ODIORNE FAMILY LINE

According to Creighton, "...the name ODIORNE, originally written HODIERNE, is supposed to be derived from the Latin HODIERNUS, from HODIE 'of this day'. Hence, also the English word, HODIERNAL, and the Italian ODIERNA, 'of this day'. Lower, in his Dictionary of English Names says 'HODIERNA occurs as a baptismal name in the time of William the Conqueror.

The name HODIERNE is extremely rare, but occasionally occurs in French and English annals, and has been traced back to the eleventh century. It was to be found, with some variations in Bretagne and other northern parts of France, al in Jersey and the isles off the northern coast. It was also found as the name of places..."

For example, "...HODIERNE or AUDIERNE, is the chief place of a canton in the district of Pointeroix, on its northwest coast, on a bay of the same name, opening from the English Channel...AUDIERNE BAY is situated at the south of the Bay of Douarnenez, from which it is separated by a narrow peninsular...AUDIERNE GULF, Kerguelan's Land or Desolation Island in the Indian Ocean, (lat S. 49, long. E. 70), [is] a barren and uninhabited spot...Bounding this island is a large gulf called AUDIERNE..."

In New England, Odiorne's Point is located on the seashore in the town of Rye. Once the family homestead, it is now a National Park. According to Savage, it is possible that Philip and John2 and the rest of the early colonists at Rye, Rockingham co., NH were from Rye, England.

Variations on the Odiorne name include: Odearn, Odiarne, Odierna, Odierne, Odyarne, Odyerne, Hodierne, Hodyern, Ordean, Odeon, Odien, Oden, Odion, Odean, Odeane, Ordorne and Odium.