The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-07-24
WHOLE NO. S37
FAMILY NAMES.
some ACCOUNT OF THEIR ORIGIN
AND DEVELOPMENT.
Names from the welsh-Adding Diminu-
tives- -Holidays-John and Its Prolific
Crop OF Derivatives - Scripture
Names-The Puritans.

[St. Louis Globe Democrat
Americans must look to England for the
greater part of their family names, and in
England the family name was first appar-
entity created by taking the name Of the
father and adding it to that Of the son. In
many parts OF Wales this practice is said to
10 still common, so that it is no remarkable
thing for man to be called Bill O'Jacks,
ODicks. O'Toms, O'Harrys. An old play,
called "Sir John Oldcastle," contains an al
lusion to this practice. The judge asks:
"What Is the bail and who the suretiesf
One of the partie, replies: "Her cozsn ap-
Rice, aL-Evan, ap-Morice. ap-Morgan. ap-
Lewellyn, ap-Madoc, ap- Meredith, ap-Grif
fin, ap- Davis, ap-O Owen, p-Shinkin-Jones."
The judge is properly surprised at the for
midable array of friends willing to go on the
bond Of the prisoner. but is still more sur
prisei when he finds that all these are but
one, and he not very good one at that
The Welsh ap, however, has given us key
TO the solution Of several names, In which it
does not appear as q distinct portion. Thus,
ap-Hugh has become Pugh, p-Rice, Price;
apo wen. Bowen; ap-Richard, Pritchard,
and ap-Howell. Powell.
The tendency in proper names hos always
been toward abbreviation, a short name be-
Ing invariably more popular an long
one. Another method Of manufacturing
family names was by adding a diminutive
to the proper name the chief diminutives in
this use being the syllables kin, cock, and ct
or OF; another, ing, being found, but SO
rarely that it need hardly be mentioned.
Using these in combination with proper
names, from Simon we have Simpkins or
Simcox; from Williams, Wilkins, Wilcox,
and Willett. In early English days the
pagan was a favorite way of designating
one who had not conformei to Christianity,
and from this circumstance comes the
Paines, the Paynes the Pynes. and the Pyn-
Sons, to whom. may fifty be opposed the
Christians, the Chrsties, and the Chrstions,
while the Kitsons are the descendants OF
some Christopher who was Familiarity known
among his friends as Kit.
1t Is curious to notice the ready manner in
which local events, such as festivals OF local
saints serve the purpose OF furnishing names
for children. The names CT tho scripture
saints are common enough, but it is not so
common to find Holiday, Hockerday and
Hobdoy, which all took their origin in the
same way by giving the child the name Of
the day rather than that of the saint in
whose honor the day was celebrated. St
Theobald is remembered in the annals Of
the saints for many credtable actions but
his name is also found in little suspected
quarters 1t first became Tibbald, then
Tibbe, or Tebbe, whence come the Tibbes,
the Tebbess, the Tibbetts, and a score Of
others Of the character and similar sound.
Another saint, Gilbert. has been equally un-
fortunate with his name. Glib was formerly
q cant word t. express wanton person.
Then it became proper name, whence
Gilbertson, Gibbs, Gibbonsons, Gibson,
and many others.
No monosyllable name has been SO prolific
ln its derivatives as John. As family
name 1t is sometimes found as a plain John,
then as St John, then its first change Is into
Johns, then comes Jones, johnson. John
cock, Jonkins, Jenkins, Jennings, Jenkinson,
Jenks, Jinks, and Jinkinson. BY additions
we have Littlejohn, Brownjohn, and Proper
John. No argument Is needed to prove the
popularity of Jack. As nickname IL is
fixed beyond all fear Of abolition, and from
q nickname it passed. by easy stages to re-
putable place among the family names.
The name of Peter furnishes curious bit
of history, showing how popular prejudice
can influence the choice of a name for a
child. Reasoning from analogy, one might
suppose that as Peter was the leading disci-
pie, and as the chair Of Peter was held in
high reverence, his name would take prece.
dence Of all Others with piously-inclined per-
sons. So it does in many parts Of the conti-
nent, but in England the name was always
singularly unpopular, their being. as q rule,
about thirty-five Johns to one Peter. The
priests did all they could to encourage the
use Of the name, but in vain, for under the
name of Peters pence the English were
forced for ages to pay one Of the most odious
taxes in all their list, tax for which they
could see no use, which took monsy out o
their pockets and brought them nothing In
return; but, thanks to the priests, the name
was sometimes given, and we thus have not
only Peter, but Peters, Peterson, Pierre,
Pear, Pearson, Parsons Parsons, Pierce, to-
gether with Perretts, Parrets, Peterkins,
Perkins. and Parkins.
Other scripture names are more common.
Isaac has given us Isaacson, likes, Ikeson,
and Hicks and Hicksou, with Higgs and
Higginson. David gave us Davies, David
Daniel is still seen in Daniels DANCES, Dam
sons, and Dannells. Simon is found in Sim,
Simpon, Simkins, Simcox, Simonds, and
Simmons. Philip survives in Phillips,
Phelps, Philips, Phipps, Phipson, Philcox, and
Philpott Matthew seems always to have
been a favorite, for his memory Is still en-
balmed among us in Matthews and Mat
thevson, in Mattison, Matson, and Mats.
bartholomew Is now known among men as
Bartolow, Bartle, Bartlett, Rattsl, Battle,
Bates, Patsons, Batcocks, Badcocks, and
Badktns. Thomas received an additional
impetus to popularity from the sad fate
Of his namesake, Thomas . Beckett, and his
name Is found In Q hundred different forms,
among the most common being Thoms,
Thompson. Thompkins, Thomset, Tomkins,
Tomlins, Thomlins, Thomlinson, and Tnom-
asett James was always popular In Scot
land, and appears as Jameson and Jimson.
Not even in the laws and history Of Eng
land does the change In the nations style OF
thought appeal 30 forcibly as in the names
given to children The New Testament
names were neglected, but the Oldest and
from their bscurity and forced into ,,sa
In their humility the Puritans used some