Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1892-08-11
eTYMoLoeY MADE INTERESTING.
The Origin and Curious Evolution of
Some English Surnames

The Origin and Curious Evolution of
Some English Surnames.
A magazine article by Sir Hert ert
Maxwell presents in very readable
form the derivation of number of
common names. 1t will be news, for
example, to many of our readers tnat
Snooks was once known as Sevenoakes
fome persons are not aware that Eliza
beth is to be accounted an uncouth form
of Isabel, which was formed from Isa-
beau ON a false suppositiOn that Isabeau.
was masculine. Eliza. it is stated. is
not shortened form of Elizabeth, but
is the equivalent of Alice. Marion, We
know, is in line with Marie, Mary and
Maria
Patronyrnics have been much multi
piled through pet thames. The Saxons
formed pet names by adding to the
original name-often abbreviated-kin
and cock, and the Normans introduced
ct and OF. en- and on. From William we
have the pet names Will, Wilcock, Will
kin, Willett, Wiley, Willemot, When,
Bill and Gull Q4atin). From these we
get. in order, Williams, MacWilliam.
Williamson, Wills, Wilson, Wilcox, Viii
kins, Wilkison. Wilkinson, Willet, Will
letson, Wilmot, Willing, Bilson, Gill,
Gibson, Gilkins. Gilkison, Gillon and
elliott Robert-through Robin, Dobb,
Hob, Rob and Hobkin-gives us Rob-
erts, Robertson, Robins, Robinson, Rob-
ison, Probyn, Dobbs, Dobson, Hobbs.
Hobson, Robbs, Robson, Hopkins and
Hopkinson.
Philip gives US Phipp4, Philpot and
Philpots. Richard has been distorted
by affection into the pet names Rich,
Richie, Dick, Diccon, Hitchin and Hitch
cock. From these i'll turn we have
Richards, Richardson, Richards, Pritch-
ard, Rixon, Ritchie, Richison, Dick,
Dixie, Dixon, Dickens, Dickinson, Hitch
ins, Hitchison, Hitchcock and Hitchcox.
David has given as Davidson, Dodson.
Dodds, Davy, Dawson, Daw, Dawson,
Dawkins and O'Dowd. We have from
Henry the derivations Hal, Hallet,
Harry, Harriet and Hawkins.
From John we get Jack and Jenkins;
from Simeon, Simkins. Thackerays
ancestor was thatcher. Malthus got
his name from malthouse and the com
mon family name of Bacchus would be
more correctly spelled bakehouse. Mac
pherson 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. Aylesford, Grim.
ston, Habersham and Ormsby are ex-
amples.
Winslow is from words that near
Wines hill. From Lea we get Lee,
Leigh and Leigh. The Welsh Ap, son
with Robert, has become Probert. ArI
Rhys has become Price, Ap Owen has
become Bowen, and Ap Hugh has b
come Pugh. A prosperous Dublin snu
dealer named Halfpenny has had his az
pellation shortened, it is narrated, t,
Halpen, and then enlarged to an impos-
ing McAlpin. 1t is interesting in this
connection to know that Finn and Find.
lay are Celtic surnames equivalent tC
our White. Duff, Macduff and Dow are
for Black. Glass is for Gray. Roy,
Cochran and Cochrane all mean red
Our Mr.. Brown is in Celtic Mr.. Dunn OF
Mr.. Donnan. Moore and Moran answer
to our Bigg. On the other hand, Beggs
is good Celtic for Little or Small. Oil
phant (elephant) is a name derived from
shop sign. The reader will perceive
that many of our Christian names and
surnames have had curious histories
Baltimore Sun.