This interesting and unusual surname is probably a French diminutive of the name "Rode", which itself is a metonymic occupational name for a wheelwright or a topographic name for someone who lived by a water-wheel, from the old Provencal word "rode", wheel (from the Latin "rota"). In some instances the name may be of Scottish locational origin from "Rodel", a place in the southern extremity of Harris, in the Outer Hebrides, one mile north of Renish point, in Scotland. At Carlton Juxta Snaith, Yorkshire John, son of Thomas Roddill was christened on January 20th 1661. Margaret Roddell married William Riches at the church of St. Katherine by the tower, London on August 31st 1732, while at this church also Thomas Roddell married Mary Faron on June 12th 1751. Jones Rowdell married Elianor Weald at Cold Norton, Essex on May 19th 1791. John George Rodell was married to Sarah Martha French at old Church, St. Pancras, London on July 1st 1855. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Willelmus Rodayle, which was dated August 19th 1562, (christened at Kirk Ela, Yorkshire), during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, known as "Good Queen Bess", 1558 - 1603. 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.

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