Recorded in a wide number of spellings as shown below, this is a Scottish and Northern English surname. It however of pre 7th century Scandinavian origins, and derives from the popular Old Norse name "Valthiofr". This was made up of the elements "val", meaning battle, and "thiofr", to snatch, to give a translation of "one who snatched victory". It is recorded in the English Domesday Book of 1086 in various forms including Waltef, Walteu, Walteif and Waldeuus, with Willelmus filius Waldeu being listed in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1192. In Scotland, Waldevus, the earl of Dunbar, was one of the sureties in 1175 for William, The Lyon, king of Scotland (1165 - 1214), that he would observe the treaty of Falaise. The surnames generated from the personal name range from Walthew, Waltho, Wilthew and Wealthy, to Waldie, Waldy, Wildy, Waldo, Waddy, Wadey, Wadie, and Waddie. Recordings of the name from early church registers include: the marriage of Thomas Wadie and Marion Symson, at Lasswade, in Midlothian, on June 3rd 1632, and the christening of James, son of George Wadey, on April 14th 1672, in Dalkeith. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Hugh Waddy. This was dated 1316, in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield, Yorkshire, during the reign of King Edward 11nd of England, 1307 - 1327. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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