HOUDRY is a place name before to be a people name. It is an old name and particularly very present in Brie. But it was/is known in other areas. The following points support this conclusion:
The main part of the HOUDRY people
nowadays are living in the area of Coulommiers. This fact demonstrate an
old settlement of the name in this region of Brie. This one is very
illustrated by the big family groups found in this little area at the
past times.
The demographic work realized for 13
cantons of Seine-et-Marne also demonstrates the Grand-Morin valley
(between Coulommiers and La Ferté-Gaucher) is the family birthplace.
Jean dit Odry is cited in 1270 in the
book of Martial Cordier as the first ancestor of the family. Moreover the
alias "dit Odry" should come from a toponym.
The HOUDRICHON family was not studied. But in accordance with Martial Cordier, this family should be linked to the HOUDRY family.