Origin
ABERCROMBIE : (Celtic and Gaelic.) Local. The name of a parish in Fife, Scotland, on the northern shore of the Frith of Forth, whence the possessor took his surname; from Aber, marshy ground, a place where two or more streams meet; and cruvme or crombie, a bend or crook. Aber, in the Celtic and Gaelic, and also in the Cornish British, signifies the confluence of two or more streams, or the mouth of a river, where it flows into the sea; hence it is often applied to marshy ground, generally near the confluence of two rivers. It also signifies, sometimes, a gulf or whirlpool.
ABERNETHY : (Gaelic and Celtic.) Local. From a town in Strathern, Scotland, on the river Tay; derived from Aber, as given above, and nethy, in the Gaelic, dangerous. Nith or Nithy, is also the name of a river in the south of Scotland, and the name may have been taken from a town at or near its mouth Abernithy.
ACHESON : (Cor. Br.) An inscription or memorial.
ACKERS : (Saxon) Camden derives this surname from the Latin Ager, a field. The name, however, is Saxon, and signifies the place of oaks, or oak-man; ac and ake being old terms for oak. The tennination er, in many nouns has the same signification as the Latin vir, a man as Plower, i.e., Plowman; Baker, Bakerman. Like oak, the first Acker might have been firm and unyielding in his disposition, or he might have used or sold acorns.
ACTON : (Saxon) Local. The oak-town or oak-hill the name of a town in Middlesex, England, whence the name is derived.
ADAMS : (Hebrew) Man, earthly, or red. The surname of Adam is of great antiquity in Scotland. Duncan Adam, son of Alexander Adam, lived in the reign of King Robert Bruce, and had four sons, from whom all the Adams, Adamsons, and Adies in Scotland are descended.
ADCOOK : Little Ad or Adam, cock being a diminutive termination. (See Alcock, Wilcox, etc.)
ADDISON : The same as Adamson, the son of Adam, Adie or Addie being, in the Lowland-Scotch, a familiar corruption of Adam, hence Addie-son.
ADKINS : Little Adam, or the son of Adam, from Ad and kins, a diminutive, signifying child, from the German kind, so Wilkins, Tompkins, etc.
ADLAM : (Saxon) Local. From adel, fine, noble, and ham, a village or castle. Adelham, contracted to Adlam.
ADRIAN : (Latin.) Local. From the city Hadria, which Gesner derives from the Greek great or wealthy.
HADRIAN : (Latin.) Local. From the city Hadria, which Gesner derives from the Greek great or wealthy.
AGAR : (Gaelic and Celtic.) Aighear signifies gladness, joy, gayety. If from the Latin ager, it denotes a field or land.
AGLIONBY : (Nor. Fr.) Local. From Aglion, an eaglet, and by, a residence or habitation the eagle's nest.
AIKEN : (Saxon) Oaken; hard or firm.
AINSWORTH : (British and Welsh.) Local. From ains, a spring, a river, and gwerth, a place, possession, or court. In the British and Gaelic, Aun, Ain, Au, Hain, Aon, and Avon, signify a river; the place or possession on the river.
AITON : (Nor. Fr.) Local. From ea or eau, water, and ton, a town; the town near the water; the same as Eaton.
AKEMAN : (Saxon) The same as Oakman, from his strength or disposition. From ake, or ake, oak, and man.
ACKMAN : (Saxon) The same as Oakman, from his strength or disposition. From ake, or ake, oak, and man.
AKERS : (Saxon) Camden derives this surname from the Latin Ager, a field. The name, however, is Saxon, and signifies the place of oaks, or oak-man; ac and ake being old terms for oak. The tennination er, in many nouns has the same signification as the Latin vir, a man as Plower, i.e., Plowman; Baker, Bakerman. Like oak, the first Acker might have been firm and unyielding in his disposition, or he might have used or sold acorns.
AKIN : (Saxon) Oaken; hard or firm.
AKEN : (Saxon) Oaken; hard or firm.
ALBERT : (German.) All bright or famous; beort or bert, signifies famous, fair, and clear, bright; so Sebert and Ethelbert were sometimes written Se bright and Ethel bright. All, Eal and AEl, in old English and Saxon compound names, have the same signification as the English All, as Al-dred, Al-win, etc.
ALCOCK : From Hal or Al a nickname for Henry; and cock, a termination meaning little, a diminutive, the same as ot or kin; little Hal or Al, so Wilcox, little Will, and Simcox, Little Sim, etc.
ALDEN : (Sax.) Local. From ald, old, and den or dun, a hill or town; old-town, or it may be high-own, from alt, high, Gaelic, and dun, a hill, castle, or town.
ALDAINE : (Sax.) Local. From ald, old, and den or dun, a hill or town; old-town, or it may be high-own, from alt, high, Gaelic, and dun, a hill, castle, or town.
ALEXANDER : (Greek.) An aider or benefactor of men. From the Greek to aid or help, and a man. A powerful auxiliary.
ALFORD : (Saxon) Local. From Alford, a town in Lincolnshire, England, signifying the old ford or way, from ald, old, and ford, a ford, way, or pass.
ALVORD : (Saxon) Local. From Alford, a town in Lincolnshire, England, signifying the old ford or way, from ald, old, and ford, a ford, way, or pass.
ALFRED : (Saxon) All-peace, from all, and fred or friede, peace, like Alwin and Albert.
ALLENDORF : Local. A town in Hesse, Germany, signifying the old town; dorf a town or village, the same as Oldendorf.
ALVERSTON : (Cor. Br.) Local. A high green hill; from al, high, ver, green, and don or ton, a hill.
ALVERTON : (Cor. Br.) Local. A high green hill; from al, high, ver, green, and don or ton, a hill.
ALVIN : (Saxon) All-winning or victorious, the v and w being interchangeable.
ALWIN : (Saxon) All-winning or victorious, the v and w being interchangeable.
ALVORD : (Saxon) Local. From Alford, a town in Lincolnshire, England, signifying the old ford or way, from ald, old, and ford, a ford, way, or pass.
AMERY : (German.) Always rich, able, and powerful, from the old German Emerich or Immer-reich, always rich.
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.
AMHERST : (Saxon) Local. From ham, a town or village, and hurst or herst, a wood, the town in the wood, the H by custom, being dropped or silent. It may have been derived from Hamo, who was sheriff in the county of Kent, in the time of William the Conqueror; a descendant of his was called Hamo de Herst, and the Norman de, and the aspirate h being dropped Amherst. Amhurst, the connected grove, or conjoined woods; am, in the British, as a prefix, has the sense of Amb, amphi, circum, i.e., about, surrounding, encompassing; hence, the surrounding grove, or Amhurst.
AMMADON : (Gaelic.) From Amadan, a numskull, a simpleton ; may be so called by way of antiphrasis, because he was wise; as Ptolemy received the surname Philadelphus (from the Greek lover or friend, and brother) because he charged two of his brothers with forming designs against his life, and then caused them to be destroyed.
ANGUS : Local. A county of Scotland, sometimes called Forfarshire, and took its name, according to Halloran, from Aongus Fer, grandson to Carbre Riada, who, with others, invaded the modern Scotland, a.d. 498. Angus or Aongus is derived from Aon, excellent, noble, and gais, boldness, valor.
ANNAN : Local. A river and borough of Scotland. From the Gaelic aon, aon, one, one, or the river that divides the dale in two shares. Amhan, Avon, or An-oun, in Gaelic, may signify the slow running water; a gentle river.
ANNESLEY : Local. From a town in Nottinghamshire, England, and named, perhaps, from Anclo, a city in Norway, by the free-booters or conquerors of Briton. Annansley, the lea, lying on the Annon.
ANSON : The son of Ann, or the same as Hanson, the son of Hans or John the H being dropped in pronunciation.
ANSTRUTHER : (Gaelic.) From Anstruth, an ancient order of historians or bards among the Celts, next in rank to the Allamh, or chief doctor of the seven degrees in all the sciences. His reward was twenty kine. He was to be attended by twelve students in his own science, to be entertained for fifteen days, and to be protected from all accusations during that time; and he and his attendants supplied with all manner of necessaries. Anstruth is derived from Aon, that is, good, great; sruth, knowing, discerning, and er put for fear, a man.
APPLEGARTH : Local. The orchard, apple-garden, or close.
ARBUTHNOT : Local. First assumed by the proprietors of the land and barony of Arbuthnot in the Mearns, Scotland. The name is said to have been anciently written Aberbuthnoth, which signifies the dwelling near the confluence of the river with the sea, from Aber, the mouth of a river, both, a dwelling, and neth, a stream that descends, or is lower than some other relative object.
ARCHIBALD : (German.) The same as Erchenbald, a powerful, bold, and speedy learner or observer. In the Gaelic this name is called Gillespie a favorite name with the Scotch.
ARDAL : (Celtic.) Bravery or prowess. Ardol, local, Welsh, from or, upon, and dol or dal, a vale, on the vale, or a place opposite the dale.
ARDGALL : (Celtic.) Bravery or prowess. Ardol, local, Welsh, from or, upon, and dol or dal, a vale, on the vale, or a place opposite the dale.
ARGYLE : (Gaelic.) An extensive shire on the western coast of Scotland. The name is derived from the Gaelic Earra Ghaidheal, that is, the country of the western Gael, or, according to Grant, the breeding-place of the Gael.
ARMTTAGE : Local. The same as Hermitage, the cell or habitation of a hermit, formerly a wilderness or solitary place; a convent of hermits or minor friars.
ARNOLD : (German.) The same as Ernold; from are or ehre, honor, and hold, faithful or devoted to faithful to his honor. How unworthy of the name was the notorious Benedict!
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.
ASHBURTON : Local. From a town of the same name in Devonshire, England. Burton signifies the town on the hill, and Ashburton the town on the hill covered or surrounded with ash trees. Ash may be, in some cases, a corruption of the Gaelic or Celtic uisge, water.
ASHBY : (Sax.) Local. The house by the ash, or the village on a place abounding in ash-trees; by signifying a villa or habitation.
ASHFORD : (Sax.) Local. A town in Kent, England, on the river Ash or Esh the ford over the Ash.
ASHLEY : (Sax.) Local. The lea, field, or pasture abounding in ash-trees. Leegh, ley, or lea, signifying uncultivated grounds or pastures; lands untilled, generally used as commons.
ASHTON : (Sax.) Local. The ash-hill or town.
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.
ATHOL : (Celtic and Gaelic.) Local. A district of Perthshire, Scotland; from ath, a ford, and al, an old word for a rock, a stone, Rockford, or the ford of the rock.
ATHOW : Local. The same as Athill; how or hoo, a high place.
AUBREY : A corruption of the German Alberic, a name given in hope of power or wealth, He signifying rich or powerful; always rich.
AUCHINLECK : Local. A parish in Ayrshire, Scotland. The etymology of the name may be found in the Gaelic Ach, an elevation, a mound, or round hill, generally level at the top; and leac, a flat stone, a tombstone. In several parts of Ayrshire may be traced the remains of cairns, encampments, and Druidical circles. Auchinleck appears to have been one of those places where the ancient Celts and Druids held conventions, celebrated their festivals, and performed acts of worship.
AUCHMUTY : (Gaelic.) Local. The field or mount of law; an eminence in which law-courts were held, moot-hills, as they were called; from Ach, an elevation, a mound, and mod, a court, an assembly, a meeting.
AUDLEY : (Sax.) Local. From did or and, old, and ley, a field or pasture the old field.
AVERY : (Gaelic.) From Aimhrea (the mh having the sound of v ), denoting contention or disagreement It may be from Avery, a granary, or from Aviarius, Latin, a bird-keeper.
AYLMER : This family trace their name and descent from Ailmer or Athelmare, Earl of Cornwall, in the time of King Ethelred. Allmor, in Welsh, signifies a valley or dale.
AYLSWORTH : This name admits of several meanings; Eall, Saxon, finished, completed, and worth, a farm-house or village. Ayles, Cor. Br., low meadow, flat lands, washed by a river, sea, or lake, and gwerth, a worth, farm, house, village.
AYRES : Local. Derived from a river, town, and district of the same name in Scotland. Air, Gaelic. Derivation uncertain. It may come from Iar, west the course in which the river runs; or Air, slaughter, the place of battle. The Celtic Aer, and the Welsh Awyr, signify, radically, to open, expand or flow clearly; to shoot or radiate. In Thorpe's catalogue of the deeds of Battle Abbey, we find the following legendary account of this name: Ayres, formerly Eyre. The first of this family was named Truelove, one of the followers of William the Conqueror. At the battle of Hastings, Duke William was flung from his horse, and his helmet beaten into his face, which Truelove observing, pulled off, and horsed him again. The duke told him 'Thou shalt hereafter from Truelove be called Eyre (or Air), because thou hast given me the air I breathe.' After the battle, the Duke, on inquiry respecting him, found him severely wounded (his leg and thigh having been struck off); he ordered him the utmost care, and on his recovery, gave him lands in Derby, in reward for his services, and the leg and thigh in armor, cut off, for his crest; an honorary badge yet worn by all the Eyres in England.
BAB A : German, Bube, a boy; Greek, an inarticulate sound, as of an infant crying out; hence, a little child; to say Baba, that is, father or Papa. The word is nearly the same in all languages; it signifies a young child of either sex.
BABER : (Gaelic.) Babair or Basbair, a fencer or swordsman; one who, by his blows, produced death; from Bas, death, and fear, a man.
BABCOCK : Little Bab, or Bartholomew; from Bab, a nickname for Bartholomew, and cock, small, little, a son; cic, cock, el, and et are diminutives, and include the ideas of kindness and tenderness, associated with smallness of slib. It may be from Bob, the nickname for Robert; Bobcock, the son of Robert, Robertson.
BACHELOR : From the Dutch Bock, a book, and leeraar, a doctor of divinity, law, or physic. When applied to persons of a certain military rank, it may be a corruption of Bas chevalier, because lower in dignity than the milites bannereti. Killian adopts the opinion that as the soldier who has once been engaged in battle, is called battalarius, so he who has once been engaged in literary warfare, in public dispute upon any subject. Calepinus thinks that those who took the degree of Bachelor, were so called (Baccalaurei), because a chaplet of laurel berries was placed upon them. The word, however, has probably but one origin, which would account for its various applications.
BACON : Bacon, from the Anglo-Saxon bacan, to bake, to dry by heat. Some derive this surname from the Saxon baccen or buccen, a beech-tree. Upon the monument of Thomas Bacon, in Brome Church in Suffolk (Eng.), there is a beech-tree engraven in brass, with a man resting under it It appears, also, that the first Lord-keeper, Sir Nicholas Bacon, with his two wives, are represented in a similar manner.
BAGLEY : (Sax.) Local. The rising or swelling ground that lies untilled; from boelge, rising or swelling, and leagh or ley, plain or pasture land.
BAGOT : (Fr.) A stay or walking staff; a gunstick or drumstick, from Bagnette. It may be a corruption oi Bigot (which see). Bagad, in the Welsh, signifies a great many.
BAIN : (Celtic.) Whiteness, fairness. Bain is also a bath or hot-house. The name may be local, from Bain, a town in France.
BAINE : (Celtic.) Whiteness, fairness. Bain is also a bath or hot-house. The name may be local, from Bain, a town in France.
BALCOMBE : Local. From Bal, Gaelic, a round body, any thing thrown up; a buttding, house, town; and combe, a valley; the round valley; tin-works thrown up in a valley, or a dwelling in such a place.
BALDWIN : (German) The speedy conqueror or victor; from bald, quick or speedy, and win, an old word signifying victor or conqueror, as Bert-win, famous victor; All-win, all victorious, etc.
BALFOUR : Local. From the barony and castle of Balfour, near the confluence of the rivers Or and Leven. (Scot.) Ball and Balla, in Gaelic, signifies a casting up, raising, and denotes a wall, fortress, house, a village. Balfour, i. e., the Keep, or castle on the river Or. Balfoir the castle of deliverance or security.
BALLANTINE : Local. A place where Bal or Belus was worshiped by the Celts; from Bal and teine, fire.
BALLANTYNE : Local. A place of ancient pagan worship among the Celts, whose principal deity was Belen or Baal, the sun. To the honor of this deity, the Celts lighted fires on the 1st of May and Midsummer day. Baalantine signifies the fire of Baal, from Baalen and teine, Gaelic, fire.
BANCHO : (Gaelic.) The white dog; from ban, white, and chu or cu, a dog. Bankhoo (Eng.), the high bank.
BANCROFT : Local. From the Cor. Br. ban, a mount, hill, or high ground; and croft, a small field near a dwelling a green pasture.
BANGS : This name may be a corruption of Banks, or from the French bain, a bath, a hot-house.
BANVARD : (Cor. Br.) Local. From ban, a mount, hill, or high ground; and vard, a rampart, that is, a fortified hill or castle.
BARCLAY : (Sax.) Local. A corruption of Berkeley; a town in Gloucestershire, England, derived from the Saxon beorce, a beech-tree, and leagh or ley, a field, and so called because of the plenty of beech-trees growing there.
BARD : (Celtic.) Local. From bawr, a top or summit, the highest; and eidde or oidde, instructor the chief preceptor, instructor, or poet
BARNEY : A familiar abbreviation or corruption of Bernard, or Barnard (which see).
BARNUM : Local. A corruption of Bearnham, the town in the wood or hill. Bern, in the Swiss language, signifies a bear. This family was originally of Southwick, County Hants, England.
BARR : (Celtic.) Local. The top or summit of any thing, any thing round. Bar, Gaelic, an old word for a bard or learned man. Bar, local, a bank of sand or earth, a shoal; the shore of the sea. It may be derived from Barre, a town in France, or from Barr, a parish and village in Ayrshire, Scotland.
BARRON : The word Baron is of Celtic extraction, and originally synonymous with man in general It has this meaning in the Salic law, and in the laws of the Lombards; in the English law, the phrase baron and. feme is equivalent to man and wife. It was afterward used to denote a man of respectability, a stout or valiant man; and Barone was also used by the Italians to signify a beggar. From denoting a stout or valiant man, it was employed as a name for a distinguished military leader, who having fought and conquered under some great commander, was afterward rewarded by him with a part of the lands which he had acquired. As a surname, it was originally Le Baron, The Baron. Gaelic, Baran, a baron.
BARON : The word Baron is of Celtic extraction, and originally synonymous with man in general It has this meaning in the Salic law, and in the laws of the Lombards; in the English law, the phrase baron and. feme is equivalent to man and wife. It was afterward used to denote a man of respectability, a stout or valiant man; and Barone was also used by the Italians to signify a beggar. From denoting a stout or valiant man, it was employed as a name for a distinguished military leader, who having fought and conquered under some great commander, was afterward rewarded by him with a part of the lands which he had acquired. As a surname, it was originally Le Baron, The Baron. Gaelic, Baran, a baron.
BARSTOW : Local. May have various significations. Barr, the top of a hill, and stow, a place or depository. Bar, in the Gaelic, Welsh, and Cornish-British, means the summit or top of any thing. The Gaelic or Irish aran and barr, signify bread, a crop of grain; Welsh, bar, bread, an ear of corn; Saxon, bar and bere, corn, barley. Barstow, a place where grain is stored.
BARTHOLOMEW : (Hebrew) The son of him who maketh the waters to mount, or a son that suspends the waters.
BARTON : (Sax.) Local. From a town in Lincolnshire, England; a corn town, or barley village, from bere, barley, and ton, an inclosure, a house, a village. Barton, a curtilage. In Devonshire, it is applied to any freehold estate not possessed of manorial privileges.
Origin of name provided by Jean Tosti
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