Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1906-04-26
Whence Names Come.

that many names have undergone
says Miss Laura Alton Payne in the
Independent, the almost universal
lack OF knowledge concerning their
origin is not to be wondered at. What
is there in peter Snooks" toisuggest
to the uninitiated that originally ii
was Peter at the Seven Oaks 2
Though Thomas Whitehorse" sug.
gests the American Indian custom in
names, originally it was Thomas at
the White Horse" or Thomas at the
Sign Of the White Horse" Ia taveru).
Sidney is corruption of St. Denys,
Sinclair Of 81. CIair, Seymour of st
Maur, Janeway of Genao, Curtis OF
courteous" Spark of Sparrowhawk.
Emerson and America had the same
origin-Almeric, an old Norman name.
Amerigo being the Itallanized form.
Names, like things, are not always
what they seem. Beers and Berry
are not "beers' and berry" but a
corruption of borough" ." often writ
ten bury" and "bery."
In the beginning single personal
name suficed. For while no two
persons bore the same name, but as
stock of names accumulated repetitions
became common, and as the popula-
ton of the world increased distinctive
names became necessary hence We
of John the Baptist and John the Dis
ciple, Darius Hystaspis and Ale1an-
der the Great, Joshua, son of Nun, and
Simon Barjonas-HSimon, son of Jo-
mas.
Surnames were first used in France,
becoming general there during the
latter part of the tenth or the fore
part of the eleventh century. They
were used heredltarily to some ex-
tent, however, prior to that time.
They were introduced into England
at the Norman conquest in the year
1866, but it required two or three
centuries to establish the body Of our
nomenclature on fixed basis. Dur
ing that time surnames became gen.
eral throughout the British isles ex-
cept in Wales, in some parts of which
they are unknown to this day.
Surnames are now general in all
civilized countries, believe, except
Turkey. In England alone there are
from 10000 to $4,000 existing sur
names.
Surnames have been drawn from
every available source-location, per-
sonal names, occupation, deeds OF
proves, mental, moral and physical
attributes, terms of relationship, the
human body, farm and household ar
ticles, buildings, foods and drinks,
modes of travel, nations and laws,
customs and religions, geographical
terms, weather and seasons, months
and days, measures and values, the
joys and ills of life, the animal, min
eral and vegetable kingdom and even
from the kingdom of heaven. The
use of nicknames and compound terms
gave an almost inexhaustible source.
Even oaths became embodied, as in
Pardoe, from par Dieu.
In most countries it is customary
for the wife to take her husbands
name, but in some European coun-
tries it is not unusual for the husband
to append the wife's name, partlcu-
larly when it is more honorable than
his own. Hyphenated names and the
wife's retention of her maiden pane
for a middle name are customs grow
ing in favor the United States and
Great Britain.
Among the earliest names intro
duced by the conquest were found
Serl, Drew, Bryce, Harvey, Arnold
Ger" n"-eagle,) Albred (now known
as Albert and Allbright,) Almeric,
Ingelram. Ebrardus (Everard), WARM
(Guerin, now Warren), Ivo, Hamon
(Hammond), and Payn Originally
Pagan. After their adoption as sur
names the most of these became OBJ
solete as personal names.
The most popular personal names
since the Domesday Book recorded
them have been John and William.
but their derivitives are too numerous
to mention here. Roger, Robert and
Richard took double nickname in
Il and D; hence Hodge and Dodge,
Hobbs and Dobbs. Hicks and Dicks,
with the rougher forms Of the last
Higgs and Diggs, aud even Hitch,
giving rise to Dickens, Hitchcock and
Higginson.
Diminutive and other aGxes served
an important part in the origin Of