Moneyamuck 1278
In the Sheriff's Accounts for County Tipperary 1275-6 we have an account of debts and fines, and those relating to Waterford list around 160 persons. Of the total, 145 are AngloNorman, the remainder being Irish, having an "O" or "Mac" prefix. The Irish names included Mac Coter (Mac Coitir), MacSeyr, Maccolky (Mac Ailche?), Hall(e)y), Makgorman (Mac Gormain) O Hanegas, O Bothegan, O Kelly (O Ceallaigh), O Loppy (O Lubaigh?), O Kennedy (O Cinneide), O Hustel, O Bergath, O Konyl (O Conaill), O Konach, O Cormod, Ogloherne (O Clothairne), O Dunnegan (O Duinneachain/O Duibhneachai n), O Meryn (O Meir in), O Harechyn, O Murchod, and Offouleth (O Foghlu?).
There was Segerthan MacSagertan, and Simon, son of the priest, and Alan, son of the chaplain. Then there was also Robert fitz Odo, and William O Kody.
In a footnote, Edmund Curtis informs that "where the original Latin filius" was used he substituted "fitz" which was the common form among French-speaking Anglo-Normans, but not where it obviously means actual son, or in Welsh and Gaelic names".
The now rare surname Archdeacon means the bishop's righthand man, who, unlike the priest and the chaplain listed above, was required to be celibate. The first so named to arrive in Ireland was Odo Archdeacon. He had witnessed the charter of Geoffrey FitzRobert to Duiske around 1204. From his Christian name came the alternative name of the Archdeacons, Mac Odo (son of Odo), which, in turn, was corrupted to Cody. So it was from Stephen, son of Odo, that the pedigree of the family derived. In Irish this is Mac Oda. But whence O Kody?
In 1247, Stephen Archidekne held the Co Kilkenny barony of Galmoy, and in 1324 it was held by Raymund le Erchedekene. In fact it is likely that this land had then been in the family for several generations.
The Irish Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns 1521-1603 list Archdeacon 46 times, variously spelt Archdekin/Archedecon/ Archedekin etc, and almost always with the alias Mac Oda, Mac Odie, Mac Coddy, Mac Codie, Mac Codde, etc. This was in relation to deeds, grants, indentures, and as witnesses. They were in Cos Kilkenny, Waterford, Carlow, Galway and Tipperary.
The earliest was that of Donald m'Piers Archideken alias M'Coode of Kilkillin in 1549, in which year four of the name from Kilvellin (Kilvellane in the Co Tipperary parish of Nenagh), were among a small group of pardoned persons.
There were over 80 references to this family in Volumes II to VI of the Ormond Deeds. Among these were Sir David, Sir John, Sir Nicholas, all these being priests, it being the custom to place "Sir" before the Christian names of ordinary priests, and, indeed, also that of a Pope.
The most noteworthy was Sir John Archdeacon Alias McOda, priest of Ossory, "a man of purity and knowledge of letters etc", who was made chancellor of the cathedral church of Cashel in 1563. He is frequently mentioned, the last being in 1580, when he received grants of lands in Co Kilkenny. In 1569, he was witness to a deed regarding "all the meases, castles, lands etc, of Insula Iverke called in Irish Illane Iverke and Tample Iverke (Danes' Island, Co Waterford)". This is now rendered Templeyvrick. In a commission to establish the bounds of the Earl of Ormond's ancient estates (15891594), evidence was given by Morish Archdekin of Monenemuck, Co Kilkenny. In 1551, an inquisition at Clonmel heard that Maurice Archdeacon, of Monemocke had 13 pigs stolen. Now spelt Moneynamuck, this name derives - appropriately - from Moinin na Muc, "the grassy place (in bog) of the pigs". This has the alias Cooloultha, Cuil Ultaigh, "the nook of corner of the Ulster person."
The 1659 "census" lists Cody among the principal Irish names in Cos Laois and Tipperary, but mainly in Co Kilkenny. The Directory of 1814 shows Thomas Cody at Earlsgrove, Knocktopher, Co Kilkenny, while Owners of Land of One Acre and Upwards (1876) shows modest Cody/Coady/Coddy holdings in Cos Dublin, Kilkenny, Offaly, Tipperary and Waterford. The largest was the 338 acres at Callan, Co Kilkenny.
Current telephone directories list Cody 195 times; Coady 229 times, both being predominantly in south Leinster. Archdeacon is listed five times, four of which are in Co Cork.