Origin
ABBOT : So named from his office in the church; the chief ruler of an abbey derived from the Syriac Abba, signifying father.
ABDALLAH : (Turkish) The servant of God.
ABENDROTH : (German) From abend, evening, and roth, red. The name might have been given to a child born at the close of day.
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.
ABERDEEN : (Gaelic and Celtic.) Local. The name of a city in Aberdeenshire, whence the surname was taken. It is derived from Aber, the mouth, as above, and Don, the name of a river, at the mouth of which it is situated.
ABERDENE : (Gaelic and Celtic.) Local. The name of a city in Aberdeenshire, whence the surname was taken. It is derived from Aber, the mouth, as above, and Don, the name of a river, at the mouth of which it is situated.
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.
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.
ABRAHAM : (Hebrew) The father of a great multitude.
ACKERMAN : (Saxon) From Acker, oaken, made of oak, and man. The brave, firm, unyielding man.
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.
ACKLAND : (Saxon) Local. The name of a place in North Devonshire, England, whence the surname is derived; so called, because it was situated among groves of oaks from ack, oak, as above, and land.
ACTON : (Saxon) Local. The oak-town or oak-hill the name of a town in Middlesex, England, whence the name is derived.
ADAIR : (Celtic and Gaelic.) Local. From Ath, a ford, and dare, from darach, the place of oaks, The ford of the oaks.'' There is the following tradition of the origin of this surname: Thomas, the sixth Earl of Desmond, while on a hunting excursion was benighted, and lost his way, between Tralee and Newcastle, in the county of Limerick, where he was received and hospitably entertained by one William McCormic, whose daughter he subsequently married. At this alliance, the family and clan took umbrage. Resigning his title and estate to his youngest brother, he fled to France in 1418, and died of grief at Rouen, two years afterward. The King of England attended his funeral. He had issue, Maurice and John; Robert, the son of Maurice, returning to Ireland, with the hope of regaining the estates and title of Thomas, his ancestor, slew Gerald, the White Knight in single combat at Athdare, the ford of the oaks, whence he received the name of Adaire. He embarked for Scotland, where he married Arabella, daughter of John Campbell, Lord of Argyle.
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.
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.
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.
AFFLECK : (Gaelic and Celtic.) Local. Said to be a corruption of the name Auchinleck, which was assumed by the proprietors of the lands and barony of Auchinleck, near Dundee, in Angusshire, Scotland. The name is pronounced Affleck by the natives. (See Auchinleck.)
AGAN : (Gaelic.) From Eigin, force, violence; hence, strong-handed, active. The name may be local, and named from Agen, a town in Guienne, France; also Agen, Welsh, local, a cleft.
EGAN : (Gaelic.) From Eigin, force, violence; hence, strong-handed, active. The name may be local, and named from Agen, a town in Guienne, France; also Agen, Welsh, local, a cleft.
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.
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.
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.
AITKIN : Probably the same as Atkins (which see).
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.
ALAN : Derived, according to Julius Scaliger, from the Sclavonic Aland, a wolf-dog, a hound, and Chaucer uses Aland in the same sense. Bailey derives it as the same from the British. Camden thinks it a corruption of AElianus which signifies sun-bright. From the same we have Allen, Allin, Alleyne. In the Gaelic, Aluinn signifies exceedingly fair, handsome, elegant, lovely; Irish, Alun, fair, beautiful.
ALLAN : Derived, according to Julius Scaliger, from the Sclavonic Aland, a wolf-dog, a hound, and Chaucer uses Aland in the same sense. Bailey derives it as the same from the British. Camden thinks it a corruption of AElianus which signifies sun-bright. From the same we have Allen, Allin, Alleyne. In the Gaelic, Aluinn signifies exceedingly fair, handsome, elegant, lovely; Irish, Alun, fair, beautiful.
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.
ALBRECHT : (Saxon) The same as Albert All-bright.
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.
ALDERSEY : (Sax.) Local. The isle of alders.
ALDIS : (Saxon) A contraction of ald-house, the old house.
ALDJOY : (Sax.) The same as the English all-joy.
ALDRIDGE : (Sax.) The same as Aldred, of which it is a corruption.
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.
ALLEN : Derived, according to Julius Scaliger, from the Sclavonic Aland, a wolf-dog, a hound, and Chaucer uses Aland in the same sense. Bailey derives it as the same from the British. Camden thinks it a corruption of AElianus which signifies sun-bright. From the same we have Allen, Allin, Alleyne. In the Gaelic, Aluinn signifies exceedingly fair, handsome, elegant, lovely; Irish, Alun, fair, beautiful.
ALLENDORF : Local. A town in Hesse, Germany, signifying the old town; dorf a town or village, the same as Oldendorf.
ALLGOOD : (Saxon) The same as the English All-good.
ALSOP : (LocaL) From Alsop, Co. Derby, England. One might imagine it a corruption of Ale-shop, a name given to one who kept an ale-shop. A very appropriate name at the present day; for Alsop's ale is celebrated all the world over.
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.
AMAKER : (LocaL) Derived from Amager, a small Danish island to the east of Copenhagen.
AMBLER : (French.) From Ambleur, an officer of the king's stables; anciently le Amblour .
AMBROSE : (Greek.) From the Greek divine, immortal.
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.
AMPTE : (Dutch.) Ampt, an official situation; the house in which an officer transacts his business; a lordship of the Netherlands.
ANDARTON : (Br.) Local. The oak-hill; from an, the; dar, an oak, and ton, a hill.
ANDREW : (Greek.) From the Greek manly, courageous.
ANGEVINE : So named because coming originally from Anjou, in France. The natives of Anjou were called Angevines.
ANGLE : (Greek;.) From the Greek messenger; also the name of a town in France where the family may have originated.
ANGEL : (Greek;.) From the Greek messenger; also the name of a town in France where the family may have originated.
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.
ANSELL : Supposed to be an abbreviatioa of Anselm; also the name of a bird.
ANSELM : (German.) From the Teutonic Hamstshelm, a defender of his companions.
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.
ANTHON : A contraction of Anthony, from the Greek flower; but, by way of excellency, appropriated to Rosemary flowers.
ANTHONY : (Greek.) From the Greek flower; flourishing, beautiful, graceful.
APPLEBY : Local. A town in Westmoreland, England, called Aballaba by the Romans, from which the name is derived. By signifies a town, the apple-town.
APPLEGARTH : Local. The orchard, apple-garden, or close.
APPLETON : Local. The town abounding in apples.
ARBLASTER : A corruption of Bamistarius, a cross-bowman, one who directed the great engines of war used before the invention of cannon. In the kernils (battlements) here and there, Of Arblastirs great plenty were. Rom. of the Rose.
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.
ARLON : A local name, and derived from Arlon, a town in the Netherlands, thirteen miles east from Luxemburg.
ARMISTEAD : (Saxon) The place of arms.
ARMSTED : (Saxon) The place of arms.
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.
ARMOUR : Defensive arms; all instruments of war. The name is probably contracted from Armorer, a maker of armor.
ARMSTRONG : A name given for strength in battle. Historians relate the following tradition: This family was anciently settled on the Scottish border; their original name was Fairbairn, which was changed to Armstrong on the following occasion: An ancient king of Scotland having had his horse killed under him in battle, was immediately re-mounted by Fairbairn, his armor-bearer, on his own horse. For this timely assistance he amply rewarded him with lands on the borders, and to perpetuate the memory of so important a service, as well as the manner in which it was performed (for Fairbairn took the king by the thigh, and set him on the saddle), his royal master gave him the appellation of Armstrong. The chief seat of Johnnie Armstrong was Gilnockie, in Eskdale, a place of exquisite beauty. Johnnie was executed by order of James V., in 1529, as a Border Freebooter. Andrew Armstrong sold his patrimony to one of his kinsmen, and emigrated to the north of Ireland in the commencement of the seventeenth century. The Armstrongs were always noted for their courage and daring. In the Lay of the Last Minstrel, when the chief was about to assemble his clans, he says to his heralds: Ye need not go to Liddisdale, For whon they see the blazing bale, Elliots and Armstrongs never fail
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!
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.
ARTOIS : (LocaL) From the province of Artois in the Netherlands.
ARUNDEL : Local. From a town in Sussex, England, on the river Arun; a corruption of Arundale the dale on the Arun.
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.
ASKEW : (Sax.) Local. Acksheugh, billy lands covered with oaks. Aschau, local, a town on the bend of a river in Sleswick, Denmark. Askew crooked, from the Danish.
ASPINWALL : (Sax.) Local. The aspen-vale.
Origin of name provided by Jean Tosti
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