The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1892-08-25
Etymology Made Interesting.

A recent magazine article by Sir Robert Max
well presents in very readable form the deriva-
ton of number of common names. 1t will be
news, for example. to many of our readers that
SnOOkS was once known as SevenOakeS Some
persons are not aware that Elizabeth is to be ac-
counted an uncOuth form of Isabel. which was
formed from ISabeau on false SuppOsitOn that
Isabeau was masculine. Eliza it is stated, is not
a shortened form of Elizabeth, but it is the
equivalent of Alice. Marion. we know, is in line
with Marie, Mary and Maria. PatrOnymics have
been much multiplied through pet names. The
SaXOns formed pet names by adding to the orig
inal name-Often abbreyiated-kin and cock and
the NOrmanS introduced ct and Ot en- and on.
From William we have the pet names WILL Will
COX. Wilkin, Willett, Wiley, WillemOt. Willen,
Bill, GULL (Latin). From these we get. in order,
Williams. Macmillan, Williamson. Wills. Will
son. Wilcox, Wilkins, WilkisOn, Wilkinson, Will.
let WilletsOn, WilmOt Willing, Bilson. Gill; Gill
son, Glkins, GilkisOn GillOn and elliott. Rob
ert- Through Robin, DObb, Hob, Rob, and Hob
kn-gves Roberts, Robertson, Robins, Rob
inson, Robson, PrObyn, Dobbs, DObsOn, Hobbs,
HObsOn, RObbs, Robson, Hopkins and HOpkin-
son. Philip gives us Phipps. Philpot and Phil
pots. Richard has been distorted by affection
into the pet names Rich Richie, Dick, Diccon,
have Richards. Richardson. Richards. Pritchard,
Rixon, Ritchie, Richson. Dick, Dixie. Dixon,
Dickens, Dickinson, Htchns, Hitchison Hitch
cock and Hitchcock. David has: given us David
son, DOdSOn, DOdds, Davy, Dawson, Daw, Daw-
son, Dawkins and O'DOwd. We have from
Henry the derivatiOns Hal, Hallet, Harry, Har-
riet and Hawkins.
From John we get Jack and jenkins; from
Simeon, Simkins. Thackerays ancestor was
thatcher. Nautilus got his name from malthOuSe,
and the common family name of Bacchus would
be more correctly Spelt bakehOuse. Macpherson
means parsons son. Vickers was the wears
son. Wallace means a WelShman, and Bruce is
a Norman name. Sinclair, Montgomery, Hay
and Vance are, like Bruce, names derived from
lands in Normandy. Many English surnames
end in ford, ham house }, lea, ton (farm and
by (dwelling) from the old practice of naming
persons after their native place, AylerfOrd,
GrmstOn, Habersham and Ormsby are exam
pies. WinslOw is from words that mean Wines
Hill. From Lea we get Lee, Leigh and Leigh.
The Welsh APP son, with Robert, has become
Probert Ap Rhys has become Price, Ap Owen
has become Bowen and Ap Hugh has become
Pugh. A prosperous Dublin snuff dealer named
Halfpenny has had his appellatiOn shortened it
is narrated to Halpen, and then enlarged to an
imposing McAlpin. 1t is interesting in this con-
nectiOn to know that Finn and Findlay are Celtic
surnames equivalent to our White. Duff. Mac
duff and Dow are for Black. Glass is for Gray.
Roy Cochran and COchrane all mean red. Our
Mr. Brown is in Celtic Mr. Dunn or Mr.. DOnnan.
Moore and Moran answer to our Bgg. On the
other hand Beggs is good Celtic for Little or
Small. Olphant (elephantD is a.name derived
from shop sign. The reader will perceive
that mapv of orr Christian namaS and curnomoS
have had curious Observation-Disclosures Sun.