Origin
AMAKER : (LocaL) Derived from Amager, a small Danish island to the east of Copenhagen.
ARLON : A local name, and derived from Arlon, a town in the Netherlands, thirteen miles east from Luxemburg.
ASTLEY : (Sax.) Local. A corruption of Estley or Ekstley, the east meadow or field. (See ley, under Ashley)
ASTON : (Sax.) Local. A corruption of Eston or Easton, the east town.
ASTOR : Local. Oster, a town in North Jutland. From the Greek, a star. Austeuer, German, a dowry, a portion. Ooster, the east part
BOYNTON : Local. From Buvington, in the Wolds, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, now called Boynton Dugdale, so named from its being higher in place or altitude.
ESTLEY : Local. The east field or pasture East-ley.
KEITH : Local. From the parish and lands of Keith, in Banffshire, Scotland. The name Keith is said to be derived from the Gaelic Gaoth, wind, pronounced somewhat similarly to Keith. The old village and kirk are called Arkeith, which may be a corruption of the Gaelic Ard Quoth, signifying high wind, which corresponds to its locality, which is peculiarly exposed to gusts of wind. In some old charters, Keith is written Gith, which still more resembles Gaith. I think the name is derived from the Welsh Caeth, a place surrounded, shut up, inclosed, a deep hollow, a strait. The root of the word is the Welsh Cau, to close, to shut up. Concerning this family, the traditional account is, that they came from G-ermany in the reign of the Emperor Otho, and from the principality of Hesse, from which they were expelled in some revolution. The first person of this family of whom our oldest historians take notice, is Robert De Keith, to whom Malcom II, King of Scotland, gave the barony of Keith, in East Lothian, as a reward for killing Camus, a Danish general, who then invaded Scotland with a numerous army. The battle was fought at Barry, seven miles from Dundee, where an obelisk, called Camus' stone, still preserves the memory of the victory, and it is said the king, dipping his three fingers in the blood of the general, stroked them along the field of the Scotch champion's shield, to whom, besides the landed estate before mentioned, he gave the dignity of Great Marshal of Scotland.
MAIGNY : (Fr.) Local. An old province of France lying to the east of Bretagne, whence the name came.
OSTERHOUDT : (Dutch.) The east wood, from oost or oster, east, and houdt, a wood.
OSTHEIM : (German) From Ost, east, and heim, a home, habitation or village. From the east habitation or village.
OSTRANDER : (Dutch.) The lord of the east shore, from osie, east, stircmd, the shore, and heer, lord or master; he that must have his due of a stranded ship.
SEAFORTH : Local. The name of a projection of the sea on the east coast of Lewis, on the Long Island, Scotland.
VAN NOSTRAND : Properly Van Ostrand. From the east shore; oost, east, and strand, shore or coast.
VAN OSTRAND : From the east shore; oost, east, and strand, shore or coast.
Origin of name provided by Jean Tosti
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