The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1860-12-15
Curi0sities Of Names.


way, we regard as one of the most keel.
lent Of family papers. contained, recently, the
following interesting notice Of work, en-
titled Concerning some Scotch SvrnQn,es, from
the pen Of Mr.. Cosmo Innes Professor of
History in the University of Edinburgh.
This book. among other things, shows how
curiously names are changed in Course of
time, SO that II the archaologlst and antique
rim did not hunt up the connection no ore
would suspect them to be the same. Who
would suspect that S'iggins, the gn-drinking
- Shepherd of the Pickwick papers. was
descendant Of Stiganders, the great Norm an
prilnatc or that the humble Thbctls was
kin to the grand Theobad! or that the de-
scendantS Of lngulphus have corrupted that
stately name to the vulgar Gunter? Imeot
is from Thoroughbred; Terry from Theodore;
and Toby from St. Olave.
That there is good deal in n name has
been the opinion Of very many people. or we
should not have so many George Washington
Smiths and Napoleon Bonapar,e Joncses in the
Directory. good name is u very dcsira DIE
thing, but John seems to us the best of all. -
Almost every man has some time tried the
STHg OF his name to See how easily it fit in
the popular mouth, and how unsteady it
would read in the laudations Of newspapers.
But fortune is impartial. and takes no &C.
count OF popular convenience when she names
her favorites. Could any name have sounded
more awkwardly at first. and more unlike a
name destined TO fame, than that of Napo.
Icon Bonapartc!
And yet j: had one important point in it's
favor it ended in on: and it is noticeable
that the great majority Of the great names. al
least in modern history. have that terlnina.
ton. Call off at hazard: there were WASH
ng'on. Napoleon. Wellington Nelson. Mil
ton. Clinton. Madison, J,fcrson. Bacon
Addison. Newton, and SO on ANY one can
recall them by he dozen. In the Presldcn.
.inl canvass jus: closed. sfrewd calculator
of chances remarked that of the four candj.
dates but one owned II name which sounded
as though it terminated in on, and thought
this gave decided advantage to Mr.. Lincoln
whose name he perslstently pronounced
Lmcon.
OF the changes which time has made in the
Spell'ng and pronunciation of names, Profess
sor lnncs gives some very curious examples
Tie splendid DE BaNM:c has been corrup,rd
to Befscher: Ter, a common Scotch name
is from Dc Ferc; Mount is from De Monicul.
10. st. Mnur is changed to Seymour: South.
well Swell S. Agnclis, AnneSley: ST..
An'honv's Town, Taunton Arthur 'sbury,
Ade'th eleigh, Andley: St. Chevercl. Shuk sr-
icy; nayrr'nston, Harrington Cholmon.
dcley, Choln,ley. (evcn where the snccn,
spelling Is retained 1t is pronounced CHUNKY
Si'slit. Cecil; EStlc'gh. Ashley Mohun.
Moon Mon:acn,e. Montague; Granville.
Gree"ftll: St. Paul, Sa,npool Moun'ioy,
Ma'nSay; DE nurco Monte, Ornond; and
De Cruce, Crecch
The great majority Of family names have
meaning and in some way explain the orr.
GIN Of the family. This is even more the
case with German names than with English,
though il would puzzle one to throw light on
the origin of the name of one Of Germany S
most hnnoIcd living theologians, Karl Fred.
rich Lede'hosen. which beng literally trans.
lated, is as mach as 10 say Charles frederick
Lealherbrecchcs.
The Ndp'ers were originally Napcrs. or
Napercrs. which means linen clo.hiers DUFF.
furs kept Dove.ilousc Livingston was de-
villa Levin: Stark was the strong" BAN
the white. y and Reid the Red" man. =.
Dcwar kept the relics: Proctor "
was church lawyer; Mr.. SangSter sang in
the choir; Gillespie was the bishops servant
Malcolm. ST. Columba's servant: dilmour,
ST. Mary S servant: and uilllcs, the servant
ofJrSns' while Mitchell is the abrcvlaton OF
St Michael. Barker and Curry (currier) are
connections Of the SINNERS and Tanners.
Brander stamped the barrels. Baxter bake
Brewster bIewed. and Lys.cr dyed. while
Webster wove. and SLtcr Stitched h,s shoes,
Fletcher shaped his arrows. Dempsler was
Judge. Wa,droper presided over his habIi-
lnents Chalmers was his chamberlain, and
Quentin Durwnrd kept the door; while TODD
the fox. and Brock the badger. engaged the
attention of the Foster, who ranged the for.
est. and Granger who kept the homestead.
The Economically sounding Lorimer means
maker Of horses brides: Chancer, "a
weaver - Walker. a fuller" Banister, a
bath man " halnea,or y FroLSher, "a
fuIbisher;" Krmpe soldier :" and Cough,
ruddy-u'an:" Winter is - vlntner :" and
Summer the /" scmpnour or surnmon.r
and have nothing TO do will, the time Of lhcir
birth Up. 1917 The obsolete trades of the
Fletcher Girdler. Lister. Webster. Taverncr,
Pal'iser. Parglter. Reeve. and Woodruff, are
only preserved in surnanes. Hitler is COZ
ruption Of" hulier." an GILMAN.