The town got it's name from mining activities (By Delf) means by the diggings. Delf is a term used in the past to describe mining or digging.
Indeed until the mine closed in 1982 many would use the term "going down the delf "to describe going down the mine.
However if your name is Biddle, that too could come from Biddulph as it is recorded in local records as early as 1472, with the name Richard Biddle.
Biddle is also derived from the office of Beadle a town official, mainly used in Northern England.
To be certain of the origin of your name" Biddle" you need to know where your distant relatives came from.
