Last names linked to UNDER

Origin

Abbey : English:: 1: from Anglo-Norman and Middle English abbeye abbaye ‘abbey’ i.e. a community of monks under an abbot or of nuns under an abbess (Old French abeie Late Latin abbatia ‘priest's house’) applied as a topographic name for someone living in or near an abbey or an occupational name for someone working in one.2: (of Norman origin): nickname from Anglo-Norman French abé abbé ‘priest’. See also French Labbe.

Abelard : French and Haitian (also Abélard): from a derivative of the personal name Abel possibly under influence of ancient Germanic names ending in -hard.

Abery : 1: from Avebury (Wilts) which is recorded as Aveberia in 1196 Avenebyr' in 1268 Abury in 1386 Aubury in 1494 Abery in 1535 and Awbery alias Avebury in 1689. The place-name derives from Old English burg ‘stronghold fortified place’ with an uncertain first element possibly the Old English personal name Afa (genitive Afan). 2: variant of Aubrey. Some of the examples below may alternatively belong under (3). 3: variant of Albury. The 1579 example below may alternatively belong to (2).

Adam : 1: English Scottish German French Walloon Breton Dutch Flemish Romanian Polish Czech Slovak Slovenian Croatian and Assyrian/Chaldean; Hungarian (Ádám): from the Biblical personal name Adam which was borne according to Genesis by the first man. It is the generic Hebrew term for ‘man’ which is probably a derivative of Hebrew adama ‘earth’ (compare the classical Greek legend that Zeus fashioned the first human beings from earth). Adam was very popular as a personal name among non-Jews throughout Europe in the Middle Ages. Jews however did not use this personal name except in recent times under Polish and English influence.2: Spanish: variant of Adán ‘Adam’ (see Adan).3: Muslim: from the personal name Ādam Arabic variant of Adam. Compare Adem.4: American shortened form of Scottish and Irish McAdam and also of cognates from other languages (see examples 5 below and at Adams).5: American shortened (and altered) form of Armenian Atamian or Adamian.

Agnes : 1: English; French (Agnès); Hungarian (Ágnes): from a female personal name which is from Late Latin Agnes and this one from Greek Hagnē from hagnē ‘pure chaste’. Saint Agnes was a Christian virgin martyr one of those who suffered under the persecutions of Diocletian in 303 AD. Her name was associated by folk etymology with Latin agnus ‘lamb’ and in medieval art she is often depicted with a lamb (the lamb of God). See also English Annis.2: American shortened (and altered) form of rare Greek metronymics Agnidis or Agniadis both derived from the female personal name Hagnē (see 1 above) or of patronymics like Anagnostopoulos (compare Agnew 4).

Aguillard : 1: Altered form under the French influence in LA of Spanish Aguilar.2: French: from Old French aguille ‘needle’ + the (pejorative) suffix -ard hence an occupational name for a needle maker or derogatory nickname for an irritating person.

Alleman : 1: Flemish and Dutch: ethnic name from Old French aleman(d) ‘German’ (see also French Allemand compare Dutch Aleman). This surname is also found in France (Nord) and Wallonia; see also 2 below.2: French (mainly Nord Pas-de-Calais and southern France): variant of Allemand. See also 1 above.3: Dutch: from the personal name Alleman a diminutive of Alle see Alles 1.4: Altered form under the French influence in LA of Spanish Alemán ‘German’ (see Aleman). Compare Allemand 2.5: Americanized form of Swiss German Allemann.

Allemand : 1: French: from Old French aleman(d) ‘German’ (from Late Latin Alemannus from an ancient Germanic tribal name; see Allemann) hence an ethnic name for a German-speaker in a predominantly French-speaking area. Compare Lallemand.2: Altered form under the French influence in LA of Spanish Alemán ‘German’ (see Aleman compare Alleman 4).

Aman : 1: Altered form of South German and Swiss German Amann or Ammann ‘official’ and also of German Hamann the latter partly under the French influence in QC Canada.2: English (of Norman origin): variant of Amand.3: Hungarian (Ámán and Áman): derivative of Old High German amma ‘mother’. The surname Aman presumably of Hungarian origin is also found in Croatia.4: Slovenian: variant of Amon ‘official’ a cognate of 1 above.5: Muslim (mainly Pakistan and Bangladesh): from the Arabic personal name Amān ‘trust safety protection tranquility’. Amān is often used in compound names for example Amānullāh ‘trust of God’ (see Amanullah).6: Ethiopian and Eritrean: from the Amharic and Tigrinya personal name Aman which is interpreted as ‘peace’ (compare with the Arabic name above). — Note: Since Ethiopians and Eritreans do not have hereditary surnames this name was registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US.

Amias : 1: from Amiens (Somme in Picardy) the centre of the medieval trade in woad which made a blue dye used by dyers of wool cloth in English towns. In classical sources the place-name is recorded as Samarobriva Ambianorum a Celtic name meaning ‘the bridge over the river Somme’ plus the affix Ambianorum ‘of the Ambiani’ an ethnic name from Celtic ambi(o)- ‘around’ perhaps meaning ‘those on both sides (of the Somme)’ or possibly ‘the people of the world’. The affix in its ablative form Ambiānis has replaced the place-name which it once qualified and is the source of the current name Amiens. In England the name generally appears as Amias as in ‘merchants of Amias’ 1326 in London Letter Books E. 2: from the Middle English personal name Amias a variant of Amis see Ames. Thomas Amyas (1521) of Wethersfield in Essex was no doubt of the same family as Robert Amys Amyse Amyce Ameys (1462–78 in The Essex Review 61). Some of the surname examples listed under (1) with no preposition could also belong here. The two surnames were easily confused.

Angelle : Altered form under the French influence in LA of Spanish Ángel; see Angel.

Apolonio : 1: Portuguese and Spanish: from the personal name Apolonio (Portuguese Apolónio) from Latin Apollonius Greek Apollōnios meaning ‘consecrated to Apollo’ (see Apollo). This was the name of a Christian saint (Saint Apollonius the Apologist) who was martyred in Rome in 185 under the Emperor Commodus. He was noted for his calmly argued defence of Christianity under interrogation which led to his condemnation and martyrdom. This surname is most common in Mexico and the Philippines.2: In some cases also an altered form of Italian Apollonio.

Arabie : Altered form under the French influence in LA of Spanish Arabi 2.

Archibeque : Altered form under Spanish influence in NM of French L'Archevêque: from archevêque ‘archbishop’ with definite article l' either denoting a member of an archbishop's household or used as an ironic nickname.

Arley : 1: from Arley (Warwicks) which is recorded as Earnlege in 1001 Arlei in 1086 and Arnlege in 1221 Areley Kings (Worcs) recorded as Ernele in 1156 Arneley in 1275 and Arleye in 1291 or Upper Arley (formerly in Staffs now Worcs) recorded as Earnleie in 996 Erlege in 1188 and Arnlege in 1276. All three place-names derive from Old English earn ‘eagle’ + lēah ‘open woodland’. Compare Earley.possibly from Arley in Aston by Budworth (Cheshire) which is recorded as Harlae in 1336 Arlegh in 1340 and Harlagh in 1347. The place-name derives from Old English lēah ‘open woodland’ with an uncertain first element perhaps hār ‘hoary grey’. 2: from Arley in Blackrod (Lancs) which is recorded as Erelegh in 1283 and Erley in 1394 or Arley in Mellor (also Lancs) recorded as Ereley in the 13th century and Arley in 1558. The place-names derive from Old English lēah ‘open woodland’ with an uncertain first element. The post-medieval bearers cited under (1) may alternatively belong here.

Arthur : 1: Scottish Irish English German and French: from the ancient Celtic personal name Arthur. The origin of the name is disputed but it may be derived from the Latin name Artorius or it may derive from an old Celtic word meaning ‘bear’ (compare Gaelic art Welsh arth both of which mean ‘bear’). It has been in regular use as a personal name in Britain since the early Middle Ages owing its popularity in large part to the legendary exploits of King Arthur which gave rise to a prolific literature in Welsh French English German and other languages. In many cases this is a shortened form of Scottish or Irish McArthur the patronymic Mac- often being dropped in the 17th 18th and 19th centuries under English influence.2: West African (Ghana): Anglicized form of the Akan (Fante) name Atta.

Ascott : 1: variant of Arscott a Devon name pronounced /ˈɑ:skɔt/. 2: from any of several places so called such as Ascott under Wychwood (Oxon) which is recorded as Estcote in 1086 and Astcote in 1258 Ascott in Stadhampton (also Oxon) recorded as Estcote in about 1190 and Astecote in 1285 Ascot in Sunninghill (Berks) recorded as Ascote in 1269 and Astcote in 1348 and Ascott in Wing (Bucks) recorded as Estcota Ascote in the 13th century. The place-names all derive from Old English ēast ‘east’ + cot ‘cottage’.

Askari : Muslim (mainly Iran and Pakistan):: 1: from al-ʿAskarī the title of Hasan ibn Ali ibn Muhammad (c. 846–874) the eleventh imam of the Shiites derived from ʿaskar ‘army’ an Arabic word of Persian origin (see Askar) itself borrowed into Persian. The imam got his title because he was kept under house arrest in Samarra (in present-day Iraq) then a garrison town.2: surname denoting descent from or association with someone called Askar. Compare Asgari.3: possibly also an occupational name from Arabic ʿaskarī ‘soldier’ (from ʿaskar ‘army’; see Askar).

Attrill : 1: from Middle English atter hille ‘(dweller) by the hill’. 2: from Middle English atter hilde atter helde ‘(dweller) on the slope’ (Middle English Old English hild held). 3: it may also be a variant of Hatherall (1); compare Jane Hatrell 1568 in IGI (Stratfield Saye Hants). That and following bearers may otherwise belong under (1) or (2).

Aube : 1: French Canadian (Aubé): probably an altered form of Obee 2 itself a variant (Obée) or an altered form under American Dutch influence in New Netherland of French Aubé (see 3 below). Compare Obey Obie and Oby.2: French Canadian (Aubé): altered form of French Aubert.3: In some cases probably also French (Aubé): from the Old French personal name Aube a variant of Aubert.

Baez : Spanish (Báez): perhaps an altered form of Páez (see Paez) under influence of Baeza.

Bailiff : English: occupational name for an officer of a court of justice from Middle English bailli baillif ‘manager administrator’ (Old French bailli(s) baillif). The term could denote the king's officer in a county hundred town castle or forest or an elected town officer a magistrate an officer of a court serving warrants and enforcing judgments. In Middle English a bailiff often denoted the agent of a lord in managing a manor collecting rents etc. but in the early modern period the term gradually because specialized as denoting an officer of justice under a sheriff who executes writs and processes distraints and arrests. Compare the variant Bayliff Bayliss and also Bailey.

Bajus : 1: Slovak (also Bajús) and Rusyn (from Slovakia and Poland): nickname from a Slavicized form of Hungarian bajusz ‘a hair under the nose’. The surname Bajus is also found in Serbia (Vojvodina).2: Americanized form of Hungarian Bajusz: nickname from bajusz ‘a hair under the nose’.3: Lithuanian: unexplained. This surname is rare in Lithuania.

Ban : 1: Croatian Slovenian and Serbian; Hungarian and Slovak (Bán): nickname from Hungarian bán South Slavic ban or Slovak bán ‘governor’. Hungarian Bán was also used as a personal name. Historically the word ban is found mostly as a Croatian status name for a regional military or administrative leader. The surname possibly denoted a person in the service of a ban or one who came from a land under the authority of a ban. As a surname of Hungarian origin Ban is also common in Romania.2: Slovenian: from a short form of the personal name Urban.3: Polish: from a pet form of the personal name Benedykt an equivalent of Latin Benedictus (see Benedict).4: German: variant of Bann.5: Japanese: written 伴 ‘comrade’. It is found mostly in eastern Japan. Some families pronounce the same character as Tomo.6: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 班 meaning ‘squad’ or ‘theatrical troupe’ in Chinese: from the second character of the personal name Dou Ban (斗班) which was the personal name of a prince a grandson of king Ruo Ao (died c.764 BC) of the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC).7: Chinese: Hokkien or Taiwanese form of the Chinese surname 萬 see Wan 1.8: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 馮 possibly based on its Hokkien or Teochew pronunciation see Feng 1.9: Korean: variant of Pan 9.10: Vietnamese (Bàn): from the Chinese surname 盤 see Pan 2.

Banks : 1: English: variant of Bank 5 with excrescent -s. The final -s may occasionally represent a plural form but it is most commonly an arbitrary addition made after the main period of surname formation perhaps under the influence of patronymic forms with a possessive -s.2: Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Bruacháin ‘descendant of Bruachán’ a byname for a large-bellied person. The English form was chosen because of a mistaken association of the Gaelic name with bruach ‘bank’. Compare Bank 6.

Bardsley : English:: 1: habitational name from Bardsley in Ashton under Lyne Lancashire so named from the genitive case of the Old English personal name Beornrēd (composed of the elements beorn ‘young warrior’ + rǣd ‘counsel advice’) + Old English lēah ‘woodland clearing’.2: perhaps also a variant of Barnsley a habitational name from Barnsley in Gloucestershire since the early records of the placename show variation between spellings in Barnes- Barndes- and Bardes-.

Bare : 1: English: nickname from Middle English bar ‘bare’ (Old English bær) which in medieval times in addition to the sense ‘naked uncovered’ also meant ‘unarmed defenseless unconcealed destitute’.2: English: habitational name from one of the locations or places under Barr.3: Altered form of German Bär (see Baer).4: Croatian: from a short form of the personal name Bartolomej (see Bartholomew) or of its variants Bartol or Bartul.

Barua : Indian (Assam): from Ahom barua a military rank in historical Assam meaning literally ‘10 000’ referring to the number of soldiers under the command of such an officer. The Ahoms were formerly rulers of Assam. The Ahom language died out in the 18th century.

Barzey : 1: from Bardsea (Lancs) or Bardsey (WR Yorks) with assimilation of /d/ before the sibilant as in Barsley for Bardsley. The Lancs name is recorded as Berretseige in 1086 and Berdeseia in 1155; Yorks name is recorded in 1086 as Berdesei. Both are probably composed of the Old English personal name Beornrǣd in the genitive singular (-es) reduced to Berdes- + Old English ēg ‘island island-like hill’. 2: reduced form of Bardsley (1) or its variant Beardsley. Compare George Beardsley 1567 in IGI (Lichfield Staffs) and Daniel Bardsley 1788 in IGI (Ashton under Lyne Lancs) with the 1581 and 1788 examples below. 3: in SW England a variant of Bardsley (2). 4: possibly from Barsey Farm (Shudy Camps Cambs) recorded as terram Willelmi de Berardeshey 1307–27 in Place-Names of Cambs. The place-name is from the Old English given name Beornheard in the genitive case with -es + (ge)hæg ‘enclosure’.alternatively from Barsey Walk Farm (near Horncastle Lincs) though early forms of this place-name are unavailable. Mumby and Hogsthorpe where the 1591 and 1621 examples are located are not far from Horncastle.

Basil : 1: English (Hertfordshire): from the Middle English personal name Basil itself from Old French Basil(e) Latin Basilius ultimately from Greek Basileios ‘royal’. The name was borne by a 4th-century bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia regarded as one of the four Fathers of the Eastern Church; he wrote important theological works and established a rule for religious orders of monks. Various other Christian saints are also known under these and cognate names. The popularity of Vasily as a Russian personal name is largely due to the fact that this was the ecclesiastical name of Saint Vladimir (956–1015) Prince of Kiev who was chiefly responsible for the introduction of Christianity to Russia. In North America the English form of the surname has absorbed Italian cognate Basile 1 and some Greek and Slavic derivatives of the classical Greek personal name Basileios (see Vasil).2: Americanized form of French Basile 2 a cognate of 1 above.

Baskin : 1: Irish: Anglicized form of Irish Ó Baiscinn from the personal name Bascaoin meaning ‘fair of hand’. The surname arose from a historical population group called Corca Bhaiscinn ‘seed of Bascaoin’ in west County Clare and is independent of the Norman name (see 3 below).2: English (of Norman origin): from the Middle English personal name Baskin a borrowing of Flemish or Picard Basequin a pet form of Base (ancient Germanic Baso perhaps meaning ‘purple’) + the diminutive suffix -kin. It could also have been used as a pet form of Old French Basile. See Bass.3: Jewish (from Belarus and Ukraine): metronymic formed with the Slavic possessive suffix -in from the Yiddish female personal name Baske a pet form of the Biblical name Bath Seba under the influence of Polish Basia a pet form of Barbara.

Basnett : English and Irish (of Norman origin): from Middle English bacinet (Norman French bassinet) ‘hemispherical helmet without a visor worn under the fighting helmet; also (later) a pointed helmet with a visor’ denoting someone who wore or made headgear of this kind. The name was prominent in Dublin throughout the 16th century but is now found mainly in Liverpool England.

Bassin : 1: Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): metronymic formed with the Slavic possessive suffix -in from the Yiddish female personal name Basye a pet form of the Biblical name Bath Sheba under the influence of Polish Basia a pet form of Barbara.2: French: from bassin ‘small basin or ladle’ hence a metonymic occupational name for a maker or seller of such vessels. This surname is also found in Germany.3: Italian (Veneto; Bassìn): from a diminutive of Basso.

Baumiller : German: rare variant of Baumüller (and in North America also an altered form of this) from a status or occupational name for a miller who owned a farm or who was under a feudal obligation to run one.

Bayus : 1: Rusyn and Ukrainian: nickname from a Slavicized form of Hungarian bajusz ‘a hair under the nose’.2: Americanized form of Hungarian Bajusz Slovak and Rusyn (from Slovakia and Poland) Bajus cognates of 1.3: Americanized form of Lithuanian Bajus.

Bearb : Altered form of English Beard under the influence in LA of French barbe ‘beard’.

Beaumont : English (of Norman origin) and French: habitational name from any of the five places in Normandy or several others elsewhere in France so named. The placename comes from Old French beu bel ‘fair lovely’ + mont ‘hill’. There are also places in England so named under Norman influence in Cumberland Lancashire and Essex the last of which changed its name in the 12th century from Fulepet ‘foul pit’ to Bealmont ‘beautiful hill’; these may also have given rise to the surname. The surname is now widespread throughout England but most common in Yorkshire. Compare Belmont.

Becnel : Altered form under the French influence in LA of English Becknell (see Bicknell).

Beri : Indian (Punjab and Uttar Pradesh): Khatri (warrior class) name from Hindi and Punjabi beri ‘jujube tree’ (Ziziphus jujuba). According to popular belief an ancestor of bearers of this surname was born under such a tree.

Berk : 1: Dutch and Polish: from a pet form of an ancient Germanic personal name formed with ber(n) ‘bear’ e.g. Bernhard.2: Dutch (Van Berk) and North German: topographic name for someone who lived by a birch tree or in a birch wood from Middle Dutch Middle Low German berke ‘birch’.3: Sorbian (Běrk): occupational name for a collector of taxes from a derivative of braś ‘to take’. It is found mainly in Germanized forms such as Berg and Birke.4: Slovenian: probably a nickname from an old spelling of brk ‘a hair under the nose’ (singular of brki ‘mustache’).5: Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant of Berg.6: Turkish: ornamental name or nickname from berk ‘firm strong’.

Bertrand : French Walloon and West Indian (mainly Haiti): from the French personal name Bertrand a variant of Bertram coined by folk etymology under the influence of the present participle endings -and -ant.

Beswetherick : seemingly originating as a variant of a surname Bos- Beswarthack from the place-name Bosvathick in Constantine (Cornwall). The surname is found in the Falmouth area in the mid-seventeenth century and in mid-Cornwall (especially Luxulyan and Lostwithiel) in the eighteenth. Beswetherick is a late and irregular variant of Beswarthack perhaps partly under the influence of the unrelated surname Petherick. The place-name is from Cornish bos ‘dwelling’ + guarthek ‘cattle’.

Biglands : from Biglands (Aikton Cumb). The place-name is from Old Scandinavian bygg ‘barley’ + land ‘land’ with the English plural marker.possible variant of Bigland with excrescent -s. But since Bigland is more frequent in early Cumb than Biglands is in Lancs the loss of -s suggested under Bigland seems the more likely process.

Bila : 1: Czech (Bílá) Slovak (Bilá also Bíla) and Ukrainian: feminine form (denoting ‘the daughter or wife of’) of Czech Bílý Slovak Bilý Bíly and Ukrainian Bily.2: Polish (also Biła): very rare variant (perhaps under East Slavic influence) of Biela.3: Italian (Sicily): variant of Billa.

Billyeald : from an Old French form of the Continental Germanic female personal name Bilihildis (from *bil- ‘sword’ + *hild- ‘battle’). In Old French and Anglo-Norman French it developed to Bileheld Billeheud Bil(h)ald Biliald Bil(h)old and Biliold. For similar changes of vowel in the final element compare Isild -eld -ald -old under Izzard.

Bindel : German:: 2: possibly also from a pet form of the personal name Bindhart.1: topographic name for someone who lived by a Beunte or Bünde an area of land under cultivation in a farming community typically one that was enclosed and subject to different uses and rules.

Blessington : English (now most common in Fermanagh Northern Ireland): habitational name from Pleasington in Blackburn (Lancashire) named with the Old English personal name Plēsa + tūn ‘estate farmstead’ and altered to Blessington possibly under the influence of Blessington Wicklow. The name of Blessington in Wicklow Ireland founded in 1669 is based on an English mistranslation of the Irish name Baile Coimín ‘town of Coimín’ where the surname Ó Coimín (English Comyn) was mistaken for the Irish word comaoin ‘favour obligation blessing’.

Blizzard : English: variant of Blissett altered by folk etymology under the influence of the vocabulary word blizzard.

Boerboom : Dutch: topographic name for someone who lived by a tree under which the inhabitants of a village would meet.

Bono : 1: Italian: from the personal name Bono meaning ‘good’ from the Latin name Bonus which was borne by a minor 3rd-century Christian saint martyred at Rome with eleven companions under the Emperor Vespasian. It was adopted as a personal name partly in his honor and partly because of the transparently well-omened meaning.2: Italian: nickname from bono ‘good’ (from Latin bonus).3: Catalan and Spanish: probably of Italian origin (see above).4: Hungarian (Bonó): from a pet form of the personal name Bonifác (see Boniface).5: French (southeastern): of Italian origin (see above).6: Breton (also Le Bono): habitational name from Le Bono a place in Morbihan Brittany (France).7: Altered form of French Bonneau.

Bourgoin : French:: 1: variant of Bourgouin (and in North America an altered form of this) a habitational name for someone from Burgundy (Old French Bourgogne) a region of eastern France having Dijon as its center. The area was invaded by the Burgundii an ancient Germanic tribe from whom it takes its name in about AD 480. The duchy of Burgundy created in 877 by Charles II King of the Western Franks was extremely powerful in the later Middle Ages especially under Philip the Bold (1342–1404; duke from 1363). Compare Bourgoyne and Bourguignon.2: variant of Bourguin from the ancient Germanic personal name Burgwin composed of the elements burg ‘protection’ and win ‘friend’.

Bouwkamp : Dutch: topographic name for someone who lived by a field or domain that was under cultivation.

Bowland : 1: English and Irish: variant of Boland 1 and 2.2: English: variant of Bolland 2.3: Americanized form of German Bauland: topographic name for someone who lived by land that was under cultivation.

Brabury : 1: variant of Bradbury. Compare Richard Bradbury 1615 William Bradbury 1733 in IGI (Uttoxeter Staffs) with the 1734 bearer and Edmund Bradbury 1675 James Bradbury 1758 in IGI (Ashton under Lyne Lancs) with the 1757 bearer. 2: in SW England perhaps a variant of Bradbeer. See also Bradbury (2).

Braddick : see Braddock. This variant may be from Braddock (Cornwall) which has the same etymology as the places mentioned under Braddock.

Branchett : variant of Blanchett with r/l substitution. Compare Jno. Branchett 1736 Sarah Blanchett 1760 in IGI (Boughton under Blean Kent).

Brennand : 1: from the Middle English phrase brenne hand ‘burn hand’ denoting the official who carried out this medieval legal punishment. Some of the early bearers may belong under (2). 2: from Middle English brend hand ‘burnt hand’ given to someone whose hand had been burnt as a legal punishment. 3: perhaps from Brennand (Fell House) in Bowland Forest (WR Yorks). The place-name is from Old Scandinavian brennandi ‘(the) burning one’ of uncertain application but structurally like a river-name. Some of the bearers in (1) may alternatively belong here. 4: variant of Brennan with excrescent -d.

Brettell : 1: from the Old Breton male personal name Brithael. It was adopted into English usage before the Conquest becoming Middle English Bretel Britel and Brutel. Compare Godwine Brytæl 1035 in Tengvik (Dorset).alternatively in some instances from the Middle English personal name *Bretel or *Bertel an unrecorded survival of Old English Beorhtel. 2: alternative pronunciation of Bridle or perhaps Britwell. Some of the post-medieval bearers cited under (1) may belong here.

Brinsford : 1: from Brinsford near Wolverhampton (Staffs) which is recorded as Brunesford in 1176 and Bruneford in 1227. The place-name derives from the Old English personal name Brūn in the genitive case with -es + Old English ford ‘shallow place by which water can be crossed ford’. Some post-medieval bearers may belong under (2). 2: perhaps occasionally from Brinsworth (WR Yorks) which is recorded as Brinesford' Brynesford' from the 11th to 14th century. The place-name derives from the Old English personal name Brȳni + Old English ford.

Brinton : 1: Scottish: habitational name perhaps from a lost or unidentified place although possibly brought to Scotland from one or more of the English Brintons under 2 below.2: English: habitational name from Brinton in Norfolk named in Old English as Brȳningtūn ‘settlement (Old English tūn) associated with (-ing-) Brȳni’ (a personal name based on Old English bryne ‘fire flame’) or from any of various other places with names of the same origin such as Brineton in Staffordshire Great Brington in Essex Brimpton in Berkshire Brimington in Derbyshire Brenton in Devon Brington in Cambridgeshire or (Great and Little) Brington in Northamptonshire.

Brokaw : Altered form under American Dutch influence of French Brocard a variant of Brochard. Compare Bercaw Bragaw and Burcaw.

Brownsell : 1: from any of several places named from Middle English personal name Brun Broun + the gentival inflection -es- + hil(le) hul(le) ‘hill’ such as Brownshill in Blechingley (Surrey). Some examples may belong under (2) or (3). 2: from a lost or as yet unidentified place named from Brun Broun + -es- + wel(le) ‘stream water source’. 3: sometimes perhaps from a side form of Burnsall (WR Yorks); compare Redmonds Dictionary of Yorks Surnames.

Bulling : from an unrecorded Middle English personal name *Bulling a pet form of Old English *Bulla *Bula (perhaps from Old English bula 'bull'). Some of the post-medieval examples may alternatively belong under Bullen.

Bultitude : 1: from Anglo-Norman French bote torte ‘twisted boot’ (bote ‘boot’ + torte ‘twisted (fem.)’). It sometimes appears with de as if an aristocratic locative surname but this is a later addition. The intrusive l in the modern name seems to be a 17th-century alteration. Botetourt County Virginia USA named from the English noble title is repeatedly mis-written as Boltetourt. This and the change of -tourt to -tout and -tude may have been influenced by mistaken association with Buletout in (2). The two names have become thoroughly confused in early-modern times. There has also been occasional substitution of -toft or -taft for -tute and -tude. 2: perhaps from Middle English bule (Old English *bula) ‘bull’ + Middle English toute ‘buttocks rump’ though the -i- in some early forms is puzzling. From the 17th century at least Buletout seems to have been confused in E Anglia and Essex with Botetorte so some of the following post-medieval bearers may belong under (1) and vice versa.

Burgoyne : English (of Norman origin): habitational name for someone from Burgundy (Middle English Burgoin Old French Bourgogne Latin Burgundia) a region of eastern France having Dijon as its center. The area was invaded by the Burgundii an ancient Germanic tribe from whom it takes its name in about AD 480. The duchy of Burgundy created in 877 by Charles II King of the West Franks was extremely powerful in the later Middle Ages especially under Philip the Bold (1342–1404 duke from 1363).

Buskin : 1: from Buskin in Devon or topographic for someone who lived ‘(by the) bushes’ from the dative plural *busken of Middle English *busk ‘bush’ (borrowed from Old Scandinavian buskr). Some examples may belong under (2). 2: from Middle English bukke-skin skin of a buck used particularly of buckskin breeches used to denote a maker of breeches or for a worker in buckskin or leather. Richard de Gravele called Bokskyn was an apprentice of Walter Polyt fuyster (‘saddletree maker’; see Fewster">Fewster) 1311 in London Letter Books D.

Byne : 1: from a lost settlement known as Byne perhaps denoting a place where woodbine or honeysuckle grew from Middle English bind ‘clinging plant’. There was one in West Grinstead (Sussex) whose name survives in Bines Farm and Bines Gate in West Grinstead and Bines Green in neighbouring Ashurst. Some of the following post-medieval early bearers may alternatively belong under (2). 2: variant of Binn in either sense.

Cailes : 1: variant of Cale (see Call) or Kale with post-medieval excrescent -s. Some of the bearers below may belong under (2). 2: a plural form of Middle English caule *cale ‘sheepfold’ see Call (2).

Calimlim : Filipino: from Tagalog limlim ‘shade impending darkness’ + a Hispanicized form of the associative prefix ka-; probably a topographic name denoting one who lives under the shade or in shaded areas.

Callander : 1: Scottish: habitational name from Callendar near Falkirk (Stirlingshire) or Callander in Perthshire. The original form and meaning of both placenames is unclear but it is certain that they were once distinct; later the former name was transferred to Perthshire under the Livingstones Earls of Linlithgow.2: In some instances probably a variant of English Callender.3: Swedish: probably a variant of Carlander an ornamental name from karl ‘man’ + the suffix -ander derived from Greek anēr (genitive andros) ‘man’.4: In some cases possibly also an Americanized form of German Kolander.

Camardelle : Altered form under the French influence in LA of Italian Camardella. Compare Comardelle.

Cambridge : 1: Irish (Antrim and Cork): shortened Anglicized form of Mac Ambróis see McCambridge.2: English: habitational name from Cambridge the university city and county town of Cambridgeshire in East Anglia. Until the late 14th century this place was known as Grantabrycge or Cantebrigge ‘bridge on the (river) Granta’ from a Celtic river name meaning ‘marshy river’. Under Norman influence Granta- became Cam-.3: English: habitational name from the village of Cambridge near Slimbridge in Gloucestershire. This place is early-recorded as Cambrigga and named for the Cam a Celtic river name meaning ‘crooked winding’.

Campbell : 1: Scottish: nickname from Gaelic cam ‘crooked bent’ + beul ‘mouth’. As a result of folk etymology the surname was often represented in Latin documents as de bello campo ‘of the fair field’ which led to the name sometimes being ‘translated’ into Anglo-Norman French as Beauchamp.2: Irish (North Armagh): adopted for Gaelic Mac Cathmhaoil ‘son of Cathmhaol’ (literally ‘battle chief’): see Caulfield and Cowell.3: English: variant of Camel under the influence of the Scottish name (see 1 above).

Cancienne : Altered form under French influence of Italian Canciani: variant of Canziani a patronymic from the personal name Canziano Latin Cantianus. Saint Cantianus was a Christian martyr under the Roman emperor Diocletian.

Candle : 1: from Middle English candel(le) ‘candle’ (Old English candel Latin candela or Old French c(h)andeile) perhaps for a maker or seller of candles. Some of the early bearers may belong under (2). 2: from Caundel (Dorset). 3: see Cundall.

Carlin : 1: Irish (North Ulster; now also common in Scotland): from Ó Cearbhalláin ‘descendant of Cearbhallán’ a diminutive of the personal name Cearbhall (see Carroll).2: English: variant of Carling.3: Italian (Veneto): from a pet form of the personal name Carlo Italian form of Charles.4: French: nickname from carlin denoting a coin of Italian origin.5: French: from a pet form of the personal name Carle(s) a regional variant of Charles or from Italian Carlini; compare 6 below.6: Altered form under the French influence in LA of Italian Carlini; compare 5 above.7: Swedish and German: variant of Karlin and in North America (also) an altered form of this.8: German: habitational name from Carlin in Brandenburg.9: Americanized form of Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic) Polish and in some cases Slovenian Karlin.

Cassandra : Italian (southern mainly Caserta): from a personal name based on classical Greek Kassandra the name of a mythological prophet daughter of the king of Troy which is often associated with a person who predicts misfortune and goes unheard. In Tuscany the term also became a nickname for a corpulent woman under the influence of Italian cassa ‘trunk’ ‘crate’.

Castille : 1: Americanized form of Catalan Castell under the French influence in LA.2: French: habitational name from the French name for Castile in Spain (see Castilla).3: French: nickname for a quarreller from Old French castille ‘quarrel squabble’.

Catherine : French English and Scottish: from the female personal name Catherine (Old French and Middle English Katerine) from Latin Caterina from Greek Aikaterinē which is of uncertain origin. The usual vernacular form in medieval England was Cateline; see Catlin. The personal name was very popular in the Middle Ages due to Saint Katherine of Alexandria a legendary Christian figure of doubtful historicity who was supposedly martyred under the Emperor Maxentius in 307. The modern spelling and pronunciation of the name with -th- is a 16th-century ‘learned’ introduction by clerics and other educated people who believed that it derived from Greek katharos ‘pure’.

Cavallaro : Italian (southern): either a variant under Spanish influence of Cavaliere or an occupational name for a keeper or dealer in horses Sicilian cavaddaru.

Cavendish : 1: English: habitational name from a place in Suffolk named Cavendish from an Old English byname Cāfna (meaning ‘bold daring’) + Old English edisc ‘enclosed pasture’. Cavendish is the surname of the Dukes of Devonshire. They are descended from Sir John Cavendish who served as Chief Justice of the King's Bench (1372–81). Under the Tudors and Stuarts a succession of shrewd and powerful heads of the family achieved political prominence and became extremely wealthy. William Cavendish 2nd Earl of Devonshire was a strong supporter of the ‘Glorious Revolution’ of 1688 and of William of Orange (William III) against James II. In 1694 he was created Duke of Devonshire. The Latin family motto Cavendo tutus ‘safe through taking care’ is a pun on the surname.2: Manx: Anglicized form of Corjeag a shortened form of Mac Quartag ‘son of Svarteygr’ (from Old Norse meaning ‘black-eyed’). Folk etymology interpreted Corjeag incorrectly as Manx curjeig ‘alms-dish’ and equally incorrectly supposed that the surname Cavendish was a synonym meaning ‘giving-dish’. Manxmen's familiarity with the English surname presumably led to the substitution.

Cawse : 1: from the Pays de Caux (Normandy). Some of the bearers below may belong under (2) or (3). The name is synonymous with Cawsey (1) and the two names were interchangeable even in the early modern period. 2: possibly from Cause (Shrops) which is recorded as Caus in 1134 Cawes in 1255 and Caurse about 1540 and may take its name from the surname in (1). However it is possible that this place did not give rise to a surname and that the early bearer example belongs under (1). 3: perhaps from Old French cauce a Norman and Picard variant of Old French chaucee ‘stocking’ used to denote someone whose hosiery was particularly noteworthy for some reason or perhaps for a maker or seller of such items. Compare Causer.

Charlery : from Charleroi now in Hainault Belgium. This city was founded in 1666 when the Netherlands were under Spanish rule and is named after Charles II king of Spain (Charles-Roy). It was in French hands 1693–8 and 1714–45. The surname must have been adopted by or foisted on Black slaves in the French West Indies during one of these periods mainly on Saint Lucia and Martinique.

Chelette : Altered form under the French influence in LA of German Schletter: habitational name for someone from Schletta or Schlettau placenames in Saxony.

Cherrill : 1: from Cherhill in Wilts. Some of the post-medieval bearers below may belong under (2). 2: from Middle English cherl cheril charl chirl ‘churl bonded tenant serf; peasant’.

Cho : 1: Korean: written 조 in Chinese characters 趙 and 曺. There are only these two Chinese characters for the surname Cho. (i) Some records indicate a total of 210 different Cho clans which use the Chinese character 趙 but only fifteen can be documented with confidence. Each of these claims a different founding ancestor. Most of them trace their origins to the beginning of the Koryŏ kingdom (early 10th century). (ii) Only one clan the Ch’angnyŏng Cho uses the Chinese character 曺. The founder of this clan's name was Cho Kye-ryong (曺 繼龍). According to legend there was a certain scholar named Yi Kwang-ok whose daughter very much wanted to marry. A monk visited her and told her to go to Hwawang Mountain to pray at the dragon pond. The maiden did so and upon her return found herself to be pregnant. In a dream a young man with a crown and a jade belt appeared to her. A few months later in the 48th year of the reign of the Shilla King Chinp’yŏng (AD 626) she gave birth to a little boy under whose arm the Chinese character for Cho appeared in red. The king understanding the boy to be special named him Cho Kyeryong and married him to his daughter the princess. So began the Ch’angnyŏng Cho clan. Compare Jo 1 Joe 3 and Joh 1.2: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 祖 see Zu 1.3: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 左 see Zuo 1.4: Chinese: alternative Mandarin form of the surname 卓 see Zhuo 1.5: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 曹 see Cao 1.6: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 楚 see Chu 1.7: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 鄒 see Zou.8: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 巢 see Chao 1.9: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 周 see Zhou 1.10: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 趙 see Zhao 1.

Clabburn : possibly a form of Cliburn. Although it is apparently distinct in form and distribution from Cliburn spellings definitely suggesting clay are relatively late and the Poll Tax entry suggests a route by which this name could have been irregularly altered from Cliburn possibly reinforced in the Netherlands under the influence of Dutch klei ‘clay’.

Cleverly : English: habitational name in southern England perhaps an irregular development of Cleveley (Oxforshire) or from a lost place perhaps in Hampshire named from Old English clæfre ‘clover’ + lēah ‘wood clearing’. In northern England probably from Claverley in Shropshire named from the same elements or possibly from Cleveley in Lancashire (named with Old English clif ‘bank slope’ + lēah) with intrusive -r- under the influence of cleverly. The overall pattern suggests that the southern origin is the dominant one.

Cock : 1: from Middle English cok ‘cook’ a possible variant of Cook if shortening of the vowel of Old English cōc ‘cook’ occurred before it developed to Middle English coke couk cook. In examples of Coc and Cok below the vowel may be short or long so they could alternatively be cited under Cook.from Middle English cok (Old English and Old French coc) ‘male bird cock’ (especially the male of the domestic fowl) perhaps used humorously of a leader or chief man in a social group though this sense is not recorded before the 16th century in OED. Some of the following early bearers may alternatively belong under other senses below. 2: occasionally from the Old French and Middle English personal name Cok of uncertain etymology but possibly derived from the word in (1 ii). Compare the diminutive form Cocklin of French origin. There seems to have been an Old English personal name *Cocc(a) which may also have contributed to the Middle English name; compare Cocking. For potential early bearers of the surname see examples without the definite article in (1) above. 3: from Middle English cok (Old English cocc) ‘hillock’ denoting someone who lived by a hillock or mound.from Middle English cok cok(k)e ‘ship's boat’ and so perhaps used for a boatman. Compare Barge.for someone who lived or worked at a house or inn known as ‘The Cock’ from a sign depicting a haycock or mound a boat or a cock bird (see the senses above).

Coldrey : 1: from Coldrey near Froyle (Hants) which is recorded as colriðe in a 12th-century copy of a document from 973–4. The place-name appears to derive from Old English col ‘coal charcoal’ + rið ‘stream’. Some of the post-medieval bearers may belong under Cowdrey. 2: see Cowdrey.

Coursen : 1: Probably an altered form under the Dutch influence in the Netherlands or New Netherland of Breton Courson 3 or perhaps French Courson 2.2: Alternatively perhaps an Americanized form of Dutch Korsen or of its variants Corsen and Korssen. Compare Corson 4 and Courson 1.

Credeur : Altered form under the French influence in LA of Scottish Caruthers.

Cretella : Italian: probably a derivative of Creta a habitational name from the Greek island of Crete which in Renaissance times was under Venetian rule.

Cyriac : 1: Indian (Kerala): from the English form of the Latin personal name Cyriacus from Greek Kyriakos an adjectival derivative of kyrios ‘lord master’ meaning ‘of the Lord’ with reference to Jesus Christ. The name Cyriacus (or Cyricus Quiricus) was borne by numerous early Christian saints; one of them was St. Cyriacus a 4th-century martyr (together with companions Largus and Smaragdus and twenty others) under the emperor Diocletian; for another see Cyr. Compare Kuriakose and Kurian. — Note: since South Indians traditionally do not have hereditary surnames this name was in most cases registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US.2: Americanized form of French (actually Haitian) Cyriaque a cognate of 1 above.

D'Ambrosia : Italian: altered form of D'Ambrosio possibly under the influence of the vocabulary word ambrosia denoting the food of the gods in classical mythology.

Dagneau : French: variant written under the influence of the word agneau ‘lamb’ of Daniau which is from the personal name Daniau a variant of Daniel. Compare Daignault Daigneau Daigneault and Danyow.

Damian : 1: Spanish (Damián) German Romanian Italian and Polish: from the personal name Damián Damian respectively Greek Damianos (from damazein ‘to subdue’) Latin Damianus. Saint Damian was an early Christian saint martyred in Cilicia in AD 303 under the emperor Domitian together with his brother Cosmas (see Kosmas). In some accounts the brothers are said to have been doctors and together they were regarded as the patrons of physicians and apothecaries. A later Saint Damian lived in the 7th–8th centuries and was bishop of Pavia; he may have had some influence on the popularity of the personal name in Italy. This surname is also found among Rusyns (Lemkos).2: In some cases probably also French (southern France and Lorraine): from a variant of the personal name Damien a cognate of 1 above.3: In some cases probably also an Americanized form of Slovenian and Croatian Damjan or Damijan: from the personal name Dam(i)jan (see 1 above).

Darensbourg : Altered form under the French influence in LA of German Arensberg. It is formed with the French preposition de ‘from’ spelled d' before a vowel. This surname is found mainly among African Americans.

Darkin : 1: see Derkin. The following early bearers could alternatively belong under (2) but there is no evidence yet of that name migrating into E Anglia or N England. 2: variant of Dorking (2). The Surrey place-name is recorded as Dorkingg (1219) Derking (1431) Darkyng (1538) Darken (1701) Darking al. Darkin (1675) and Dorking al. Darkeing (1732).

Dawling : 1: from an early Middle English personal name *Dal(l)ing (Old English Dealing).from the Middle English personal name Daulin a rhyming pet form of Rawlin ‘little Ralph’. Compare Willelmus Dawlynsone 1381 in Poll Tax (Weston under Lizard Staffs) and see Raw and Daw. The change of -in to -ing is a common post-medieval development. 2: in E Anglia and Lincs a variant of Dalling (2). In Scotland the name could alternative belong at (1).

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