The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-07-26
".
BY SAMUEL GRANT OLIPH-ANT,

i a. NJ, Phi. d.
Contents: Descriptive Nicknames-
Rlondel. Blount. Blundell, Bragg, Camp
bell. Flanagan, Finn, Glenn Glynn,
G,win, Gwynne, Kennedy. flanagan,
Linn. Macklin, Quinn, Sweeney,
Wynne.
The fourth great category of sur
names, as they appear in our nomen-
ella ture, consists of those that were
originally nicknames more or less
descriptive OF those to whom they were
applied. The principal varieties may
be catalogued as follows:
I. Those expressive of such physical
4 of external characteristics as age, size.
shape, complexion, hair, dress, accou-
,trements, etc. Such surnames as Sc
nior, Little, Stout. Young, Armstrong
y Cruikshank, Whitehead, etc. are trans
parent examples. Such surnames are
found all over the Indo- European ter
ritory, are common in English, still
more frequent among the Celts, and In
antiquity are most familiar In the
Latin, which abounds with such in
stances as Senex (old), Rufus (red).
Cincinnatus (curlS -head), Calvus (bald).
Crassus (corpulent), Barbatus (beard-
ed, Glabrio (smooth-faced), Flaccus
(hap-eared)-the ognomen .of the
poet Horace-Capitos (big-head). Fla
vius (yellow). Fuscus Drown, Labeo
4 (blubber-lipped) Luscus (one-eyed),
( Macer Qank) Naso (bfg- se)-cogno-
men Of the poet Ovid-Paetus (blink-
eyed, Scaevola Qeft-handed), Silus
(pug-nosed). Strabo (squinty), Sulla
(pimply), valens (strong), Narus
{knock- kneed), etc, etc
II. Those expressive OF mental or
moral characteristics, temperament
etc, such as Gay, jolly. Moody. Proud
Iardhead. Sly. 'rruebody, etc. The
Latin again mas. nAany familiar exam
pies as Brutus (dullard), Bibulus Uip-
pler). Cato (cautious). Frugi (worthyl
Lepdus (pleasant), Probus (uprlght)
renus tgood naturcd). Severus (sternl
Tranquillus (calm). Nerus (true) Fee
li1 (haDpy). Festus (merry), etc. etc
II. Those derived from the animal
or vegetable kingdom.
M These may sometimes be due to
early clan totems, or later armorial
4 bearings, sometimes to the real or
fancied possession Of typical qualities
II sometimes to some one, or other OF
various circumstances. incidents, etc
Here belong such names as Buck. Hart
4 Stage. Lion, Wolf. Fish, Jay, Peacock
Stork, Nightingale. Mustard Peascod
a Pepper, etc. Great care must be taken
4 however. with this variety. for mann
that appear to belong here really be.
long elsewhere. So Thorne, Chestnut
Pine, etc, are usually local. Many
animal and bird names may be local
derived from the signs of inns. shops
etc Still others are corruptions al
various kinds and far from what they
seem to be- Such is the case witt
u Onions. Roach, Salmon, Haddock
Oates, etc.
Latin again furnishes many OF thu
\ N most interesting parellels, such as Apel
boar noar, ,Aanila leaglel. Buteo (falcon)
u s..apeila, (she-goat, Corvinus (corvus
&! row y Mus (inouse). Piso (pen) por
y Gus lfrom porous, pig. Scrofa (sow)
Ma s, oear2, Merres lboat), ETC., etc
81 su,fnaEaes OF the Southland that fal
within this general class
BOUT t-This is from the Norma
n French blond, blonde, 1.-THE fair of CON.
Y 5 5piln eGSt or the yellow-haired"
The great baronial house OF Blount
the Lords Mountioy claimed descen
from one William son OF Blound. Ia :
soI cuisines. a and compaaion Of Tn
III hack to the Biondl OF Italy and III
8 'layii of classical Rome! ~
s'Ihe Hundred Rolls of 2TS have Tn
81 variant forms lie Blount,le Bound, j
l1loIit, &le tl5lulu, he t5lunt, nj the5diuli
& liutives Blundel and Blondel. All .
these survive. 8and the last two usuall
y ssurne M. Biount, Blunt and Bun
NJ dell are the most frequent forms
n lsn gland, Biondel Is the favorite
France. and was made romantic BY tI
n fidelity OF Blondel de Nesle. the mil
strelSof Richard Occur de Lion.
sBs The French blond. parrish blond
italian blonde, Mediaeval Latin blondu.
u blundu, indicate a # color betwes
n golden. and light chestnut and co
81 respond to the Latin fiavus, III
NJ mora remote derivation istEuncertai
9{Bs "a $ Anglo Saxon has blanden-feax al
At foi onden- fea having mixed or grizz
s#3lss hair" and beblonden dyed" fro
4 hlanden ito mix IL lis Thought tn
Z the original sense of hlnndns 81
IN ..dyea., and that the later mennii
-, How was due to- the fact tn
Iss the ancient Gernans dyed their ha
Ny sel low, II r. 10 verb bland Is comm
Teutonir. but has bsen Ssu pers eded
English by hlen d. III " " X, 3S
Glin Ia from south Wales deriv
tram ths Welsh gws' rwa4te," S"ia ~