Meaning & Origins

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Cadwallader
Origin : Welsh (Wales)
Meaning : (Celtic) "Battle-arranger" -or- "General"
Submitted by Laura Cadwallader

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Well here is the Meaning of the Cadwallader name as I know it. Around the
4th or 5th century (don't quote me on it) There was a welsh king whose name
was Cadwaladwr ( pronounced CAD-we-lad-oor the w is like the oo in cool) At
the time Wales was split into 3 kingdoms. Wales is noted in its history to
always being invaded, because that is where all of the natural resources in
Britain are. so the Saxons were constantly invading Wales, but Cadwaladwr
fought back and united wales under his banner -- the red dragon (Y Ddraig
Goch). with a united wales Cadwaladwr fought the Saxons back into middle
England until he was killed in battle. Cadwalawr was credited with the first
use of camouflage in a military operation, he disguised his troops with plant
leaves in order to ambush the Saxons. Because of his great military
accomplishments, the name Cadwaladwr came to mean "military strategist" when
the Normans took over England, Wales was again invaded, and the normans forced
everyone to take surnames. Many professional military men took the name
Cadwaladwr. so therefore it is relatively impossible to prove liniage to the
origional cadwallader. However my father managed to trace our linieage to a
Macwythyan, who took the Cadwaladr name (the name was commonly in flux --
after the normans conquored the land the w tended to be dropped). when the
colonies were formed many cadwaldrs came to this land to begin anew. These
settlers wanted to sever all ties with the home country, hence the change
for Cadwaladr to the American Cadwallader. the people I trace my lineage to
came over c. 1649.so remember when you see the welsh flag with the red dragon
on it, that is Cadwallader -- "Military Strategist".

Submitted by Matt Cadwallader

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Cadwallader
What does it mean and where did it come from?
Have a meaning different from the one's listed, or want to add to ones already listed.
Please submit (comment) your version of origin and/or meaning.
Thanks, Laura Cadwallader :)