Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Wadone 1086 DB

• Waddun(') 1194 P 1285 FA 1288 Ass

• Waddon' 1195 P 1201 Cur 1210 P 1212 Fees 1242 Pat

• Whaddon(') 1244 Ass 1280 Ass

• Whaddun(') 1288 ib

• Wadden 1613 AddCh

• Wadun Cray 1235–6 Fees

• Waudon' Grey, Waddon' Grey, Waddun' Crey 1288 Ass

• Waddon Krey 1303 FA

• Waddon Crey 1412 FA

• Creyes Waddon 1309 Drew

• Waddone Grey 1327 SR

• West Waddon 13 WRO 1275 RH 1651 DCMDeed

• West Wauddon 1280 QW

• Westwaddon 1280 Ass 1557 Fry

• Westwadden 1281 FF

• Parua Waddun', Parua Waddon' 1288 Ass

• Little Waddone 1305 Ipm

• Little Whaddon 1361 Cl

• Little Waddoun 1399 Cl

• Litlewaddon' 1556 Fry

• Little Waddon Farm 1764 EnclA

• Pucheres Waddon' 1288 Ass

• Picheheres Waddon 1321 Orig

• Pycchereswaddon' 1353 Ilch

• Pycher Waddon 1484 Hutch3

• West Waddon, vulgo Pitcher's Waddon 1863 Hutch3

• Estwaddon' 1399,1400 Ilch

• East Waddon, Little Waddon, or Gerard's Waddon 1863 Hutch3

Etymology

'Hill where woad grows', v. wād , dūn , with west , lȳtel , ēast . The smaller of the two DB vills (paying tax for 2 hides) probably refers to Little Waddon, cf. Friar Waddon infra , v. ThornDB 56, 36. Richard Crei is mentioned in connection with West Waddon in 13WRO , cf. grang ' Henr ' Crey apud Whaddun '1288Ass . The affix Pitcher 's is probably also manorial: there is no record of a family with this name in connection with this place but cf. William Pycher 1332 SR (Bishop's Down in Folke). Of course it is also possible that the name contains rather the ME  occupational term picher 'one who covers or caulks with pitch' from which the surname derives (Fransson 164). The later alternative affix Gerard 's is certainly manorial: the manor belonged to Mary Gerard in 1607 Hutch3 2763, cf. John Gerard 1496WRO , 'messuage and land late William Jerard 's ' 1572 Hutch3, Marie Gerrard 1613AddCh .