The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1892-08-27
ETYMoLoeY MADE INTERESTING.

The Origin and Curious Evolution OF
Some English Sutnames.
magazine article by Sir Herbert
Maxwell presents in very readable
form the derivation of a number of
common names. 1t win be news, for
example, to many Of our readers that
Snooks was once known as Sevenoakes.
Some persons are not aware that Eliza.
beth is to be accounted an uncouth form
of Isabel, which was formed from Isa.
beau on false supposition that Isabeau
was masculine. Eliza, it is stated, is
not a shortened form Of Elizabeth, but
is the equivalent of Alice. Marion, we
know, is in line with Marie, Mary and
Maria.
Patronymics have been much multi.
piled through pet names. The Saxons
formed pet names by adding to the
original name-often abbreviated-kin
and cock, and the Nornans introduced
ct and OF, en- and on. From William we
have the pet names Will, Wilcock, WI
kin, Willett, Wiley, Willemot, Willen,
Bill and Gull Latin). From these we
get, in order, Williams, MacWillian,
Williamson, Wills, Wilson, Wilcox, Will
kins, Wilkison, Wilkinson, Willet, viii
letson, Wilmot, Willing, Bilson, Gill,
ellison, GillIins, Gilkison, Gillon nnd
elliott Robert-through Robin, Dobh,
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 Phipps, Philpot and
Philpots. Richard has been distorted
by affection into the pet names Rich,
Richie, Dick, Diccon, Hitchin and Hitch.
cock. From these in turn we have
Richards, Richardson, Richards, Pritch.
ard, Rixon, Ritchie, Richison, Dick,
Dixie, Dixon, Dickens, Dickinson, Hitch.
ins, Hitchison, Hitchcock and Hitchcock.
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, Simllins. Thackeray's
ancestor was a 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 Qarm) and by dwelling, from the
old practice of naming persons after
their native place. Aylesford, Grim.
ston, Habersham and Ormsby arc ex-
amples.
Winslow is from words that mean
Wines hill. From Lea we get Lee
Leigh and Leigh. The Welsh Ap, son
with Robert, has become Probert. Ap
Rhys has become Price, Ap Owen has
become Bowen, and Ap Hugh has be-
come Pugh, y prosperous Dublin snuff
dealer named Halfpenny has had his ap-
pellation shortened, it is narrated, TO
Halpen, and then enlarged to an impos-
ing McAlpin. 1t is interesting in this
connection to know that Finn and Find
lay are Celtic suTnames equivalent to
our White. Duff, Macduif and Dow are
for Black Glass is for Gray. Roy,
Cochran and Cochrano all mean red,
Our Mr.. Brown is in Celtic Mr. Dunn or
Mr.. Doman. Moore and Moran answer
to our Bigg, On the other hand, Beggs
is good Celtic for Little or Small Oil
phant (elephanD is name derived from
shop sign. The reader will perceive
that many Of our Christian names and
surnames have had curious histories.
Baltimore Sun.