Middletown transcript., 1868-10-17

Bartholomew.
The prefxes :" Mac and "O'' found in
Irish names signify the first son, and the
latter grandson or descendant. DonnclPs
son would be called Mac -Donnell the
grandson would be called ODonnell.
OF surnames from the Dutch the most
are derived from places in Holland Van
(Dutch), Von (German), signify of or
from and denote locality as Van Buren,,
from the town of Buren,, Yam Ant'oerp be-
l'nging to or coming from AntNe p.
Names of trades, occupations and pur-
suits are next in number, as Smith, Car
pcntcr, Taylor, Baker, Barber, Brewer
Sherman Ca shear man, one who shears
CLOTH Naylor (nail maker,) Tucker Ga
fuller,) etc John the Smith was shor-
tened to John Smith, Peter the Carpenter
to Peter Carpenter, etc.
Many surnames are derived from official
names both civil and ecclesiastical. Among
these may be mentioned King, Lord, Earl,
Knight, Pope, Bishop, Bailey, Marshall,
Chamberlain, Priest, etc.
Personal characteristics have given orr
gin to another class of surnames descrip-
tive of mental or bodily peculiarities.
Among these are names of color and COM
plexion, as Black, Brown, White, Gray,
Dunn, (brown); and from the color of the
hair, as Whitehead, Fairfax (fair hair,
Swartz (black) Fairchild, Blackman, etc.
Those which indicate the mental or NOR
al qualities are such as Goodman, Wise,
Wiley, Meek, Moody, Bliss, Gay, Sage,
joy.
Among those derived from bodily pecu-
liarity and from feats of personal strength
or courage are Strong, Mickle, Little,
Long, Armstrong, TurHbull, etc,
A few surnames are derived from ami
mails, as Wolf, Lion, Fox, Hare, Roe, &c
From Wild-boar comes Wilbur; from lit
tic Wolf or Lupel'as comes Lowell; Todd
means fox in Scotch. And from Eber
or Eatcr, boar, is derived Everard, Ev-
eritt, Everingham, Everton, etc. Oil
phant is from Elephant.
The names of fishes and birds have
been taken as family names, as Pike, Sal
'mon Bert, Bass, Fish, etc Dove, Finch
Peacock, Swan, Jay, Wildgoose (Wil-
gus) Heron, etc.
The mineral and vegetable kingdoms
have contributed their full quota of names
as instance Garnett, Jewel, Steel, Iron,
Stone, Flint, etc.
From flowers, plants, shrubs and trees
we have the surnames of Lilly, Rose,
Pease, Beach, Thorn, Pine and Birch, etc.
One reason why persons rGaeived as
surnames the names of fishes, birds, ami
mails, flowers, &c. was because in ancient
times not only innkeepers, but all kinds
of tradcsmen were in the habit of putting
on the signs over their doors a representa-
ton of something to attract custom and as
a distinguishing mark of their place Of
business. Dolphins, Elephants, Bulls
Swans, Peacocks, etc. on signs gave rise
to surnames of those who put them up oil
to some of their employees. In those
days in London and other places might he
seen on tradesmen signs, the Gun, the
Crane, the Bell, the Griffin, the Kettle
the Pot, the Pitcher, almost every OBJ
ject animate and inanimate from whicl
circumstance we can account for many
surnames which you'd otherwise seen
strange and absurd Some surnames are
derived from some of the foregoing, OF
coats of arms.
A few surnames have originated il
nicknames, epithets of contempt and ridi
cule, imposed for personal peculiarities
habits, qualities, incidents or accidents
which happened to their original bearers
as Doolittle, Bragg, Trollope, Silliman etc
The foregoing give the principal sour
ces from which the greater part of oul
f surnames are derived, but many name
yet remain the origin of which are not ac
5 counted for, b"t aU sarnan,es must hac
E been originally significant.
The following list will give the origil
e or meaning of some familiar surnames
Acheson, An inscription or memorial
Acton, The oak town or oak hill-th
{; name of town in Middlesex, England.
Aikens, AIKEN, } Oaken, hard firm
: Allen, (Allan,) This name appears t
i; have several dcrivations. From the Gaeli
/; Aluinn signifying fair, handsome lovely
elegant. Irish Alum fair, beautiful; El
n ianus sun bright; and Aland Sclavonic
: hound or wolf-dog.
/ Anderson, the son of Andrew.
!. Arnold, faithful or devoted to honor.
Ayers, (Eyres,) from toWh' river ah
d district in Scotland.
e Barton, from town in Lincolnshire
'r England.
- Bates, signifies contention.
h Beadle, (Bedell, Biddle,) from Beadl'
|. the name of an office.
" Blair, cleared plain, battle field.
l. Blake, the son of Lake-Ap Lake.
y Bodine, good 4qmored, witty, sportiv'
,e Bond, the father Of a family. whenC
hasband, that is house- band.
tz Bonnet, the house on the cliff.
=, Bowers, chamber, cottage or shad
r. recess.
to Bowen, son of Owen.
Bowman, one who shoots with bow
% an anchor.
n Boyd, .yelloy-haired also from IL
IN river Boyd branch of the Avon.
u, Brand, signifies to burn; also swol
/ from its plittarinO briUhtness