Origin
ARTHUR : (British.) A strong man; from Ar (Lat. vir), a man, and thor, strong. In the Gaelic, Air is the same as Fear, a man; and the ancient Scythians called a man Aior. Thor was the Jupiter of the Teutonic races, their god of thunder. In Welsh, Arth is a bear, an emblem of strength and courage, and ur a noun termination, a man. Arthur, a bear-man, a hero, a man of strength; the name of a British prince.
CAPEL : An old word signifying a strong horse. And gave him copies to his carte. Chaucer. Capel, Danish, an oratory, a chapel.
CHARLES : (Ger.) From carl, strong, stout, courageous, and valiant. The Hungarians called a king by the general name Carl.
DONNACH : The same as Duncan. Diongnach, Gaelic, strong, fortified.
DUNSTAN : (Sax.) From Dun, a hill, and stan, a stone the stone-hill, or the strong, enduring dun or fortress.
DURANT : From the Latin name Durandus, enduring, strong, inured to hardships, from duro, to harden, to inure to hardships, to make strong.
GORDON : Ghurtduine, Gaelic, a fierce man; Gwrddyn, Welsh, a strong man; Cawrdyn, Welsh, a bero, a giant. Some have derived the Gordons from Gordinia, in Thessaly; others say they are descendants of the Gorduni mentioned by Caesar in his Commentaries. The name appears to be local, and may be derived from a town in France of that name, in the Department of Lot It signifies in Gaelic the round hill, or the hill that surrounds, from Gour, round, and dun, a hill or fort
GRIFFITH : (Welsh and Cor. Br.) One who has strong faith, from Cryf, Welsh, strong, an ffyd, faith.
GURDIN : (Welsh.) A strong man, from gwrdd, strong, and dyn, a man; also, gwyrdd-din, the green hill or inclosure.
HALES : Local. From a village in Gloucestershire, and also a town in Norfolk, England. In Cor. Br., it signifies low, level lands washed by a river or the sea; a moor. Playfair says, The word Hales is a compound one, being formed of the Saxon Hale or Heile, strong, healthy, and ley, etc. Others derive it from Halig, Saxon, holy.
HANNA : Local. From Hanan, a strong city in Hesse Cassel, Germany. Hana, Saxon, a cock; figuratively, a leader, a chief man.
HODGE : The same as Roger, which signifies quiet or strong counsel.
KENYON : (Welsh.) Ceinion, beautiful; Cyndyn, stubborn, Concenn or Kynan, strong head, powerful, a leader.
KERR : (Gaelic, Welsh, and Cor. Br.) Kaer, a castle; figuratively, strong, valiant; car, dear, a kinsman, a friend; Danish, Kier, dear, lovely.
KIERNAN : Carnan, Gaelic, a heap; figuratively, a strong man, a thick-set, stout man. Cearnan, local, a square, a quadrangle.
KERNAN : Carnan, Gaelic, a heap; figuratively, a strong man, a thick-set, stout man. Cearnan, local, a square, a quadrangle.
McMURROUGH : The son of Murrough or Murrach; Mor, great, strong, and ach, battle. Mur, a wall, bulwark, and ach.
METCALF : In the Welsh, medd signifies a vale, a meadow, and caf, a cell, a chancel, a church, i. e., the church in the vale. The origin of the name, however, is given by tradition in this wise. In those days when bullfights were in vogue, in merry England, one of the enraged animals broke away from the combat, and was hotly pursued by horsemen. A certain John Strong happened to meet the bull on the top of a hill, and when attacked by the furious beast, he seized him in the nostrils with his left hand, and killed him. As he came to the foot of the hill, meeting several persons in the pursuit, he was inquired of whether he had met a bull; he replied he Met a calf and from this circumstance was called afterward John Metcalfe.
MONTFORD : From the Latin De Monte Forte, that is, from the strong or fortified hill or mountain.
REESE : (Cor. Br.) Pushing, violent; a strong or powerful man. Riese, in German, signifies a giant Welsh, Rhys, a rushing. Rees, a town of Germany, on the Rhine.
RHEESE : (Cor. Br.) Pushing, violent; a strong or powerful man. Riese, in German, signifies a giant Welsh, Rhys, a rushing. Rees, a town of Germany, on the Rhine.
REYNOLDS : (Sax.) Sincere or pure love from, Rhein, pure, and hold, the old English for love. It also may signify strong or firm hold.
R0MAINE : The same as Roman, from Rome; also, strong.
STARK : Anglo Saxon, Stare, German Starck, strong, firm, confirmed to the utmost degree.
STORR : (Dan.) From storre, greater, larger, stout, strong.
TURNBULL : This name had its origin in some feat of personal strength or courage. There is the following tradition of its origin: A strong man of the name of Rud, having turned a wild bull by the head, which violently ran against King Robert Bruce in Stirling Park, received from the king the lands of Bedrule, and the name of Turnbull.
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