Hayden (surname)

The surname Hayden has several origins. In some cases it is a form of O'Hayden, which is derived from the Irish Ó hÉideáin and Ó hÉidín. These latter surnames mean "descendant of Éideán" and "descendant of Éidín", respectively; the Irish personal names Éideán and Éidín are likely derived from the Irish éideadh, which means "clothes", "armour".^[1]

In some cases the surname Hayden is derived from placenames in England that have various origins. For example, the placename Haydon occurs in Northumberland, and is derived from the Old English word elements heg ("hay") and denu ("valley"). Other places in Dorset, Hertfordshire, Somerset, and Wiltshire are derived from either the Old English word elements hēg ("hay") and dūn ("hill"), or from hege ("hedge") and dūn, or from (ge)hæg ("enclosure") and dūn.^[1]

In some cases the surname Hayden is a form of the Jewish surname Heiden.^[1]

^ ^a ^b ^c Oxford Dictionary of Family Names: Hayden, Answers.com, retrieved 3 January 2013. This webpage is a partial transcription of Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, 2006.

[answers-1] Oxford Dictionary of Family Names: Hayden, Answers.com, retrieved 3 January 2013. This webpage is a partial transcription of Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, 2006.

[1]