodaigh. The Gaelic prefix "O" indicates "male descendant of ", plus the genitive form of the personal byname "Rodach", from "rod" meaning "strong". Two distinct septs of this name existed in Ireland, one belonged to Fenagh in County Leitrim where the family held church lands and maintained the resident priests for generations. The other sept were of the Ui Bhreasail branch of Muintir Banna (an ancient tribal name for the descendants of Niall of the Nine Hostages, 4th Century High King of Ireland). Tir Roddy in the parish of Taughboyne, County Donegal, locates the sept. The second distinct possibility is that Rod(d)ie is a double diminutive of the Olde German personal name Roderick, a compound of "hrod", renown and "ric", power. On November 5th 1745, John Rodie, an infant, was christened in St. Peter's and St. Kevin's, Dublin, and on August 16th 1752, Mary, daughter of James Roddie, was christened in St. Andrew's, Holborn, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Tadhg O' Rody of County Leitrim, which was dated 1683, in "Dublin Society's Chorographical Survey", during the reign of King Charles 11 of England, known as "The Merry Monarch", 1660 - Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.1685.

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