Origin
ABNEY : (Nor. Fr.) Local. A corruption of Aubigny, a town of France, in the department of Berry, whence the surname is derived; so D'Aubigny is corrupted to Dabney.
AGLIONBY : (Nor. Fr.) Local. From Aglion, an eaglet, and by, a residence or habitation the eagle's nest.
AGNEW : (Nor. Fr.) Local. From the town of Agneau in Normandy, whence the family originated. They went from England into Ireland with Strongbow. Agneau, in Nor. Fr. signifies a lamb.
AITON : (Nor. Fr.) Local. From ea or eau, water, and ton, a town; the town near the water; the same as Eaton.
BEAUCHAMP : (Nor. Fr.) De Beauchamp, from the feir or beautiful field; in Latin. De Bello Campo.
BEAUFORT : (Nor. Fr.) De Beaufort, from the fine or commodious fort. De Bello Forti.
BEAUMONT : (Nor. Fr.) De Beaumont; a city in France, on the river Sarte, in the province of Mayne; the fair mount. De Bello Monte.
BELLEW : (Nor. Fr.) De Bellew, a corruption of De Belle Eau, that is, from the beautiful water. The family originally came from Italy; they went into England with William the Conqueror, and afterward settled in Meath, Ireland.
BLOUNT : (Nor. Fr.) Of fair hair or complexion; from the French Blond. This family trace their origin to the Blondi or Brondi of Italy, so named from their fair complexion. They went into England with William the Conqueror.
BLOUND : (Nor. Fr.) Of fair hair or complexion; from the French Blond. This family trace their origin to the Blondi or Brondi of Italy, so named from their fair complexion. They went into England with William the Conqueror.
BLOND : (Nor. Fr.) Of fair hair or complexion; from the French Blond. This family trace their origin to the Blondi or Brondi of Italy, so named from their fair complexion. They went into England with William the Conqueror.
BLUNDELL : (Nor. Fr.) From Blund or Blond, fair-haired, and having the same signification, only in a lesser degree. Blundell, a little fair-haired, so Russell, from Rous red.
BLUNT : (Nor. Fr.) Of fair hair or complexion; from the French Blond. This family trace their origin to the Blondi or Brondi of Italy, so named from their fair complexion. They went into England with William the Conqueror.
BRUCE : (Nor. Fr.) Local. Be Bruys; from Bruy or Bruys, a place in Normandy where the family originated. De Bruys was one of the followers of William the Conqueror, and fought at the battle of Hastings. From this ancestor, King Robert Bruce was descended.
CHAFFEE : (Fr.) Chafe, to heat, to grow warm or angry; Fr., chauffer, to warm, to cannonade, attack briskly.
CHARNOCK : (Nor. Fr.) Local. Derived from the town of Chernoc, in Normandy.
COURT : A place inclosed, protected, cut off; that which excludes access. Saxon, curt; Arm., court; Fr., cour; Gaelic, cuairt, a circle; Welsh, cor and cwr, a circle.
DARRELL : (Nor. Fr.) A corruption of De Orrell, so called from a castle and family of Normandy.
DAWNAY : (Nor. Fr.) De Aunay or D'Aunay, from the town of Aunay, in Normandy.
DAWSON : Said to be a corruption of the Nor. Fr. D'Ossone, from the town of Ossone, in Normandy. Camden, however, thinks it a contraction of Davison, the son of David, which is the more probable derivation.
DISNEY : (Nor. Fr.) Anciently written D'Isney or D'Eisney, and originally De Isigney, from Isigney, a small -village near Bayeaux, in Normandy.
FITZ GERALD : (Nor. Fr.) The son of Gerald, Fitz, a son, Gerald (Teutonic), all-surpassing, excellent. This ancient and honorable famlly is traced from Otho or Other, a Baron in Italy, descended from the Grand Dukes of Tuscany. Walter, son of Otho, came into England with William the Conqueror, and afterward settled in Ireland. Maurice Fitz Gerald assisted Richard Strongbow in the conquest of that kingdom.
FITZ GILBERT : (Nor. Fr.) The son of Gilbert; Fitz, a son, Gilbert, gold-like bright, or bright or brave pledge, from gisle, Saxon, a pledge. (See Gilbert.)
HAINES : Camden derives the name from Ainulph, and that from Ana, alone, and ulph, Sax., help, that is one who needs not the assistance of others. Haine, a river in Belgium. Haine, Fr., signifies malicious, full of hatred. Hain, German, a wood, forest, thicket, grove.
HAYNES : Camden derives the name from Ainulph, and that from Ana, alone, and ulph, Sax., help, that is one who needs not the assistance of others. Haine, a river in Belgium. Haine, Fr., signifies malicious, full of hatred. Hain, German, a wood, forest, thicket, grove.
HATTON : Local. A town in Warwickshire, England. The town on the height; haut, Fr., high. Haughton, the town in the meadow or vale. Houdt-ton, Dutch, the town in the wood. Shortly after the Conquest, Hugh Montfort's second son, Richard, being Lord of Hatton in Warwickshire, took the name of Hatton.
HAY : A hedge, an inclosure, to inclose, fence in, a protection, a; place of safety. In Dutch, Haag; Sax., Hege; Ger., Heck; Danish, Hekke; Swedish, Hagn; Fr., Haie; Welsh, Cae; Gaelic, Ca; Cor. Br., Hay.
HOE : (Welsh.) A state of rest, a stay; ease, quiet. Boh, Saxon, the heel. Local, Haut, Fr., high, the top, summit, noisy, proud, haughty.
LEGARD : (Nor. Fr.) Le Gard, the guard or protector. Probably was first vassumed from the possession of some trusty or confidential office.
LEWIS : In the Fr., Louis; Latin, Ludovicus; Teutonic, Ludwig or Leodwig, from the Saxon Leod, the people, and wic, a castle the safeguard of the people. Lluaws, Welsh, signifies a multitude.
MOLYNEUX : (Fr.) Local. From Normandy, De Moulins, De Moulines, De Molineus. From Moulins, a town on the river Allier, in France, so called from the great number of water mills there. Fr., Moulin, a mill.
MOONEY : Meunier, Fr., a miller.
PAINE : Paon, Fr., a peacock. Payne, a pagan, unbaptized; a rustic.
PEELE : Local. A tower, a castle, a spire, a steeple, as Carne-pele, the spire rock. Pele, Fr., a bald-pated man.
SPENCER : (Nor. Fr.) Le Despenser, a steward. The ancestor of the family assumed the name Le Despenser (Latin, dispensator), from being steward to the household of William the Conqueror.
TELFAIR : (Italian.) Tagliaferro, pronounced Tollifer. Fr., tailler, to cut, and fer, iron. It is said that the first of the name was so called from having cut a bar of iron in two with his sword. A smith.
TOLLMACHE : (Nor. Fr.) Tolling of the bell.
Origin of name provided by Jean Tosti
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