Where did the surname Hudspeth originate?

Answer 1

Hudspeth is a place name meaning Richard or Hugh's Path. In the 1400s you might call yourself Thomas of Hud's Path, indicating that you were Thomas and you came from the path toward the original home of the Hudspeths. It is of English origin, north of Hadrian's Wall and south of the boarder with Scotland.

For the most part, Hudspeth's seem to have left Corbridge after 1750.

For those who care to look, the original family house can be found in Northunmbria, United Kingdom. It is 1.25 miles or about 2 km from a town named Otterburn, 19 miles from Morpeth and 29 from New Castle.

Anna Ford's records indicated that a Hudspeth female married a man and lived in Adnon Castle at a time when it was owned by a lawyer in London (1690's). In 1724 Thomas Hudspeth married a Jane Robson of Aydon Castle though the church records do not indicate where they lived.

In 1761 another Thomas Hudspeth was slain by soldiers while joining other Hexam villagers in resisting an unjust tax.

The Crest can be found in Fairbairn's Crests of the Families of Great Britain and Ireland (1986 edition) Page 249.

Some other notes from Anna Ford's books (credited to: History of Corbridge Vol. 10)

Pg. 221 July 1653. There been a court baron kept the new dwelling house of Edward Hudspeth at Corbridge called Prior Manor, at the will of the Lord, but of long time discontinued. He Earl of Northumberland is the chief Lord of the Manor of Corbridge and have all the royalties belonging to the same.

Pg. 203 2nd or 25th February 1621/2. Office against Gilbert Hudspeth for disturbing Peter Langlands, the church warden and pulling him out of his pew with violence: and the church warden craving the King's peace on him, Gilbert Hudspeth said he should neither have the King's peace or any other peace.

A parliamentary survey of Corbridge mentions the mansion House and tithes thereof belonging in the holding of Thomas Hudspeth 1334

Edward Hudspeth was apparently a popular man or name. 1589 Edward was Alderman in the city of Durham. 1677 Edward was a church warden Alnwick Parish

Thomas Hudspeth is listed as a Gentalman Freeholder in 1628.

Robert De Hodespeth witness to a deed 1334. Not sure if related or not.

"on the eleventh of August following the King granted for life to Roger Grey, the office of bailiff of Corbridge, England, as Robert de Hodyspethe held it under the grant of the Earl of Northumberland, the grant pertaining to the King on a count of the Earl's forfeiture" 1405-1408.



More stuff:
Three Hudspeth brothers, Ralph, Cuthbert and John, came across to America about 1675. They landed in Jamestown, VA. As far as is known, Cuthbert never married nor had children. John, a minor at the time, changed his name to Hedgepeth to avoid being found and sent back. Most of the Hudspeths in the U.S. are traced back to Ralph.

Hudspeth's arrived in 1735(?) fought in the Revolutionary war. Six Hudspeth brothers fought in the Civil war, one died as a prisoner in New Jersey. They were slave owners, and they fought for the South. Just prior to the Civil War, the Hudspeth's sold all their property, intending to move to Kansas City. The war broke out, and knowing their cause was just, they raised a company, i.e. invested it into a company of solders.