Origin
Charles : 1: French Welsh English West Indian (mainly Haiti) and African (mainly Tanzania): from the French form of the ancient Germanic personal name Karl ‘man husband freeman’ which was Latinized as Carolus. In France the personal name was popular from an early date due to the fame of the Emperor Charlemagne (c. 742–814; Latin name Carolus Magnus i.e. Charles the Great). The Old French form Charles was briefly introduced to England by the Normans but was rare during the main period of surname formation. It was introduced more successfully to Scotland in the 16th century by the Stuarts who had strong ties with France and was brought by them to England in the 17th century. Its frequency as a Welsh surname is attributable to the late date of Welsh surname formation. Old English Ceorl ‘peasant’ is also found as a byname but the resulting Middle English form Charl with a patronymic in -s if it existed at all would have been absorbed by the French form introduced by the Normans. English variants pronounced with initial k- for the most part reflect the cognate Old Norse personal name Karl Karli. Compare Carl.2: English: in some cases possibly a habitational name from Charles (Devon) or a post-medieval variant of Cherrill with excrescent -s perhaps by false association with the personal name Charles. Cherrill is either a habitational name from Cherhill in Wilshire or a status name from Middle English cherl cheril charl chirl ‘churl bonded tenant serf; peasant’.3: Swedish: ornamental form of a Frenchified form of the Old Norse personal name Karl (see 1 above).
Armson : 1: from the Middle English personal name Ermin (see Armin) + -son. 2: variant of Armsden. Compare Henrie Armston 1559 in IGI (Thornton Leics) and Charles Armston 1602 in IGI (Birstall Leics) with the 1571 and 1596 bearers below.
Averley : variant of Haverley (see Habberley) with loss of initial H-. This is explicit in Mary Averley or Aberley 1625 Edward Aberley 1708 in IGI (Rugeley Staffs) and in Edwd Habberley 1702 Edward Haverley 1708 Charles Aberly 1732 Eleanor Joyce Averley 1815 in IGI (Saint Giles Cripplegate London).perhaps from Aversley Wood in Sawtrey (Hunts now Cambs) with loss of medial -s-. The place-name is recorded as Ailbrittesle in 1209 Aylbritesle in 1245 and Albrichelee in 1290 and derives from the Old English personal name Æðelbeorht (genitive Æðelbeorhtes) + lēah ‘open woodland’. A(i)lbrit(s)ley will have been simplified to something like Aber(s)ley and Aver(s)ley but it is not known when. If the spelling of his surname is reliable it is conceivable that John de Averle 1279 in Hundred Rolls (Hunts) provides early evidence for it and it could account for the surname in 17th-century Cambs but the absence of any medieval spellings of the place-name with Aber- or Aver- makes it difficult to assess its plausibility.perhaps a variant of Aveley with -er- as an inverted spelling of medial unstressed -e-. Compare Martha Averley 1787 Martha Aveley 1788 William Aveley 1833 in IGI (Soham Cambs) but spellings with -er- occur much earlier for the Soham family name for which Aveley is more likely to be a late spelling of Averley.
Bettany : variant of Betteley (in the W Midlands) and Beatley (in E England) with /n/ substituted for /l/. Tooth notes that in the parish registers for Seighford (Staffs) Joseph Betteley (1762) is buried as Joseph Bettany (1806). Compare Margret Bettony 1596 Thomas Betley 1612 in IGI (Chester Cheshire); Johanes Betteny 1675 Anna Betteley 1709 Daniel Bettany 1796 in IGI (Stone Staffs); Stephen Beatley 1696 Charles Bettany 1715 in IGI (Norwich Norfolk).
Bourgoin : French:: 1: variant of Bourgouin (and in North America an altered form of this) a habitational name for someone from Burgundy (Old French Bourgogne) a region of eastern France having Dijon as its center. The area was invaded by the Burgundii an ancient Germanic tribe from whom it takes its name in about AD 480. The duchy of Burgundy created in 877 by Charles II King of the Western Franks was extremely powerful in the later Middle Ages especially under Philip the Bold (1342–1404; duke from 1363). Compare Bourgoyne and Bourguignon.2: variant of Bourguin from the ancient Germanic personal name Burgwin composed of the elements burg ‘protection’ and win ‘friend’.
Burgoyne : English (of Norman origin): habitational name for someone from Burgundy (Middle English Burgoin Old French Bourgogne Latin Burgundia) a region of eastern France having Dijon as its center. The area was invaded by the Burgundii an ancient Germanic tribe from whom it takes its name in about AD 480. The duchy of Burgundy created in 877 by Charles II King of the West Franks was extremely powerful in the later Middle Ages especially under Philip the Bold (1342–1404 duke from 1363).
Burtwell : apparently a variant of Birtwell itself a variant of Birtwistle. Compare Henry Burtwell 1757 Charles Birtwell 1770 Elisabeth Burtwell 1775 Elizabeth Birtwell 1784 in IGI (Great Burstead Essex).
Camden : English: possibly a habitational name from Broad Campden or Chipping Campden in Gloucestershire both named with Old English camp ‘enclosure’ + denu ‘valley’. Camden Town in London is not the source: this is a late name deriving from the title of Charles Pratt Earl of Camden of Camden Place Chislehurst (Kent) which takes its name from William Camden the Elizabethan antiquary whose surname is from Campden (Gloucestershire).
Carolina : 1: African American: probably an adoption of the name of the US states as a surname (compare Maryland 2 and Missouri); however compare also West Indian name in 2 below. The Carolinas (i.e. North Carolina and South Carolina) at that time a British colony received their name (originally Carolana) in honor of the king Charles I of England who in 1629 granted a patent for the lands south of 36 degrees and north of 31 degrees.2: West Indian (Dutch Caribbean): from the female personal name Carolina feminine form of Carolus. It is one of the surnames (compare Martina) that reflect the partially mother-oriented name culture of the formerly enslaved people in the West Indies.
Charlery : from Charleroi now in Hainault Belgium. This city was founded in 1666 when the Netherlands were under Spanish rule and is named after Charles II king of Spain (Charles-Roy). It was in French hands 1693–8 and 1714–45. The surname must have been adopted by or foisted on Black slaves in the French West Indies during one of these periods mainly on Saint Lucia and Martinique.
Charlett : 1: patronymic from the French personal name Charlet a diminutive of Charles. Compare the Huguenot name Charlot with which it became confused though spellings with -o- pre-date the arrival of the latter. Charlett was also influenced by the newly fashionable female given name Charlotte in the early 18th cent. 2: of the same origin as (1).
Choak : apparently a late variant of Chalk. Compare Semer Choak 1756 Mary Chalk 1759 in IGI (Purley Berks); Charles Chalk 1767 Charles Choak 1799 in IGI (Mawgan in Meneage Cornwall).
Crickmay : of uncertain origin but perhaps an irregular variant of Crickmore. Compare Dorothye Crickmer 1578 Anne Crickmay 1683 in IGI (Brundall Norfolk); Marye Crickmore 1585 Edward Crickmay 1695 in IGI (Bedingham Norfolk); Charles Crickmore 1728 Francis Crickmay 1730 in IGI (Wrentham Suffolk); Elizabeth Crickmore 1754 John Crickmay 1763 in IGI (Rushmere All Saints Suffolk); Charles Crickmore 1790 James Crickmay 1793 in IGI (Southacre Norfolk).
Hawcock : 1: apparently a variant of Awcock (itself a variant of Alcock) with prosthetic H-. Compare William Hawcock 1776 Ann Awcock 1780 in IGI (Sheffield WR Yorks); Thomas Hawcock 1789 Ann Awcock 1792 in IGI (Doncaster WR Yorks); William Hawcock 1802 Phoebe Awcock 1822 in IGI (North Carlton Lincs); Charles Awcock 1836 William Hawcock 1839 in IGI (Ingham Lincs). 2: perhaps from a pet form of the Middle English personal name Haw(e) (see Haw) with the hypocoristic suffix -cok. Some of the post-medieval bearers below may belong under (1).
Heathershaw : late variant of Hithersay. Compare Charles Hithersay 1791 Charles Hithershaw 1807 in IGI (Oxton Notts); John Hithersay 1816 Eliza Hethershaw 1832 in IGI (Newark on Trent Notts).
Kellingray : late variant of Killigrew. Compare Charles Killingray 1772 Susannah Killingrew 1781 in IGI (Stoke Ferry Norfolk).
Martel : 1: French and English (Guernsey): nickname for a forceful person or perhaps a metonymic occupational name for a smith from Old French martel ‘hammer’ (also recorded in late Middle English) from Late Latin martellus. The reference may be to the martel de fer the iron hammer or mace of medieval warfare as had been the case with Charles Martel the grandfather of Charlemagne who gained his byname from the force with which he struck down his enemies the Saracens in the battle of Tours (Poitiers) in 732.2: English (Guernsey): from the Middle English and Old French personal name Martel a pet form of Martin.3: German (also Märtel): from a pet form of the personal name Martin. Compare Mertel.4: Spanish and Portuguese: from Portuguese martelo Old Spanish martel ‘hammer’ (see also 1 above) or an Iberianized form of the Italian cognate Martello.
Maryland : 1: English (Lancashire): variant of Marland. This surname is very rare in Britain.2: African American: either of English origin (see 1 above) or an adoption of the name of the US state as a surname (compare Carolina 1 and Missouri). The state at that time (in the 17th century) a British colony was named for the Queen Consort Henrietta Maria wife of King Charles I.
McCurley : Scottish and Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Thoirdhealbhaigh a patronymic from Toirdhealbhach (Irish) or Tearlach (Scottish) a personal name meaning ‘Thor-like’ or ‘tower-like’. Compare Turley which is from the unlenited form. In Scotland the Gaelic personal name Tearlach is traditionally translated into English as Charlie or Charles.
Mesher : perhaps a variant of Messer. Compare John Messer 1680 William Measher 1688 Moses Meser 1764 in IGI (Ringwood Hants) and Betty Messer 1763 Charles Mesher 1766 in IGI (West Parley Dorset).alternatively a variant of Meacher a Dorset and Hants surname. Development of [ʧ] to [ʃ] and [s] in Mesher Measer and Measor is irregular but could have been influenced by confusion with the name in (i). Compare Robert Metyard 1653 in IGI (Ringwood Hants) with the examples cited in (i).
Parnell : English: from the Middle English female personal name Pernel Parnell (Old French Peronel(le)) from Latin Petronilla a feminine pet form of the Latin personal name Petronius. Petronilla was the name of a supposed early Christian saint and martyr. This surname was also brought to Ireland from Cheshire in the 17th century by a family who had been supporters of Cromwell's Parliamentarians during the English Civil War. Charles Stewart Parnell who founded the Irish Parliamentary Party in 1882 was a descendant of this family. See also Pennell.
Peregrine : variant pronunciation of Old French pelegrin ‘pilgrim’ probably influenced by learned familiarity with its etymological form Latin peregrinus. Pelegrin may have been an occasional Middle English variant of Pilgrim but it was also borne by French Huguenots as in Ester Pelegrin 1723 in IGI (Threadneedle Street French Huguenot London) and perhaps Charles Pellegrin 1724 in IGI (Saint Martin in the Fields Middx). Compare Pilgreen and Paragreen.alternatively in S Wales apparently an erroneously latinized form of Perkin by parish clerks as though it were a vernacular form of Latin peregrinus.
Somerset : English:: 1: habitational name from the English county of Somerset which takes its name from Somerton in Somerset (see Summerton) + Old English sǣte ‘settlers dwellers’. The Somerset family who are Dukes of Beaufort are descended from the Plantagenets. The surname was assumed by Charles Somerset (1460–1520) illegitimate son of Henry Beaufort Duke of Somerset. The latter was himself descended illegitimately from Edward III through John of Gaunt. A later member of the family was Fitzroy Somerset (1788–1855) who as Lord Raglan was the commander of British forces in the Crimea one of the men responsible for the charge of the Light Brigade.2: possibly a habitational name from one or more places called with Old Norse sumar ‘summer’ + sætr ‘shieling hill pasture’ such as Summerseat in Elton (Lancashire) but decisive northern early bearers are lacking.
St. Charles : French (Saint-Charles): nickname with the prefix Saint as an (ironic) attachment to the personal name or surname Charles. This surname is very rare in France where it may also be a habitational name from either of two places called Saint-Charles (from the dedication of their churches to Saint Charles).
Tallett : 1: probably in most cases from Middle English tail(l)ard ‘creature with a tail’ i.e. ‘monkey’ a common term of abuse. It is the English equivalent of Norman French Marmion. The change from Tayllard to Tallard and Tallet(t) or Tallot(t) is not well recorded though possibly instanced in Thomas Tallard 1661 Charles Tallet 1784 in IGI (Saint Botolph without Aldgate London). In some cases Tayllard and Tallard may have been absorbed into Taylor. Compare James Taylor 1707 in IGI (Overbury Worcs) with the 1744 bearer below.perhaps for a swordsman from Old French taillard a sword for cutting and thrusting especially in fencing. 2: possibly from an unrecorded Old French personal name *Talot *Talet a diminutive form of Continental Germanic *Talo (related to *dal- ‘bright proud’). Compare Tallon. However no evidence has been found that the name given below has survived into modern times.
Woodsworth : variant of Wadsworth; compare James Wadsworth 1630 John Woodsworth 1706 in IGI (Howden ER Yorks); Charles Wadsworth 1695 Ellen Woodsworth 1708 in IGI (Felmersham Beds); John Wadsworth 1714 Susanna Woodsworth 1744 in IGI (Featherstone WR Yorks).
Woolliams : of uncertain origin. Perhaps a late variant of Williams; compare John Williams 1783 Charles Wooliams 1831 in IGI (Chipping Norton Oxon); William Williams 1784 Elizabeth Wooliams 1833 in IGI (Leicester Leics).
Worsell : unexplained but perhaps a form of Worsfold. See Charles Worsell al. Worsfield 1824 in Access to Archives (Hamsey Sussex). The surname is unlikely to be from Worsall (NR Yorks) as suggested by Reaney Dictionary given the concentration of bearers in SE England and absence of bearers from N England.
Worters : variant of Warters. Compare James Warters 1794 Joseph Worters 1814 in IGI (Bexley Kent); Charles Warters 1807 Patrick Worters 1809 in IGI (Holborn Middx).
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Source : DAFN2 : Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, ©2022 by Patrick Hanks and Oxford University Press
FANBI : The Oxford Dictionary if Family Names in Britain and Ireland, ©2016, University of the West of England
FANBI : The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain, ©2021, University of the West of England
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