Cusden Family History

Perhaps a reduced form of Coulsdon from the place of that name in Surrey recorded as Colesdone in 1086 and Culesden in 1255. Coulsdon is apparently identical with a place called Cudredesdone in a deed of 933 and is to be interpreted as ‘the dūn or hill of a man named Cūðrǣd’. Surname spellings such as Codsden and Codsdon may therefore reflect an older alternative pronunciation *Cudesden or *Cude(r)sdon.

Perhaps from Godstone (Surrey) from which surnames are frequently recorded from the mid-13th century onwards in spellings starting with Cod(d)-; see Place-Names of Surrey p. 317. The place-name meant either ‘Codd's stone or rock’ or ‘Codd's farm or estate’ (Old English Codd or genitival Coddes + Old English stān or tūn). No spellings with -sdon or -sden have been noted for the place-name although such variants would be plausible.

Possibly from Cuddesdon (Oxon) recorded as Cuþenes dune in 945 and Codesdone in 1086 but no medieval instances of a surname from this place have been found. The place-name denoted ‘the hill of a man named Cūþwine or *Cūþen’ (both Old English personal names). This name could also account for some examples of the post-medieval Surrey name listed at (1).

Substitution of -den for -don is common in English locative names.