The name and crest
Scadden is an uncommon surname, and Scaddens today live in Britain, Ireland, North America, Australia and beyond. This page brings together what the family knows about the name: where it comes from, the arms, and the ways it has been spelt.
The arms
The family's arms are shown above, as they appear on the plaque inscribed Scadden, Ireland 1289.
- The shield: silver, with a black chevron (the inverted V) between three red stars, and three gold charges on the chevron.
- The crest: a gold bird rising, above a knight's helmet with silver and black mantling.
- The scrolls: the name Scadden above, and Ireland 1289 below.
A coat of arms belonged to one person and their heirs, not to everyone with a surname, so these arms tell us about one line of the family rather than all Scaddens.
Where the name comes from
The date on the plaque links the name to Ireland in the late 1200s. We are still gathering what's known about the name's meaning and its earliest records, and how it travelled from there.
If you have researched the name, or have old documents that mention it, we would love to hear from you.
Spellings and variants
Surnames were spelt as they sounded until well into the 1800s, so records can show a family under more than one spelling. If you're searching for Scadden ancestors, it's worth trying spellings that sound alike, as well as transcription slips in indexes.
Find out more
The family is building its history together, in its own stories and a family tree members add to. Look up Scaddens who have gone before us in the family tree, read more on Family History, and if you're a Scadden by birth or marriage, ask to join.