Recorded in several forms including Roddell, Roddill, Rodmell, Rodmill, Rowdell, and others, this surname is English but probably of French origins,. If so it is a 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. The origination is from the pre 7th century old Provencal word "roda", from the Latin "rota", or something that rotates. Another possible origin is Scottish and locational from "Rodel", a place in the southern extremity of Harris, in the Outer Hebrides, one mile north of Renish point. At Carlton Juxta Snaith, in the county of Yorkshire John, the son of Thomas Roddill was christened on January 20th 1661, whilst Margaret Rodmell married William Riches at the church of St. Katherine by the Tower(of London) on August 31st 1732. Also at this church Thomas Roddell married Mary Faron on June 12th 1751, whilst Jones Rowdell married Elianor Weald at Cold Norton, Essex on May 19th 1791, and John George Rodell was married to Sarah Martha French at St Pancras Old Church, on July 1st 1855. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was sometimes known as the 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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