A female name. Old English Eadgyth, compound of ead ‘rich', ‘happy’, and guth 'war'. A fairly common Old English name which survived the Norman Conquest, probably on account of the popularity of St Eadgyth (962-84), d. of King Edgar. The marriage of Henry I to the English princess Eadgyth may also have helped to perpetuate the name, though she was usually known as Matilda or Mold. Eadgyth was sometimes confused with Eadgifu, compound of ead with gifu ‘gift’, which is also found after the Conquest, usually latinized as Ediva. Edith remained common all through the Middle Ages and never died out entirely, though it was infrequent from the 16th to 18th C. It came back into fashion in the 19th C. The now obsolete but formerly common f. name Ede was from Old English Eadu, a f. name formed from the root ead. Camden 1605 says ‘Ead drawn from Edith’, and Lyford 1655 says ‘Eade for Edith’; but it seems to have been an independent name earlier, was latinized as Eda, and often used in the diminutive form Eden. It gave rise to a number of surnames such as Ede, Eade, Eadie, Eden. An example of the christian name Ede occurs in a Notts Parish Register as late as 1765, but it seems now to be obsolete.

Eadita, Eidita, Edgida, Edged, Ediet, Edied, Edit, Edid Domesday Book 1086. Editha Curia Regis Rolls 1199, Feudal Aids 1346. Edithe Feudal Aids 1284. Eda Close Rolls 1255, Hundred Rolls 1273. Edde Hundred Rolls 1273. Edda Poll Tax of West Riding of Yorkshire 1379 1379. Edon Hundred Rolls 1273. Edine Hundred Rolls 1273. Edonia Poll Tax of West Riding of Yorkshire 1379 1379. Edden Poll Tax of West Riding of Yorkshire 1379 1379. Edan, Eden Poll Tax of West Riding of Yorkshire 1379 1379.