Origin
AGAR : (Gaelic and Celtic.) Aighear signifies gladness, joy, gayety. If from the Latin ager, it denotes a field or land.
AMES : (French.) From Amie, a friend, beloved; or if from the Hebrew Amos, a burden. Some think it is a contraction of Ambrose (which see). Amesbury in England was originally Ambrosebury.
ASOALL : In the Gaelic, means a sheltered place, a bosom, a covert. Aisgiodal or Aisgall was one of the Danish commanders at the battle of Clontarf near Dublin. The name is expressive of courage and strength. From this may be found the name of Hascall. If the name is of British origin, it would signify the sedgy moor, from Hesg, and hal or hayle low grounds, meadows.
ASGALL : In the Gaelic, means a sheltered place, a bosom, a covert. Aisgiodal or Aisgall was one of the Danish commanders at the battle of Clontarf near Dublin. The name is expressive of courage and strength. From this may be found the name of Hascall. If the name is of British origin, it would signify the sedgy moor, from Hesg, and hal or hayle low grounds, meadows.
BORLAND : (Cor. Br.) Local. The high land; the swelling or rising land; from bor, swelling, rising, and lemd. If from the Saxon, it signifies the land belonging to the common people. Bordlands were lands which the lords kept in their hands for the maintenance of their board or table. Borland is the name of a village in Fifeshire, Scotland, whence the family may have originated.
BROCKLESBY : Local. Derived from Brockles, a small town of that name in England, and by, near to; a village. Dutch, Brock, a marsh; also, broken land. In a party in which the celebrated Porson was a guest, there was also a physician by this name, Dr. Brocklesby, a descendant of the eminent man who attended Dr. Johnson in his last illness. In addressing Dr. Brocklesby, Porson called him Dr. Rock Yes, Dr. Rock no, Dr. Rock, etc. a name rendered almost infamous by Hogarth, in his picture of the March of the Guards. At length, Dr. Brocklesby became offended, and said, Mr. Porson, my name is not Rock, it is Brocklesby, pronouncing the syllables distinctly, Brock-les-by. Well, said Porson, if Brock-les-b is not Rock, then I know nothing of Algebra.
CHOLMONDELEY : (Norman.) Local. The place at the gorge or neck of the mountain; from Col, a strait or defile, and mond or mont, a hill. This name is pronounced Chum-ley. An English gentleman meeting the Earl of Cholmon-deley one day coming out of his own house, and not being acquainted with him, asked him if Lord Chol-mond-e-ley (pronouncing each syllable distinctly) was at home. No, replied the peer, without hesitation, nor any of his pe-o-ple.
COTESWORTH : Local. The estate or place in the wood; from coit, a wood, and worth, a place or possession. If from the French cote, the sea-shore, the estate on the shore.
DUPPA : Local. A corruption of If Uphaugh, from the high or upper haw;” haugh, Scottish and North English, a low-lying meadow, a green plot in a valley. Du Pau, local, from Pau, a town of France.
GOADBY : Local. This name is derived from the Danish word Gode, that is, good, fair, rich, fine, and by, the Danish for a town meaning the fair or handsome town. If the word is of British origin, it signifies the town by the wood, from Goed, in the Cor. Br., a wood.
LOGAN : (Gaelic.) An inclosed plain or low-lying place. If the residence of a Briton was on a plain, it was called Lann, from Lagen or Logen ; if on an eminence, it was termed dun.
NEQUAM : (Latin.) Dishonest, lazy. Alexander Nequam, of St Albans, wishing to devote himself to a monastic life, in the abbey of his native town, applied to the ruler of that establishment for admission. The abbot's reply was thus laconically expressed: Si bonus sis, venias, si Nequam, nequaquam. If good; you may come; if wicked, by no means. It is said he changed his name to Neckham, and was admitted into the fraternity.
RANKIN : This name may be derived from the Danish Rank, right, upright, erect. If the name is Gaelic, it would come from Roisn, a promontory, share, or division, and Ceann, head; the head of the promontory, a name of place. Ranken, in the Dutch, signifies pranks, tricks.
TENNISON : From Tenesone, a place in Gottespunt or Cazdee, in Switzerland. If the name be not local, it is probably a corruption of Dennison.
TENNYSON : From Tenesone, a place in Gottespunt or Cazdee, in Switzerland. If the name be not local, it is probably a corruption of Dennison.
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