Moden

The surname of Moden actually appears twice in my genealogy. The most recent occasion being that of my Great Grandmother - Susan Jane Moden (pictured left, in 1913) who was born in Ely, Cambridgeshire in 1896 to Edward Moden and Mary Ann (neé Cross).

Moden of Coveney & Ely, Cambridgeshire

My Moden families have lived in Cambridgeshire for at least 200 years. The earliest record of my Ely branch of Moden ancestors that I have come across is that of my Gtx5 Grandparents - Edward Moden and Margaret Nicholas who married in 1792 at Coveney, Cambridgeshire.

The generations of the family lived in Coveney until my Gt Gt Gt Grandfather - Edward Moden b.1829, died from a combination of "Valvular disease of the heart, disease of kidney, Albuminuria and Dropsy" on March 29th 1867. His pregnant widow, Mary Ann (neé Freeman) was left with his five children, with my Gt Gt Grandfather, also called Edward, due to be born in the September.

Mary Ann remarried to David Seymour at Coveney on 27th March 1871 and they had two further children. By the time of the 1881 census the family had moved to live at Green's Farm in Ely, Cambridgeshire.

My Gt Gt Grandfather, Edward Moden,(pictured) worked as a Horse Keeper at Barton Farm in Ely and he married my Gt Gt Grandmother, Mary Ann Cross and they had six children. One of these children was my Great Grandmother, Susan Jane Moden b. 1896, Ely, who is pictured above. Mary Ann (neé Cross) opened a shop in Ely on the corner of Barton Road and Cambridge Road which she kept for about 37 years. Her daughter's helped her run the shop which was eventually turned back into a house in the mid-to-late 1980's.

Moden of Wentworth, Cambridgeshire.

My second link to this surname was found via the internet (yes it really does work!) in April 1998. I received a GEDCOM file from a Mr. Dave Simmons which detailed his reseach into his wife's Moden connection. I knew that he had Ely Moden interests but I was unable to link his findings with mine. However, as soon as I received the file I noticed that his Moden branch was connected to me in a different way. He gave me the information that confirmed the second appearance of the Moden surname which occurs in my Boulter family of Wentworth. The connection is via my Gt Gt Gt Grandparents - Robert Boulter b.1826, Wentworth, and his wife Mary Ann Moden b. 1833, Haddenham, Cambridgeshire. Mary Ann Moden was the daughter of Thomas and Rebecca Moden of Wentworth who had several children - one of which - Anna Maria Moden provided his wife's link to my Moden family. In turn, my Boulter family married into my Dewey family which in turn married into the above Moden family and the branch from Ely !!!

Another link found was that of a Mr. David Moden who is an ancestor of one of Thomas Moden's brothers. His Moden family lived in Haddenham and Sutton, Cambridgeshire. I had originally come across this researcher two years ago but it wasn't until Dave Simmons provided me with new information, that David and I were able to put the pieces together and draw up one big tree. All I need to do now is find the link between the two Moden families and I shall be content.

Connected families include...

• Boulter of Wentworth, Cambridgeshire.
• Cross of Ely, Cambridgeshire.
• Dewey of Witchford, Wentworth and Ely, Cambridgeshire.
• Freeman of Prickwillow, Cambridgeshire.

Origins

Origins of the name are of mixed belief - here are three possibilities:

SWEDISH: "a nickname for a courageous, arrogant or foolhardy person or for one who was quickly moved to anger - derived from the word 'Mod' - meaning 'spirit, mind, courage' - from which is derived our modern word 'moody'".

SCOTTISH: " from M'Aedan or Mo Aodhan -'my Aedan', also as Gilmodan which means 'the servant or follower of St. Modan"

taken from Moden: The House Of Names.

GERMAN: the word Moden is the German word for 'Fashion'.

Common Moden Variants found...

Other Moden Internet Researchers....

• Moden of Wentworth & Ely, Cambridgeshire. Thomas and Rebecca Moden had at least 9 children - William Clements Moden b. 1841, Ely and Martha Moden b. 1839, Ely. Other children include: Anna Maria, Jane, John, Mary Ann, Sarah, Susan and Thomas Moden. This branch is connected and is detailed above. For more info, contact: Dave Simmons

This site is dedicated to the memory of George Edward Moden 1905-1998

Last Updated: Sunday March 28, 1999

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