Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-17
"Distinction" Names I'm Scottish
Fishing villages.
chambers Journal)

chambers Journal)
In most fishing villages, when asking Tor
any one, you frequently receive the re-
ply-"What is his Distinction When
several people have the same name II IL
necessary to give each Of them another
in addition to that on his birth certificate.
This is called his distinction"
In the fishing town OF B. there are
seven or eight names which the original
inhabitants share among them. AS there
is a population of more than -FOUR ,nou-
sand the same name occurs Win contus-
ing frequency. For instance, every year
some fifteen Thomsons, eight walkers,
seven Fosters, six Deases. five Robert
sons and four Logies are baptized In one
Of the churches. or, looking at II from
another point of view, five James Ihom-
sons can stand at their own house-ends
and chat with one another, while sixth
can throw in an occasional word out OF
the window. Or from a third, recently,
when calling a minister, 70 Thomsons, 50
Deases. 80 Logies. q Walkers. Is Taylors,
26 Robertsons, 26 Fosters. and Is warren
ders signed the call AS many more, per-
haps, bearing the same names, did not;
but needless to say, that minister does
not know who did or did not sign 1t.
There being few surnames one might
have expected to find great variety OF
y
is not. Fishermen are partial to the
names OF the disciples. especially TO John,
Peter James, Andrew and Thomas; ana
they follow the good old custom OF
naming son after sire, and In this way
multiply the same name. In one respect.
however. their practice differs from that
OF tradespeople and the country FOLK
Whether the first child born be a son or
daughter the father has the right 10 the
nane-that is, IL son he IS named AFTER
r. u D fNsi
after the paternal grandmother, and not
as In most places. after her maternal
This custom is sacred. Even Alec Deas,
whose father disapproved OF mis- marriage,
observed 1t.
Having only limited number OF Chris
tian names and surnames the difficulty In
distinguishing man from man Is very per-
picking In other villages where the difh-
Guilty occurs IL Is customary to distinguish
a man by the name of the street In which
he lives. In B they have no streets
Their houses seem to have been washed
up by the tide, and left clinging TO the
rocks like lmpets. Not long ago an at
tempt was made TO name and number the
so-called streets and houses, but with no
success At least. Robert Thompson, who
got three tax-papers handed in to him
instead of one. does not think so. How
then, do they distinguish one another
In the first place. skipper may DC
known by the name or his boat, as u
farmer Is Dy the name Oh MS idIiIt. y hi'
used 10 be a more general practice. III is
said to have fallen out OF use because
people felt II unlucky to continue 10 call
a man or his sons by the name or a boat
which had been wrecked or lost. SUI.
even yet the boats name Is used as
distinction. Two principles seem TO gov.
ern their usage The name must come
readily to the tongue. They never az
dress the owner OF the Star OF Hope
by that name. Emperor Is me common
distinction OF one well-known skipper
Or. IL a boat has been very SUCCESSFUL, tne
likelihood is the owner will be known py
its name -,
But every skipper has another distinc.
tion-the name OF his wife. This IS me
one used for postal purposes. once the
nostmaster refused 10 deliver telegram
addressed to a man by his boat name
on the ground that Ii was not registered.
He would not have refused TO denver II
addressed to Peter Taylor HoDertson.
The initiated would naturally think tnis s
mans name was Peter Robertson, ana
that TAYLOR was second handle. NOW,
although every man In the place mas wv
surnames, they do not believe IN secohu
handles" Every self-respecting natiVe
drops his distinction when ne goes sov 20 !, .
strange place. The name OF the ABOVE -
not Peter Robertson. but Peter IayIoa'
and Robertson Is his wife's surname
which ne adds TO his own as MS dis,inc-
ton. This is necessary, because ,het le
are -FOUR Peter ldyioI - WhhO
their wives surnames. The correcr may
to write these names Is Peter Iayiof
Rohertson) Peter Taylor CInonisonl.
hut the brackets are seldom put IN. Ihe
flrst and most general rule: then, ~ ~
the husband to take the wires SURNAME
Put this would not always be s uracisn.,
II frequently happens that the distnc,lon
IL already I'm use For exampie, 49,
James Foster married Katie Logic tnc, !, ]
To-
The village and he was forced TO mo
another distinction. He accordingly caheu
himself lanes Foster (Katie). That ~
n he surname Is in use, the husband U.s.
sumes the Christian name OF MS wiz.
Thus we have John Thomson (deiehD anu
John Thomson Usabel.
m not unfrequently happens that ootn
the surname and Christian name OF M
wife are in use; then the newiy-mdtrieu
man must find another suitable nfstihc-
tion. Two plans are open. He may TAKE
both the names or retain MS n ,as % =,
confusion. Still. either through fononess
OF their wives or from necessity: some
adopt IT, and several names run In this
form-Andrew Walker Euphemia Deasl'
The mothers name Is very nancy or -,
N 10 well known through being used Dy
the father. and all children get IL. In tne
day-school, however. instead OF calling q
child saw. Maggie Robertson (WarrendeD
the plan is sometimes adopted OF sayins
Maggie Robertson CD or Maggie Robert
son (C). AS general rule, the children
take the mothers name as distinction
lust as the husband does. And when they
marry n the name OF their wife - In
use. they simply retain H..
These are the general principles which
govern the formation OF distinction names
but there are other exceptional methods.
For instance. II happens that the gray
mare rs the better horse. In other places
n is usual 10 speak of henpecked hus.
bard az Mrs. Nairn's husband or Mrs
splte's man. In B. they have a shorter
49, L.. Kf~atfafa a1ar nj