Odel Last Name: Meaning and Heraldic Roots

An Odel ancestor may well appear as Odell in earlier records. Read literally, Odel points to “Woad hill”.

Odel drops the “l” of Odell, a shortening that clerks often made. Spellings drifted because names were written down by ear in parish books, tax rolls and passenger lists.

Looking for an Odel coat of arms? Arms were granted to families, not to surnames, and our research shows which heraldic tradition fits yours. Want more than a summary? See the Odel family name pack.