The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-02

rights'D, Hickock, C'hic-hoc'O DUNN
kopt C'blockheadO, Sehgman (probaby
from Selig, blessed Wunderlich
C'straneeD, Demuth C'huminty'O, and so
on without number.
The original family name of a gentle
man in this city. favorably known in con.
nection with the United States treasury.
was John Francisco, which after change
became John f. Cisco. English surnames
suffer. perhaps, as much in the pronun-
citation by the English themselves as do
foreign words. Take for instance the
English pronunciation Of Cholmondeley
Brougham, Haworth, Auchinleck. Mohun
and Cockburn, and notice how the edges
are clipped Off, becoming Chumley
Broom, Horth, Afheck, Moon and Coburn
The common English surname Putnam Is
an abbreviation of Puttenham, and Shocks
was formerly Seven Oaks Perhaps if the
battle OF Seven Pines had been fought on
English soil, il might have become ancient
history under the name of Spines. Crow
inshield is the word from which the com
paratiVely common surname Groundsell
Is derived. You have only to arrive in
Canada to find that ST. John is Sinjohn.
The governmental list of West Point
graduates furnishes some warike names
such as Drum, Swords, Shields, Bledsoe.
and Slaughter The vastly less warlike
directory of the city of Brotherly Love
affords names quite as sanguinary in fam
Blade and Conquest. 1t is only fair to say
that while Peace is seldom found as a
family name in New England, Peace Is
standby In Philadelphia, along with fam
lilies of Bangor, Wallop, Clubhs. Pound
Rouw, Striker, Fife and Butchers, with
out number.
Christian names very frequently become
surnames, or al least pose as much. l.
may be possible that they are what might
be called unattached names, which have
come down in that form from antiquity.
The well known Christian names Abra-
ham, Albert. Arthur Edward, Frederick
Paul, Thomas, and many others will oc-
cur as examples. Another class of Chris
tan names furnishes well known sur
names by slight prefix or addition, as
David, Davis, Davies, Davidson, DaVi-
son; John, Jones, Jackson, johnson, Jack
etc. The name Richard goes still further
as Richards Richardson, Dick Dicks
Dix, Dickson, and Dixon, Dickman, etc
When the ending of a surname is of Nor
man or Saxon origin, it may safely be de-
pended upon to furnish clue to the orlgi-
nal origin or meaning of the word, either
as a whole or in part. Pierpont, for in
stance, tells its own story when we know
that Point Is a bridge, Winthrop means
wine village" Croft IAN enclosure" as
in Bancroft. Sail means "a hall" as
lngersall Qnger's HalD. Colt is an alb
breviation of Cottage" and becomes a
part of Endicott, cottage at the end"
Prescott, priests cottage" Middlecott.
etc, etc.
The constant influx of foreigners into
this country, with uncouth, and in many
instances nearly unpronounceable names
has brought about a state of affairs which
will be distracting 10 the genealogist who
is summoned in the far distant future to
grow a satisfactory family tree for some
rising family of foreign extraction. Take
very common name, that of Newman,
which appears frequently on the east
side. The writer has seen II spelled New
maninsky and Newmansinski. Many mis-
takes also occur from misspeling of sur
names by newly arrived immigrants
Their names, at best pronounced with diff
ficulty by neighbors, undergo CONVEX
sions which sooner or later become fix
lures. The writer's family name on one
side Is Bon Pas, which is the French for
good step" Wei, when that French
family with distinguished name reach
ed this country, they were almost imme-
diately lost in the name of Bump"
which was about as far as their neigh
bors could get with the pronunciation of
the new name, and out of good nature II
was allowed to go at that, and so contin-
ues. Another family name, viz, Jaques,
is now to be found spelled eighteen ways
in the United states, some of the Varla-
lions being Gee Cox, Jay Cox, Jackes,
and Jaquiss. The surname Bellows,
which is quite common in New York city,
is supposed to be corruption of De Belle
Eau. The family crest represents water
poured from chalice.
Diseases as well as medicines furnish
| their queer quota, the majority of which
when named will be remembered. as hav-
| Ing been seen in print. Fit, Fits, and
| Fitz do not need explanation as to origin.
| Phelon and Phalon have a common origin
n ig a hnnOrph n N
| Delaware. Akenside, as poet, and Bun
| yam, as an author, will live for all time.
Van Wart was a worthy patriot. and
| Warts without the Van are common In
| New York city. In Philadelphia, the
| reader will find the whole gamut of pain
in AXE, Ache, Akens, Akey, Achey, Aker,
| and Akin.
AT first thought CALCULATIONS would not
seem to promise much of a field for names,
yet when explored they yield their quota.
| Mygatt can be seen upon a sign near
| Fourteenth street. which In English is
My Cod; Perdeu C'par Dieu'D will be
| found upon tombstone in the old ceme-
terry at Richmond, Staten Island. Any
| large English directory will discover the
surnames Helpusgod, Bygod, Olyfather
C'Holy Father'O, Godsoe, Gorhey, Harke,
| Look BytheWay, and Hangitt. InVoca-
| lions made to the Deity for aid are In
| terspersed with a great number of smaller
/ eurnameS, which, II not eJdculduOnS ana
short prayers. as "Hangtt" perhaps, like
a modern rifle bullet, get 70 the point
more quickly. When a fellow pounds his
| finger with hammer he Is not apt to tar
~ TO coin two-syllable words to hand
| down to posterity as family names. For
that reason a glance through a New York
directory will furnish, along with Bless
| and Blessing, Swear, Darner, Cushim,
| Damn, and also plain Dam.
Trade, reaching out as 1t does to the ut
termost parts of the earth for material,
| brings with the objects thus gained "A
great variety of odd names, which. II orig
| inally local. soon find place In the vocaD-
ulary of names of human beings. How II
happened for instance, that simple words
like Coffee. Emery, Sugar, Butter, SILK,
| and Wool, came TO be surnames would be
difficult 10 explain at this late date. And
yet some Of the families 50 named have
| arrived at distinction. Gen. Wool will be
remembered by every American. In the
same family Will be found Wool
sey. Wolsey, Woolley, Woody, Wool
cocks Woollen, Woolsack. and Woolheld
| Cakebread, Breadcake, Bridecake, Bun,
and Bread are very carly New
England names, while Mr.. Rusk was a
Il