Origin
THOMAS : (Hebrew) A twin.
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.
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.
BECKETT : Local. A little brook. (By no means appropriate to the furious St Thomas of Canterbury!)
CARNE : (Welsh.) Local. A rock, a heap of stones. This family claim descent from Ithel, King of Ghent, now Monmouthshire. Thomas o'r Gare, youngest son of Ithel, King of Ghent, was brought up at one of his father's seats called Pencarne (from pen, the head, and came, a rock, a heap of stones), whence he was named Carne, which continues the surname of the family.
CARNES : (Welsh.) Local. A rock, a heap of stones. This family claim descent from Ithel, King of Ghent, now Monmouthshire. Thomas o'r Gare, youngest son of Ithel, King of Ghent, was brought up at one of his father's seats called Pencarne (from pen, the head, and came, a rock, a heap of stones), whence he was named Carne, which continues the surname of the family.
FOLLET : (Fr.) Frolicksome, merry, gay. Rightly named was Richard Folioth, Bishop of Hereford, who, when he had incurred the hatred of many for opposing himself against Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, one cried with a loud voice at his chamber window at midnight: 'Folioth, Folioth, thy god is the Goddess Azaroth' He suddenly and stoutly replied: ' Thou liest, foul fiend, my God is the God of Sabaoth. Camden.
FOLLIOT : (Fr.) Frolicksome, merry, gay. Rightly named was Richard Folioth, Bishop of Hereford, who, when he had incurred the hatred of many for opposing himself against Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, one cried with a loud voice at his chamber window at midnight: 'Folioth, Folioth, thy god is the Goddess Azaroth' He suddenly and stoutly replied: ' Thou liest, foul fiend, my God is the God of Sabaoth. Camden.
MANNERS : (Fr.) From Manoir, and that from the Latin Manere, to stay or to abide. Lands granted to some military man or baron by the king, a custom brought in by the Normans. Manners, first Earl of Rutland, soon after his creation, told Sir Thomas More that he was too much elated by his preferment, and really verified the old proverb, Honores mutant Mares. Nay, my lord, retorted Sir Thomas, the proverb does much better in English, 'Honors change Manners.' It is the opinion of Camden that this family received its name from the village of Manor, near Lanchester, in Durham, England.
THOMLIN : From Thom or Thomas, and ing or ling, a child or descendant the son of Thomas.
THOMLINSON : From Thom or Thomas, and ing or ling, a child or descendant the son of Thomas.
THOMSON : The son of Thomas.
TOBY : The Welsh for Thomas.
TRACY : Local. A village in the Department of Oise, France. E. Tracy came with William the Conqueror into England. Sir William Tracy was most active among the four knights that killed Thomas a Becket, or. which account tradition reports, it is imposed on the Tracys for miraculous penance, that whether they go by land or water, the wind is always in their faces, hence an old saying,
TRACEY : Local. A village in the Department of Oise, France. E. Tracy came with William the Conqueror into England. Sir William Tracy was most active among the four knights that killed Thomas a Becket, or. which account tradition reports, it is imposed on the Tracys for miraculous penance, that whether they go by land or water, the wind is always in their faces, hence an old saying,
Origin of name provided by Jean Tosti
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