The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-07-20
SURNAMEs.
Their origin and Peculiaritiss.

A diaectory of family names furnishes
an almost inexhaustible subject for study
and research. When Juliet asked the
question, whats in a name ?" she hard
ly did the fair thing by Romeo in reply
ing herself that that which is called
rose by any other name would smell az
sweet. THIS gratuitous remark doubt
less threw Romeo off the scent, for he, Q
gentle-born Veronese, must have beer
familiar with the story of neighboring
Venice of the Ponti and Canali-the one
family asserting that the Bridges Ponti
were above the Canals (Canalf, the Other
that canals must have existed before
bridges, and the strife over the names
having become so hot that the senate had
to remind the disputants that it had
power to either stop up the canals OIL
tear down the bridges if they became too
troublesome. In all cases, as in this
quoted, names mean something. They
may have become twisted and corrupted
out of all shape-as, who would recog
nize in plain Shocks the once aristocratic'
sounding Sevenoaks ?-or in English es.
pecially, the meaning of the original
word may have become lost or obscured
in changes of spelling.
The sumber of well known surnames
derived directly from personal names is
remarkable. The following short list
will show this to be true;
From Thomas-Thomasson, Thomson,
Thompson, TompkIns, Tomkins, Tom
linsons.
Nicholas-Nichols, Nickerson, Nixon,
Nicholson.
Enthusiastically, Barney.
Paul-Polson, Pawson, Powell, Pou-
lett.
Luke-Lacock, Luckett.
Stephen-Estevan, Stevenson, Simpson,
Stennett.
Michael Mitchell.
Elias-Ellis, Elliott, Elkins, Elcocks,
and in the north of England Alison, ALI
kins, Alcocks.
Peter-Parr, Pierce, Parsons, Pear
sons, Peterson, Parrott, Perkins, Par
nell.
lsaac-Hicks, Higgs.
David-Dawes, Dayes, Dayson, Dakin,
Davidson.
Daniel--Danson, Danse.
Simon - Simms, Simpson, Simcox,
Simpkins, Simmonds.
Philip-Phipp, Phelps, Philcox, Phil
pot.
Matthew-Mattison Matson, Mathews.
Bartholomew-Bartle, Bartlett, Batty,
Bates, Batson, Badcock, Badkins, and
from "TOlly" corruption, Tolly and
Tolson.
Henry-Harris, Harrison, Hallett,
Hawkins, Parry from ap Harry, Penrys
from ap Henry, Harriott.
William-Besides the obvious names,
10
Willett, Wilkinson, Weeks, Wickson,
Bill, Bilson, Tilson, Tillot, Tillotson,
lilly.
Roger-Rogers, Hodge, "a nickname)
Hodgkin, Hotchkins, Hoskins, Hodson,
Prodger.
Ralph-Rawson, Rawlins, Rawlinson,
Rollins, Robinson, Rapkins.
Hugh-Huggins, Hutchins, Hutchin-
son, Hugginson, Hewlett, Hewlett,
Hewett, Hewitt, Howson, Hughes, Hew-
son, Pugh.
Geoffrey-Jeffries, Jefferson, Jephson,
Jeffcock.
Fulke- Faxson, Faulkes, Fox partly.
Observation-Disclosures, Richardson, Kicks,
Rlx, Richard, Rickson, Dix, Dicks, Dick
son, Dixon, Kitchens, Hitchcock.
Walter-Waters, Watson, Watterson,
w atkins, Watkinsons, Waltrots.
Theobold-Tibbald, Tubbs, Tipson,
Tibbats.
Gilbert-Gibbs, Gibbons, Gibson,
Gipps, Gilpin.
Lanbert-Lampson, Lambkin.
These are but a few instances of
derived from personal
names. 1t will be noticed that kins,
cocks, OF, ct, ing and ling end many of
he names. They are all diminutives.
Kin and cock are Saxon, OF and ct Nor
nan, ing and ling Saxon. Wilkins
means ''little Will !" Marriott, Marryatt,
means little Mary" Elliott, 'little
Ellis" Rawlins, ''little Ralph" Hitch
,ock, ''little Hitch" or Richard.
In this way the Oldest English names
If the middle-class people were formed.
4 search through the new directory lie
reals representatives in this city of nearly
very family. The origin of other we'll
Known names, as Bardsley gives them,
will form the subject of another article.