The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-03-31 00:00:00

With reference to animals we have the following :—Birds-
ley or Burdley, Beesley, Buckley, Cowley, Crowley, Chick-
ley, Harley or Hareley, Horseley, Foxley, Hindley, Hartley,
Oxley, Shepley [i. e. Sheepley], Henley, Finchley, &c.
In reference to different qualities, size, and other circum-
stances, we have made a selection of the following :—Brown-
ley, Whiteley, Blackley, Yellowley, Ridley or Redley Fall

from the colour

Eckersley Ji. c. ley of an acre], ‘Veekly
e. let at a weekly rent], learsley [i. e. let at a yea:ly
;3, Bradley [corruption of hroadley], Chalk ley, Roughlcy,
Smalley, \\Torsley, Huntley [connected in some way with
bunting', Ditchley, Minaterley [near or belonging to a
minister], Priestley, Barnsley [with a Liam], Aleanley,
Rockley. Marley [producing marl], Pooley [having a pooh
Crossley, Litley [i. e. little ley], Net!
The surnames above enumerate

_nprisc but a few of
the class ; but I think the number is sufficient to show, that
they were appropriated to the localities and tenements called
1-s.friPla f 11Pu wcwgz sve.ri

bable, that in some instances the lees took their name from
the owners or tenants, Kersley, Dodsley, WilLesley, &c.
The etymology of the greater number of them is obscure.

There are several terminations used in the composition of
surnames, and they were applied to form them upon a simi-
lar principle with ley. The most frequently occurring are
Bourne, Shaw, Ford, Gate, Brook, Bridge, Well, Den. The
meaning of others of the same kind is less obvious ; Lowe,
Hithe, Hurst, Twisle, Hulme or Holme, Thwaite, Clough,
Halgh,By or Bye, New, Sey, Cross, Worth, Wick, &c.*

I include in the next class of surnames those which are
borrowed from natural objects of various kinds, both generie
and specific, animate and inanimate. These are so numerous
as to admit of an imperfect classification :—Mountain—Snow-
don ; till—Brownhill, Brickhill ; Forest—Dean ; Sher-
wood, Lake—Windex, Derwentwater ; Grove, equivalent to
burst and wood—Musgrove, Hazlehurst, Hazlewood ; Rivers
—Mersey, Severn, Medlock ; Brook—Bray brook ; Field—
Fairfield, Greenfield ; Tree—Ash, Birch, Pine ; Flower—
Rose, Lilly, Pink; Animal (itself not a surname, but)—
Bull, Fox, Hare, Lion. Lamb, Wolfe; Bird—Swallow,
Wren, Sparrow, Rook, Crow, Finch, with many more; Fish
—Salmon, Roach, Pike, Herring, Crabbe, Dace, Chubb,
&c

Most of the following, not inserted here methodically,
are appropriated to form surnames, both in a simple and
compound state :—Fountain, Moor, Church, Heath, Kirk,
Booth, Bell, Wain, Meadows, Way, Lane, Rock, Stone,
Bush, Cave, Clay, Stone, Hay, Den, Horn, Street, Hall,
Hill, Butter; Child, Man, Box, Still, Moon, Winter, with a
great many besides. Why the common names of such ob-
jects were chosen as surnames, it is difficult to say ; but the
choice was evidently made without much fastidiousness; and
for that reason we conclude, that they were chiefly appropri-
ated to the "lower orders," who were neither disposed, nor
had a right, to be nice. It is not improbable that some of

them wire given in mockery; and perhaps they had some
reference to persons' employment. Of this sort probably
are—Ashead, Trotter, Cannon. Pott, Carr, Cork, Cotton,
Plant, Needle, Pool, Bridge, Gill, Parrot, Hook, Kettle,
Webb, Trowell, Coulter, Cousin, Crew, Bell, Harrow, Tun,
Spar, Silver, Mattock, Hood, Pray, Court, Cowhand a very
great number besides.
I now-proceed to another class of surnames—those which

were derived from, or related to, the titles, offices, profes-
sions, the trades, handicrafts and employments, and the cha-
racter and personal qualities of individuals.
The surnames included in this class are exceedingly nume-
rous ; but the evidence of their origin is so obvious, that a
long enumeration is not deemad necessary. Derived froth
titles we have King, Prince, Lord, Baron. &c. From offices
are derived Pope, Abbot, Priest, Monk, Bishop, Constable,
Mayor or Major, Bailiff, Chamberlain. Borrowed from pro-
fessions we find Law, Physick, Clerk, Leech, Parson, Ser-
mon. From trades are derived Merchant, Draper, Haw-
ker. Numerous handicrafts have been adapted as surnames
—Turner, Carpenter, Cooper, Mason, Thatcher, Weaver,
Arrowsmith, Cartwright, &o. And the following are to be
referred to character and personal qualities—Meek, Cross,
Merry; Wilde, Jolly, Moody, Wiseman, Idle, Long, Short,
Strong, Swift, Quick, White, Brown, Scarlet, Green, Black,
Armstrong, Strongitbarm, Merriman, Sharp, Savage, Gay,
&c. &c.

Another class of surnames originated in the disposition of
our countrymen to make merry at the expense of their neigh-
bours ; that is, they were nicknames, to which some personal
deformity, or some outward circumstance in the appearance,
history or character gave rise. Thus we observe the not un-
frequent occurrence of such names as Sheepshanks, Crook-
shanks, Shuffiebottom, Muddiroan, Wildgoose, Gudgeon,
Sourbutts, Longbottom, . Rainbow, Curson, Stringfellow,
&c. &c. It is impossible to say what proportion of the nu-
merous list of surnames at present in use owe their existence
to this whaggish propensity ; but I think the number is much
greater than is commonly imagined. Why should such de-
signations be adopted as Wolfe, Lion, Snow, Broadbent,
Wildbore, Ladyman, Browbill, Savage, Lovelace, Jiges,
Bray, Woodhead, Sweetlove, but for the sake of insinuating
some ridiculous or reproachful circumstance, or of conveying
some satirical reflection ?—Rev. W. Johns, in Memoirs of
Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society.

* Lowe means a rising ground ; Hithe, a small haven ;
Hurst, a thicket of trees; 1 think Thwaite signifies to ex-
change or traffic; Clough, a precipitate descent; the others
rather uncertain.—Many of the words in the two last periods
are used for names singly, as well as in composition.