which I do not find except among the Anglo-Saxons, inasmuch as, there
being in their case no such reason for the restriction as in that to
which I have been referring, it may only be that they have not as yet
been disinterred.
FOOTNOTES:
[28] From a similar origin is the name of the Scandinavian Vikings,
Vik-ing, from _vik_, a bay.
[29] _Archaeological Journal._
[30] The reader must bear in mind that Ang.-Sax. _ae_ is pronounced as
_a_ in "ant."
[31] I take the word contained herein to be "ganz," an ancient stem in
names.
[32] Properly, I think, "Maedlingas," as it has nothing to do with
Ang.-Sax. "maegd," _maid_.
[33] The same, I take it, as the "Myrgingas" in the _Traveller's Tale_.
[34] Properly, I take it, "Trumingas," Ang.-Sax. "_trum_" firm, strong.
CHAPTER V.
MEN'S NAMES IN PLACE-NAMES.
We have seen in a preceding chapter that the earliest Saxon place-names
in England are derived from a personal name, and that the idea contained
is that of a modified form of common right. We shall find that a very
large proportion of the later Anglo-Saxon place-names are also derived
from the name of a man, but that the idea contained is now that of
individual ownership or occupation. The extent to which English
place-names are derived from ancient names of men is, in my judgment,
very much greater than is generally supposed. And indeed, when we come
to consider it, what can be so naturally associated with a _ham_ as the
name of the man who lived in that home, of a _weorth_ as that of the man
to whom that property belonged, of a Saxon _tun_ or a Danish _by_ or
_thorp_ as that of the man to whom the place owed its existence? If we
turn to Kemble's list of Anglo-Saxon names of places as derived from
ancient charters, in the days when the individual owner had succeeded to
the community, we cannot fail to remark to how large an extent this
obtains, and how many of these names are in the possessive case. Now,
it must be observed that there are in Anglo-Saxon two forms of the
possessive, and that when a man's name had the vowel ending in _a_, as
noted at p. 24, it formed its possessive in _an_, while otherwise it
formed its possessive in _es_. Thus we have Baddan byrig, "Badda's
borough," Bennan beorh, "Benna's barrow" or grave, and in the other form
we have Abbodes byrig, "Abbod's borough," Bluntes ham, "Blunt's home,"
and Sylces wyrth, "Silk's worth" or property. And as compound names did
not take a vowel ending, such names invariably form their possessive in
_es_, as in Haywardes ham, "Hayward's home," Cynewardes gemaero,
"Cyneward's boundary," &c. I am not at all sure that _ing_ also has not,
in certain cases, the force of a possessive, and that AElfredincgtun, for
instance, may not mean simply "Alfred's town" and not Alfreding's town.
But I do not think that this is at any rate the general rule, and it
seems scarcely possible to draw the line. From the possessive in _an_ I
take to be most probably our present place-names Puttenham, Tottenham,
and Sydenham, (respecting the last of which there has been a good deal
of discussion of late in _Notes and Queries_), containing the
Anglo-Saxon names _Putta_, _Totta_, and _Sida_. With regard to the last
I have not fallen in with the name _Sida_ itself. But I deduce such a
name from Sydanham, C.D. 379, apparently a place in Wilts, also perhaps
from Sidebirig, now Sidbury, in Devon; and there is, moreover, a
corresponding O.G. _Sido_, the origin being probably A.S. _sidu_,
manners, morals. Further traces of such a stem are found in _Sidel_
deduced from Sidelesham, now Sidlesham, in Sussex, and also from the
name _Sydemann_ in a charter of Edgar, these names implying a
pre-existing stem _sid_ upon which they have been formed.
As well as with the _ham_ or the _byrig_ in which he resided, a man's
name is often found among the Anglo-Saxons, connected with the
boundary--whatever that might be--of his property, as in Abbudes mearc,
Abbud's mark or boundary, and Baldrices gemaero, Baldrick's boundary.
Sometimes that boundary might be a hedge, as in Leoferes haga and
Danehardes hegeraew, "Leofer's hedge," and "Danehard's hedge-row."
Sometimes it might be a stone, as in Sweordes stan, sometimes a ridge,
as in Eppan hrycg, "Eppa's ridge," sometimes a ditch or dyke, as in
Tilgares dic and Colomores sic (North. Eng. syke, wet ditch). A tree was
naturally a common boundary mark, as in Potteles treow, Alebeardes ac
(oak), Bulemaeres thorn, Huttes aesc (ash), Tatmonnes apoldre
(apple-tree). Sometimes, again, a man's name is found associated with
the road or way that led to his abode, as in Wealdenes weg (way),
Sigbrihtes anstige (stig, a footpath), Dunnes stigele (stile). Another
word which seems to have something of the meaning of "stile" is _hlip_,
found in Freobearnes hlyp and in Herewines hlipgat. In Anglo-Saxon,
_hlypa_ signified a stirrup, and a "hlipgat" must, I imagine, have been
a gate furnished with some contrivance for mounting over it. Of a
similar nature might be Alcherdes ford, and Brochardes ford, and also
Geahes ofer, Byrhtes ora, and AEscmann's yre (_ofer_, contr. _ore_, shore
or landing-place). Something more of the rights of water may be
contained in Fealamares broc (brook), Hykemeres strem (stream), and
Brihtwoldes were (weir); the two latter probably referring to
water-power for a mill. The sense of property only seems to be that
which is found in Cybles weorthig, AEscmere's weorth (land or property),
Tilluces leah (lea), Rumboldes den (_dene_ or valley), Bogeles pearruc
(paddock), Ticnes feld (field). Also in Grottes graf (grove), Sweors
holt (grove), Pippenes pen (pen or fold), Willeardes hyrst (grove),
Leofsiges geat (gate), Ealdermannes haec (hatch), and Winagares stapol
(stall, market, perhaps a place for the sale or interchange of produce).
The site of a deserted dwelling served sometimes for a mark, as in
Sceolles eald cotan (Sceolles old cot), and Dearmodes ald tun
(Deormoda's old town, or inclosure, dwelling and appurtenances?).
But it is with a man's last resting-place that his name will be found in
Anglo-Saxon times to be most especially associated. The principal words
used to denote a grave are _beorh_ (barrow), _byrgels_, and _hloew_
(low), in all of which the idea seems to be that of a mound raised over
the spot. We have Weardes beorh, "Weard's barrow," also Lulles, Cartes,
Hornes, Lidgeardes, and many others. We have Scottan byrgels, "Scotta's
barrow," also Hoces, Wures, and Strenges. And we have Lortan hlaew,
"Lorta's low," also Ceorles, Wintres, Hwittuces, and others. There is
another word _ho_, which seems to be the same as the O.N. _haugr_,
North. Eng, _how_, a grave-mound. It is found in Healdenes ho, Piccedes
ho, Scoteho Tilmundes ho, Caegesho, and Fingringaho. It would hardly
seem, from the location of four of them, Worcester, Essex, Beds, Sussex,
that they can be of Scandinavian origin. Can the two words, _haugr_ and
_hlau_ (_how_, and _hlow_), be from the same origin, the one assuming,
or the other dropping an _l_?
I take the names of persons thus to be deduced from Anglo-Saxon
place-names, and which are in general correspondence with the earlier
names in the preceding chapter, though containing some new forms and a
greater number of compound names, to give as faithful a representation
as we can have of the every-day names of Anglo-Saxons. And as I have
before compared the names of those primitive settlers with our existing
surnames, so now I propose to extend the comparison to the names of more
settled Anglo-Saxon times.
Anglo-Saxon
Men's Names. Place-Names. English Surnames.
Abbod Abbodesbyrig } _Abbott_
Abbud Abbudesmearc }
AEcemann AEcemannes ceaster _Ackman, Aikman_
Acen Acenes feld _Aikin_
AEgelweard AEgelweardes mearc _Aylward_
Alberht Alcherdes ford _Allcard_
Alder Aldrestub _Alder_
AElfgar AElfgares gemaero _Algar_
AElfred AElfredes beorh _Alfred_, _Allfrey_
AElfher, or }
AElfheri } AElfheres stapol _Alvary_
AEscmer AEscmeres weorth _Ashmore_
AEscmann AEscmannes yre _Ashman_
Alebeard Alebeardes ac _Halbard_
Amber Ambresbyrig _Amber_
AEthelstan AEthelstanes tun _Ethelston_
Babel Babeles beorh _Bable_
Badherd Badherdes sled _Beddard_
Baldher Baldheresberg _Balder_
Baldric Baldrices gemaero _Baldridge_
Baldwin Baldwines heath _Baldwin_
Beored, or Beoret Beoredes treow _Berrette_
Beornheard Beornheardes lond _Bernard_
Beornwold Beornwoldes saetan _Bernold_
Blunt Bluntesham _Blunt_
Bogel Bogeles pearruc _Bogle_
Bohmer Bohmeres stigele _Bowmer_
Bregen Bregnesford _Brain_
Brochard Brochardes ford _Brocard_
Buga Buganstoc } _Bugg_
Bugga Bugganbroc }
Bulemaer Bulemaeres thorn _Bulmer_
Buntel Bunteles pyt _Bundle_
Bunting Buntingedic _Bunting_
Burhgeard Burhgeardeswerthig _Burchard_
Carda Cardan hlaew _Card_, _Cart_
Ceapa Ceapan hlaew _Cheape_
Ceawa Ceawan hlaew _Chew_
Cerda Cerdan hlaew _Chard_
Cissa Cissan anstige _Cheese_
Chetol (Danish) Chetoles beorh _Kettle_
Creoda Creodan ac } _Creed_
Cridd Criddes ho }
Cumen Cumenes ora _Cummin_
Ceatewe Ceatewesleah _Chattoway_
Ceada Ceadanford _Chad_
Catt Cattes stoke _Cat_, _Catty_
Caestael Caestaelesham _Castle_
Cludd Cludesleah _Cloud_
Coten Cotenesfeld _Cotton_
Cruda Crudan sceat _Crowd_
Colomor Colomores sic _Colmer_
Cydd Cyddesige _Kidd_
Cyble Cybles weorthig _Keble_
Celc Celces ora _Kelk_
Cylman Cylmanstun _Killman_
Cynlaf Cynlafes stan _Cunliffe_
Cynric Cynrices gemaero _Kenrick_
Cyneward Cynewardes gemaero _Kenward_
Cyppa Cyppanham _Chipp_
Daegel, or Daeglesford } _Dale_
Deil Deilsford }
Dearnagel Dearnagles ford _Darnell_
Daeneheard Daeneheardes hegerawe _Denhard_
Deorlaf Deorlafestun _Dearlove_
Deormod[35] Deormodes ald tun _Dermott_
Dodd Doddesthorp } _Dodd_
Dodda Doddan hlaew }
Dolemann Dolemannes beorh _Dollman_
Duceman Ducemannestun _Duckman_
Ducling Duclingtun _Duckling_
Dunn Dunnes stigele _Dunn_
Dogod Dogodeswel _Doggett_, _Dugood_
Dydimer Dydimertun _Tidemore_
Ealder Ealderscumb _Alder_
Ealdmann Ealdmannes wyrth _Altman_
Ealdermann[36] Ealdermannes haec _Alderman_
Ealmund Ealmundes treow _Almond_
Eanulf Eanulfestun _Enough_
Earn Earnesbeorh _Earney_
Eastmond Eastmondestun _Esmond_
Ecgell Ecgeles stiel _Edgell_, _Eagle_
Fealamar Fealamares broc { _Fillmore_
{ _Phillimore_
Flegg Flegges garan _Flew_
Focga Focgancrundel _Fogg_, _Foggo_
Freobearn Freobearnes hlyp _Freeborn_
Frigedaeg Frigedaeges treow _Friday_
Fuhgel Fuhgeles beorh _Fuggle_, _Fowl_
Gandar Gandrandun _Gander_
Gaecg Gaecges stapol { _Gay_
Geah Geahes ofer {
Gatehlinc Gatehlinces heafod _Gatling_
Geleca Gelecancamp _Jellicoe_
Geyn Geynes thorn _Gain_
Giselher Gislhereswurth _Giller_
Godincg Godincges gemaero _Godding_
Godmund Godmundesleah _Godmund_
Godwin Godwines gemaero _Godwin_
Grobb Grobbes den _Grove_, _Grubb_
Grott Grottes graf _Grote_
Gund Gundestige _Gunn_, _Gundey_
Haerred Haerredesleah _Herod_
Heafoc Heafoceshamme _Hawk_
Hassuc Hassuces mor _Haskey_
Hering Heringesleah _Herring_
Hnibba Hnibbanleah _Knibb_, _Knipe_
Hayward Haywardes ham _Hayward_
Healda Healdan graf _Hald_
Healden Healdenes ho _Haldan_
Helm Helmes treow _Helme_
Helfaer Helfaeres gemaero _Helper_
Help Helpestonne _Helps_
Herebritt Herebrittes comb _Herbert_
Herewin Herewines hlipgat _Irwine_
Hiccemann Hiccemannes stan _Hickman_
Humbald Humbalding graf _Humble_
Hycemer, or }
Higemar } Hycemeres strem _Highmore_
Hnaef Hnaefes scylf _Knapp_
Hocg Hocgestun _Hogg_, _Hodge_
Horn Hornes beorh _Horne_
Hringwold Hringwoldes beorh _Ringold_
Hwittuc Hwittuces leah _Whittock_
Hutt Huttes aesc _Hutt_
Hygelac[37] Hygelaces git _Hillock_
Kyld Kyldesby _Kilt_
Leofer Leoferes haga _Lover_
Laferca Lafercanbeorh _Laverick_
Leofmann Leofmannes gemaero _Loveman_
Leommann Leommannes graf _Lemon_
Leofsig Leofsiges geat _Lovesy_
Leofric Leofrices gemaero _Loveridge_
Lidgeard Lidgeardes beorh _Ledgard_
Lipperd Lipperdes gemaero _Leopard_
Lower Lowereslege _Lower_
Locer Loceresweg _Locker_
Lorta Lortanberwe _Lord_
Lorting Lortinges bourne _Lording_
Luder Luderston _Luther_
Ludmann Ludmannes put _Lutman_
Lull Lulles beorh _Lull_, _Lully_
Myceld Myceldefer _Muckelt_
Mul Muleshlaew _Moule_
Negle Neglesleah _Nagle_
Nael Naelesbroc _Nail_
Nybba Nybban beorh _Nibbs_
Oslac Oslaces lea _Hasluck_
Ogged Oggedestun _Hodgett_, _Howitt_
Oswald Oswaldes mere _Oswald_
Orlaf Orlafestun _Orlop_
Owun Owunes hild _Owen_
Pehtun Pehtuns treow _Peyton_
Pender Penderes clif _Pender_
Picced Piccedes ho _Pickett_
Pinnel Pinnelesfeld _Pennell_
Pippen Pippenes fen _Pippin_
Pyttel Pittelesford _Piddel_
Pitterich Piterichesham _Betteridge_
Pottel Potteles treow _Pottle_
Potten Pottenestreow _Potten_
Punt Puntes stan _Punt_
Puntel Punteles treow _Bundle_
Prentsa Prentsan hlaw _Prentiss_
Redwin Redwines thorn _Readwin_
Rahulf Rahulfes furlong _Ralph_
Rugebeorg Rugebeorges gemaero _Rubery_
Rumbold Rumboldes den _Rumbold_
Sceaft Sceaftesbirig _Shaft_, _Shafto_
Sceoll Sceolles ealdcotan _Sholl_
Scytta Scyttandun _Skeat_, _Shute_
Scyter[38] Scyteres flod _Shuter_
Scealc Scealces hom _Shawkey_, _Chalk?_
Scyld Scyldes treow _Shield_
Simaer Simaeres ford _Seymour_
Secmaer Secmaeres ora _Sycamore_
Sigbriht Sigbrihtes anstige _Sibert_
Sibriht Sibrihtesweald _Seabright_[39]
Siger Sigeres ac _Segar_
Snell Snellesham _Snell_
Snod Snodes hyl _Snoad_
Streng Strenges ho _Strong_
Stut Stutes hyl _Stout_, _Stott_
Stutard Stutardes cumb _Stothard_, _Studeard_
Sucga Sucgangraf _Sugg_
Sumer Sumeresham _Summer_
Sumerled (Danish) Sumerledetun _Sommerlat_
Sunemann Sunemannes wyrthig _Sunman_
Sweor Sweores holt _Swire_, _Swears_
Sweord Sweordes stan _Sword_
Taecel Taecelesbroc _Tackle_
Tatmonn Tatmonnes apoldre _Tadman_
Tatel Tatlestrop _Tattle_
Thuner Thunresfeld _Thunder_
Thurgar (Danish) Thurgartun _Thurgur_
Thrista Thristan den _Trist_
Theodher Theoderpoth _Theodore_
Thurold (Danish) Thuroldes gemaero _Thorold_
Toma Tomanworthig _Tomey_
Ticcen Ticnesfeld _Dickin_
Tilgar Tilgares dic _Dilger_
Tilluc Tilluces leah _Tillick_, _Dilke_
Tilmann Tilmannes den _Tilman_
Titferth Titferthes geat _Titford_
Upicen Upicenes hlyw _Hopkin_
Wahgen Wahgenes gemaero _Wain_
Wealden Wealdenes weg _Walden_
Wealder Wealderes weg _Walter_
Westan Westanes treow _Weston_
Wigheard Wigheardes stapol _Wyard_
Wighelm Wighelmes land _Whigam_
Wihtlac Wihtlaces ford _Whitelock_
Wihtric Wihtricesham _Whitridge_
Wilmund Wilmundes leah _Williment_
Willher Willheres triow _Willer_
Wicg Wicgestan _Wigg_
Uuigga Wuiggangeat
Winagar Winagares stapul _Winegar_
Wileard Wileardes hyrste _Willard_
Wistan for } Wistanes gemaero _Whiston_
Wigstan? }
Wulfsig Wulfsiges croft _Wolsey_
Wulfgar Wulfgares gemaero _Woolgar_
Wulfmer Wulfmeres myln _Woolmer_
Wulfric Wulfrices gemaero _Woolrych_
Wyner Wyneres stig _Winer_
Waring Waering wic _Waring_
Wifel Wifelesham _Whipple_
Woden[40] Wodnesbeorg _Woodin?_
Wydda Wyddanbeorh _Widow_
The above names are deduced entirely from the names of places found by
Mr. Kemble in ancient charters. The list is not by any means an
exhaustive one, as I have not included a number of names taken into
account in Chap. IV., and as also the same personal name enters
frequently into several place-names. With very few exceptions these
names may be gathered to the roll of Teutonic name-stems,
notwithstanding a little disguise in some of their forms, and a great,
sometimes a rather confusing, diversity of spelling. I take names such
as the above to be the representatives of the every-day names of men in
Anglo-Saxon times, rather than the names which come before us in history
and in historical documents. For it seems to me that a kind of fashion
prevailed, and that while a set of names of a longer and more dignified
character were in favour among the great, the mass of the people still,
to a great extent, adhered to the shorter and more simple names which
their fathers had borne before them. Thus, when we find an AEthelwold who
was also called Mol, an AEthelmer who was also called Dodda, and a Queen
Hrothwaru who was also called Bucge, I am disposed to take the simple
names, which are such as the earlier settlers brought over with them, to
have been the original names, and superseded by names more in accordance
with the prevailing fashion. Valuable then as is the _Liber Vitae_ of
Durham, as a continuous record of English names for many centuries, yet
I am inclined to think that inasmuch as that the persons who come before
us as benefactors to the shrine of St. Cuthbert may be taken to be as a
general rule of the upper ranks of life, they do not afford so faithful
a representation of the every-day names of Anglo-Saxons as do the little
freeholders who lived and died in their country homes. And, moreover,
these are, as it will be seen, more especially the kind of names which
have been handed down from Anglo-Saxon times to the present day.
In connection with this subject, it may be of interest to present a list
of existing names of places formed from an Anglo-Saxon personal name, as
derived from the same ancient charters dealt with in the previous list.
And in so doing I confine myself exclusively to the places of which the
present names have been positively identified by Mr. Kemble. And in the
first place I will take the place-names which consist simply of the name
of a tribe or family unqualified by any local term whatever.
Name in
Anglo-Saxon
Charters. Present Name.
AEfeningas Avening Gloucestershire
Angemeringum Angmering Sussex
Ascengas Eashing Surrey
Banesingas Bensington Oxfordshire
Baerlingas Barling Kent
Beadingum Beden Gloucestershire
Berecingas Barking Essex
Brahcingum Braughin Herts.
Byrhtlingas Brightling Sussex
Cerringes Charing Kent
Ciwingum Chewing Herts.
Culingas Cooling Kent
Cytringas Kettering Northampton
Diccelingas Ditchling Sussex
Geddingas Yeading Middlesex
Godelmingum Godalming Surrey
Hallingas Halling Kent
Herlinge Harling Norfolk
Horningga Horning Norfolk
Meallingas Malling Kent
Paeccingas Patching Sussex
Puningas Poynings Surrey
Readingan Reading Berkshire
Rodinges Roothing Essex
Staeningas Steyning Sussex
Swyrdhlincas } Swarling Kent
(Swyrdlingas) }
Terringes Tarring Sussex
Terlinges Terling Essex
Totingas Tooting Surrey
Wellingum Wellwyn Herts.
Werhornas Warehorne Kent
Wihttringas Wittering Surrey
Uoccingas Woking Surrey
Wyrtingas Worting Hants.
I will now take the places which in a later and more settled time have
been derived from the name of a single man, as representing his
dwelling, his domain, or in not a few cases his grave.
Anglo-Saxon
Man's Name. Place-Name. Present Name.
Abba Abbandun Abingdon Berks.
{ AEgelesbyrig Aylesbury Bucks.
AEgel { AEglesford Aylesford Kent
{ AEgeleswurth Aylesworth Nthmptn.
Agmod Agmodesham Agmondesham Bucks.
AEsc AEscesbyrig Ashbury Berks.
AEscmer AEscmeres weorth Ashmansworth Hants.
Amber { Ambresbyrig Amesbury Wilts.
{ Ambresleah Ombersley Worc.
AElfreding AElfredincgtun Alfreton Derby.
Badda Baddanby Badby Nthmptn.
Badhelming Badimyncgtun Badminton Glouc.
Baldher Baldheresberg Baltonsborough Somerset.
Becca Beccanleah Beckley Sussex.
Beda Bedanford Bedford Beds.
Benna Bennanham Beenham Berks.
Benning Benningwurth Bengworth Worc.
Bledda Bleddanhlaew Bledlow Bucks.
Blunt Bluntesham Bluntisham Hunts.
Bodeca Bodecanleah Butleigh Somerset.
Bodek Bodekesham Bottisham Camb.
Bocga Bocganora Bognor Sussex.
Bordel Bordelestun Burleston Dorset.
Brand Brandesburh Bransbury Hants.
Bregen Bregnesford Bransford Worc.
Cada Cadandun Chadlington Oxford.
Caeg Caegesho Keysoe Beds.
Calmund Calmundes den Calmsden Glouc.
Ceadela Ceadelanwurth Chaddleworth Berks.
Ceadel Ceadeleshunt Chadshunt Warw.
Ceader Ceadresleah Chaseley Worc.
Cendel Cendeles funta Chalfont Bucks.
Celta Celtenhom Cheltenham Glouc.
Ceol Ceolesig Cholsey Berks.
Cippa Cippenham Chippenham Wilts.
Ceolbalding Ceolbaldinctun Chilbolton Hants.
Ceort Ceortesege Chertsey Surrey
Cinhild (woman) Cinildewyrth Kenilworth Warw.
Cissa Cissanceaster Chichester Sussex.
Coda Codanford Codford Wilts.
Codda Coddanhrycg Cotheridge Worc.
Coling Colingham Collingham Notts.
Crym Crymesham Crimsham Sussex.
Croppa Croppanthorn Cropthorn Worc.
Cumen Cumenora Cumnor Berks.
Cungar Cungaresbyrig Congressbury Somerset.
Cwichelm Cwichelmes hlaew Cuckamslow hill Berks.
Cyneburging[41] Cyneburgincton Kemerton Glouc.
Cynlaf Kynleveden Kelvedon Essex.
Ketel (Danish) Kitlebig Kettleby Linc.
Daecca, or } Daccanhaam Dagenham Essex.
Daegga }
Daegel Daeglesford Daylesford Worc.
Deorlaf Deorlafestun Darlaston Staffs.
Dodda Doddanford Dodford Nthmptn.
Dodd Doddesthorp Dogsthorp Nthmptn.
Dogod Dogodeswel Dowdswell Glouc.
Domec Domecesige Dauntsey Wilts.
Duceling Duceling dun Ducklington Oxford.
Dunning Dunnincland Donyland Essex.
Dideling Didelingtun Didlington Dorset.
Eadric Eadricestun Edstone Warw.
Eccing Eccingtun Eckington Worc.
Eccle, or Egil Eccleshale Exhall Warw.
Effing Effingeham Effingham Surrey.
Erping Erpingham Erpingham Norfolk.
Eof, or Eofa Eofesham Evesham Worc.
Fecca Feccanhom Feckenham Worc.
Flaeda Flaedanburg Fladbury Worc.
Folc Folcesstan Folkstone Kent.
Gidding Giddincford Gidding Suffolk.
Gyseling Gyselingham Gislingham Suffolk.
Godmer Godmeresham Godmersham Kent.
Grim Grimaston Grimstone Norfolk.
Gun or Gund Gunthorpe Gunthorp Nthmptn.
Gyp Gypeswich Ipswich Suffolk.
Hauek Hauekestun Hauxton Camb.
Haefar Haefaresham Haversham Bucks.
Hamela Hamelendun Hambledon Hants.
Haerigeard Haerigeardesham Harrietsham Kent.
Haling Halington Hallington Linc.
Hanekyn Hanekynton Hankerton Wilts.
Hanning Hanningtun Hannington Hants.
Haeda Haedanham Haddenham Camb.
Helming Helmyngton Hemington Nthmptn.
Help Helpestonne Helpstone Nthmptn.
Hemming Hemmingford { Hemingford } Hunts.
{ Abbots }
Hengest { Hengesteshricg Henstridge Somerset.
{ Hengestesige Hinksey Berks.
Hild Hildesdun Hillersdon Bucks.
Heorulf Heorelfestun Harleston Staff.
Heorting Heortingtun Hardington Somerset.
Honekyn Honekynton Hankerton Wilts.
Honing Honingtun Honington Linc.
Horning { Horningeseie Horningsea Camb.
{ Horningges haeth Horningsheath Suffolk
Hod Hodesac Hodsoak Worc.
Hunewald Hunewaldesham Windlesham Surrey
Hunta Huntandun Huntingdon Hants.
Hwiting Hwitingtun Whittington Worc.
Kyld Kyldesby Kilsby Nthmptn.
Laua Lauanham Lavenham Suffolk
Lauing Lauingtun Barlavington Sussex
Lamb (Danish?) Lambehith Lambeth
Lott Lottisham Lottisham Somerset.
Mealdhelm Mealdumesburg Malmsbury Wilts.
Myceld Myceldefer Mitcheldover Hants.
Mul { Muleseige Moulsey Surrey
{ Mulesham Moulsham Essex
Munda Mundanham Mundham Sussex
Neteling Netelingtun Nettleton Wilts.
Offa Offanleah Offley Herts.
Orlaf Orlafestun Orleston Derby.
Orm (Danish) Ormisby Ormsby Norfolk
Osgot Osgotbi Osgodby Linc.
Oshelming Osmingtun Osmington Dorset
Oswald Oswaldeshlaw Oswaldslow Worc.
Pading Padingtun Paddington
Parting Partingtun Patrington Yorks.
Peda Pedanhrycg Petridge Surrey
Peada Peadanwurth Padworth Berks.
Peatting Peattingtun Pattingham Salop
Pecga Pecganham Pagham Sussex
Peden Pednesham Pensham Worc.
Piterich Piterichesham Petersham Worc.
Port Portesham Portisham Dorset.
Raculf Raculfcestre Reculver Kent
Remn[42] for Raven Remnesdun Ramsden Sussex
Rydemaer, or } Rydemaereleah Redmarley Worc.
Redmer }
Riking Rikinghal Rickinghall Suffolk
Ring Ringestede Ringstead Norfolk
Rodda Roddanbeorg Rodborough Glouc.
Rolf, for Rolfestun Rolleston Staffs.
Rodulf Rollesby Rollesby Norfolk
Sidel Sidelesham Sidlesham Sussex
Sceaft Sceaftesbirig Shaftesbury Dorset.
Secg Secgesbearue Sedgeberrow Worc.
Snodd Snoddesbyrig Upton Snodsbury Worc.
Snoding Snodingland Snodland Worc.
Sumer Sumeresham Somersham Hunts.
Sumerled (Danish) Sumerledetun Somerleyton Suffolk
Sunna Sunnandun Sundon Beds.
Swythbriht Swythbrihtesweald Sibbertswold Kent
Swithreding Swithraedingden Surrenden Kent
Sylc Sylceswyrth Silksworth Durham
Tadmaer Tadmaertun Tadmarton Oxford.
Taefing Taefingstoc Tavistock Devon.
Teotting Teottingtun Teddington Wor.
Taling Talingtun Tallington Linc.
Toda Todanhom Toddenham Glouc.
Toma Tomanworthig Tamworth Warw.
Theogen Theogendethorp Theddlethorp Linc.
Thunar Thunresfeld Thundersfield Surrey
Ticen Ticnesfeld Tichfield Hants.
Tidhelming Tidelminctun Tidmington Worc.
Tilling Tillingham Tillingham Essex
Tocca Toccanham Tockenham Wilts.
Toting Totingtun Tottington Norfolk
Treding { Tredingtun Tredington Glouc.
{ Tredinctun Tredington Worc.
Trosting Trostingtun Troston Suffolk
Tuding Tudingtun Teddington Middlsx.
Tunweald Tunwealdes stan Tunstone Glouc.
Turca Turcanden Turkdean Glouc.
Twica Tuicanham Twickenham Middlsx.
Thurgar (Danish) Thurgartun Thurgarton Norfolk
Ufing Ufinctun Ovington Hants.
Wacen Uacenesfeld Watchfield Berks.
Watling Uaetlinctun Watlington Oxford.
Wassing Wassingburg Washingborough Linc.
Wald Waldeswel Woldswell Glouc.
Weard Weardesbeorh Warborough Oxford.
Wifel { Wifeles cumb Wiveliscomb Somerset.
{ Wifelesford Wilsford Wilts.
Wilburg (Woman) { Wilburgeham Wilbraham Camb.
{ Wilburhtun Wilburton Camb.
Willer Willerseia Willersey Glouc.
Weogern Weogernacester Worcester Worc.
Wine { Uines hlau Winslow Bucks.
{ Wines hyl Winshill Derby.
Wrening Wreningham Wreningham Norfolk
Werot Uurotaham Wrotham Kent
Wulfwarding Wulfweardiglea Wolverley Worc.
Wendel, or Wendlesora, or Windsor Berks.
Windel Windlesora
The last name, Windsor, is an amusing instance of the older attempts at
local etymology. First it was supposed, as being an exposed spot, to
have taken its name from the "wind is sore;" then it was presumed that
it must have been a ferry, and that the name arose from the constant cry
of "wind us o'er" from those waiting to be ferried across. It was a
great step in advance when the next etymologist referred to the ancient
name and found it to be Windelsora, from _ora_, shore, (a contraction of
_ofer?_) Still, the etymon he deduced therefrom of "winding shore" is
one that could not be adopted without doing great violence to the word;
whereas, without the change of a letter, we have Windels ore, "Windel's
shore," most probably in the sense of landing-place. The name Windel
forms several other place-names; it was common in ancient times, and it
has been taken to mean Vandal. I refer to this more especially to
illustrate the importance of taking men's names into account in
considering the origin of a place-name.
The above names are confined entirely, as I have before mentioned, to
the places that have been positively identified by Mr. Kemble. And as
these constitute but a small proportion of the whole number, the
comparison will serve to give an idea of the very great extent to which
place-names are formed from men's names.
FOOTNOTES:
[35] Cf. also Diormod, moneyer on Anglo-Saxon coins, minted at
Canterbury. There is, however, an Irish Diarmaid which might in certain
cases intermix, and whence we must take _McDermott_.
[36] I take Ealdermann to be, as elsewhere noted, a corruption of
Ealdmann.
[37] Mr. Kemble, in default of finding Hygelac as a man's name in
Anglo-Saxon times, has taken the above place-name to be from the
legendary hero of that name. The fact is, however, that Hygelac occurs
no fewer than four times as an early man's-name in the _Liber Vitae_, so
that there does not seem to be any reason whatever for looking upon it
as anything else than the every-day name of an Anglo-Saxon.
[38] From a similar origin is probably Shooter's Hill, near London.
[39] There is also an A.S. Saebriht, from _sae_, sea, whence _Seabright_
might be derived.
[40] Upon the whole I am inclined to think that Woden is here an
Anglo-Saxon man's name, though the traces of it in such use are but
slight. There is a Richard Wodan in the _Lib. Vit._ about the 15th
century. And Wotan occurs once as a man's name in the _Altdeutsches
Namenbuch_.
[41] Or Cyneburg; see p. 71.
[42] It seems clear from the names collated by German writers that
_ramn_, _remn_, and _ram_ in ancient names are contractions of raven.
Compare the names of the ports, Soderhamn, Nyhamn, and Sandhamn, for, no
doubt, Soderhaven, Nyhaven, and Sandhaven.
CHAPTER VI.
CORRUPTIONS AND CONTRACTIONS.
Corruptions may be divided broadly into two kinds, those which proceed
from a desire to improve the sound of a name, and those which proceed
from a desire to make some kind of sense out of it. The former, which we
may call phonetic, generally consists in the introduction of a letter,
either to give more of what we may call "backbone" to a word, or else to
make it run more smoothly. For the former purpose _b_ or _p_ is often
used--thus we have, even in Anglo-Saxon times, _trum_ made into _trump_,
_sem_ into _semp_, and _emas_ into _embas_. So among our names we have
_Dumplin_, no doubt for Dumlin (O.G. Domlin), _Gamble_ for Gamel, and
_Ambler_ for Ameler, though in these names something of both the two
principles may apply. In a similar manner we have _glas_ made into
_glast_ in Glaestingabyrig, now Glastonbury (p. 88). So _d_ seems
sometimes to be brought in to strengthen the end of a word, and this, it
appears to me, may be the origin of our names _Field_, _Fielding_,
_Fielder_. The forms seem to show an ancient stem, but as the word
stands, it is difficult to make anything out of it, whereas, as Fiell,
Fielling, &c., the names would fall in with a regular stem, as at p.
50. So also our name _Hind_ may perhaps be the same, assuming a final
_d_, as another name, _Hine_, which, presuming the _h_ not to be
organic, may be from the unexplained stem _in_ or _ine_, as in the name
of Ina, King of Wessex. In which case _Hyndman_ might be the same name
as _Inman_. Upon the same principle it may be that we have the name
_Nield_ formed upon the Celtic Niel. So also _f_ appears to be sometimes
changed for a similar purpose into _p_, as in _Asprey_ and _Lamprey_ for
Asfrid (or Osfrid) and Landfrid. The ending _frid_ commonly becomes
_frey_ (as in Godfrey, Humphrey, Geoffrey), and when we have got Asfrey
and Lanfrey (and we have Lanfrei in the _Liber Vitae_), the rest is easy.
The most common phonetic intrusion is that of _r_, and one of the ways
in which it most frequently occurs is exhibited in the following group
of names: _Pendgast_, _Pendegast_, _Prendergast_, _Prendergrass_.
Pendgast is, I take it, an ancient compound, from the stem _bend_ (p.
44), with _gast_, hospes. It first takes a medial vowel between the two
words of the compound, and becomes Pend-e-gast. Then _e_ naturally
becomes _er_, passing the very slight barrier which English
pronunciation affords, and the name, having become Pendergast, finds the
need of a second _r_ to balance the first, and becomes Prendergast. In
the last name, Prendergrass, the other principle comes in, and a slight
effort is made to give a shade of meaning to the word.[43] One of the
features in men's names, it will be seen, is that as they have
(differently to what is the case with regard to the words of the
language) become crystallised in all stages, one is sometimes permitted
to see the various steps of a process.
Now it is in such a way as that described above that the Anglo-Saxon
name Ealdermann (whence our name _Alderman_) has, according to my
opinion, been formed. There is another Anglo-Saxon name, Ealdmann, an
ancient compound. Now if you, as in the previous case, introduce a
medial vowel, and make it Eald-e-mann, there is virtually nothing left
between that and Ealdermann. Such a name, as derived from the office,
would be impossible as a regular Anglo-Saxon name. The only other
alternative would be that he had been so called as a _sobriquet_ by his
office till it had superseded his regular name. And there does appear to
have been such a case, viz., that of a man called Preost who _was_ a
priest, but the way which I have suggested seems to me to account more
easily for the name. From a similar origin I take to be our name
_Ackerman_, and the present German _Ackermann_. There is an Anglo-Saxon
AEcemann (p. 96), from which, on the principle described above, they
might be derived. So also _Sigournay_ may be formed in a similar manner
from an old German name Siginiu (_niu_, "new," perhaps in the sense of
"young"), and _Alderdice_ from an old Frankish Aldadeus (_deus_,
servant).
I have taken Prendergast for Pendgast as an illustration of the
intrusion of _r_, and there is even in Anglo-Saxon times an example of
the very same word as so treated. This is the name Prentsa (p. 101),
(whence our _Prentiss_), and which I take to be properly Pentsa. This
would bring it in as a regular Anglo-Saxon stem (_Cf._ Penda, Pender,
Penduald, Pendwine), whereas otherwise it is difficult to know what to
make of it. Among English surnames thus treated we have _Bellringer_ for
Bellinger, _Sternhold_ for Stonhold (p. 63), _Proudfoot_ for _Puddefoot_
(_bud_, messenger), and possibly _Cardwell_ for the Anglo-Saxon
Cadweal.[44] On the same principle I think that _Wordsworth_, a name of
local origin, may be, with an intrusive _r_, the same as Wodsworth or
Wadsworth (Wad's property or estate). There is certainly a stem _wurd_
(supposed to mean fate, destiny), in ancient names, but it is of rare
occurrence, and I do not know of it in English names, though we have
_Orde_, which I take to be from the Scandinavian form of it. On the
other hand we have an instance in Anglo-Saxon times of the reverse
process, viz., the elision of _r_, in the case of Wihtbrord, Minister of
Edward the Elder, who, though he spells his names both ways, spells it
more frequently Wihtbrod, the other being no doubt etymologically the
correct form (_brord_, sword), though euphony is certainly promoted by
the elision. This may probably be the origin of our name _Whitbread_,
with the variation _Wheatbread_.
The intrusion of _d_ has had the effect of changing a man's name into a
woman's in two cases, _Mildred_ and _Kindred_. The former should be
properly Milred, answering to an Anglo-Saxon Milred, and the latter
should be Kenred, answering to the German Conrad; Mildryd and Cynedryd
were, and could only be, Anglo-Saxon women's names.
On the other hand, the loss of an _r_ has had such a disastrous effect
in the case of an American _Bedbug_ as to compel him to apply, like his
English namesake, for a change of name. For while, in America, all
insects of the beetle tribe are called by the name of "bug," the
"bedbug" is that particular insect which is a "terror by night," so that
the name was pointedly disagreeable. It ought properly to be, I doubt
not, Bedburg, a name of local origin, and the same as Bedborough.
Before going on to deal with the corruptions which originate in the
desire to make some kind of sense out of a name, I propose to refer
briefly to some of the changes and contractions which are more strictly
in accordance with regular phonetic principles. I have referred at p. 9
to a final _g_ as opposed to the English ear, and to two different ways
in which it is got rid of, viz., by changing it into _dg_, and by
dropping it altogether. There is yet a third way, that of changing it
into _f_, as in Anglo-Saxon _genug_, English _enough_. And we can show
examples of all these in the same name, from the ancient stem _wag_,
probably signifying to wave, brandish, as in the name Wagbrand
("wave-sword"), in the genealogy of the Northumbrian kings. For we have
the name in all four forms, _Wagg_, _Way_, _Wadge_, _Waugh_ (Waff). The
common ending in Teutonic names of _wig_, war, often, anciently even,
softened into _wi_, most commonly in such case becomes in our names
_way_. Thus we have _Alloway_ from an ancient Alewih, _Chattoway_ from
Ceatewe, _Dalloway_ from Daliweh, _Galloway_ from Geilwih, _Garroway_
from Gerwi, _Hathaway_ from Hathuwi, _Kennaway_ from Kenewi, _Lanoway_
from Lantwih, _Reddoway_ from Redwi, and _Ridgway_ from Ricwi. I cite
this as a case in which a number of coincidences prove a principle,
which the reader, if he confined his attention to one particular case,
might be disposed to question. We also generally drop the _g_ in the
middle of a word in such names as _Payne_, from A.S. Pagen,[45] _Wain_
from A.S. Wahgen, _Gain_ from A.S. Gagen, _Nail_ from A.S. Negle. So
also in _Sibbald_ for Sigebald, _Sibert_ for Sigebert, _Seymore_ for
Sigimar, _Wyatt_ for Wighad, &c. There is also a frequent dropping of
_d_, though I think that in this case the names have more frequently
come down to us from ancient times in such contracted form, the practice
being more specially common among the Franks, from whom I think that
most of the names in question have been derived. Thus we have _Cobbold_
for Codbald or Godbold, _Cobbett_ for Godbet or Codbet, _Lucas_ (Lucas,
_Lib. Vit._), from a Frankish Liucoz for Liudgoz, _Boggis_ from a Boggis
for Bodgis, _Lewis_ for Leodgis, _Rabbit_ for Radbod, _Chabot_ for
Chadbod. So also _Ralph_ and _Rolfe_ for Radulf and Hrodulf (though also
for Ragulf and Hrogulf), _Roland_ for Rodland, _Roman_ for Rodman, &c.
So _f_ is often dropped when it is followed by _m_ or _n_, as in A.S.
Leomman for Leofmann, whence our _Lemon_. It is probable that our
_Limmer_ is a similar contraction of A.S. Leofmer.
As a case of transposition I may note _Falstaff_ from, as supposed, the
O.G. name Fastulf. It may be a question whether this is not an Old
Frankish name come to us through the Normans, for at Gambetta's funeral
the French Bar was represented by M. _Falsteuf_.
I now come to corruptions which arise from the attempt to give to a name
something of an apparent meaning in English. Let me observe that, almost
as an invariable rule, corruptions are made towards a meaning and not
away from it; the ancient name Irminger might be corrupted into
Ironmonger, but Ironmonger could not be corrupted into Irminger. It is
natural to men to try to get some semblance of meaning out of a name,
and all the more that it approaches to something which has a familiar
sound to their ears. Thus H.M. ship, the _Bellerophon_, was called by
the sailors the "Billy Ruffian," and a vessel owned by a fore-elder of
mine, and which he christened the _Agomemnon_, invariably went among the
sailors by the name of the "Mahogany Tom." Thus the Anglo-Saxon Trumbald
has first become _Trumbull_ and then _Tremble_, and as suggested by Mr.
Charnock, _Turnbull_. So we have the Old Norse name Thorgautr (Turgot,
_Domesday_) variously made into _Target_ and into _Thoroughgood_.[46] In
some cases a very slight change suffices to give a new complexion to
the name, thus the Old Frankish Godenulf, (_ulf_, wolf), through a
Norman Godeneuf, is scarcely changed in our _Goodenough_. Similarly we
might have had Badenough (O.G. Badanulf), and Richenough (A.S. Ricnulf).
We have _Birchenough_ (reminding us of Dr. Busby) no doubt from a name
of similar formation not yet turned up. Then we have several names as
_Garment_, _Rayment_, _Argument_, _Element_, _Merriment_, _Monument_,
from ancient names ending in _mund_ or _munt_, supposed to mean
protection, with only the change of a letter. I have referred in an
earlier part of this chapter to the name Pendgast, and to the phonetic
corruptions to which it has been subjected. But it seems also to have
been subjected to a corruption of the other kind, for I take it that our
name _Pentecost_ is properly Pentecast, as another or High German form
of Pendegast. Another case of a corruption easily made is that of our
name _Whitethread_ which seems obviously the Anglo-Saxon name Wihtraed,
of which also we have another obvious corruption in _Whiterod_. So also
the Anglo-Saxon name Weogern, p. 111 (more properly Wiggern, _wig_, war,
and _gern_, eager), by an easy transition becomes _Waghorn_. And in this
way also the paradoxical-looking name _Fairfoul_, by a slight change of
spelling, may be explained as Farefowl, "wandering bird," as a name
probably given by the Saxon or Danish sea-rovers.
Let us take a name of a different kind, _Starbuck_, no doubt of local
origin, from the place called Starbeck in Yorkshire. Now beck is a
Northern word signifying brook; it is probably of Danish origin,
inasmuch as its use precisely corresponds with the limits of the Danish
occupation. So long then as Starbeck lived in the north among his own
people, to whom _beck_ is a familiar word, there would be no fear of his
name being corrupted. But when he migrated to a part of England where
_beck_ has no meaning, then by and by the natural craving for some kind
of a meaning would assert itself, and, as the best it could do, change
_beck_ into _buck_. But the name of the place itself affords an
illustration of the same principle. For _star_ is in all probability the
same word as _stour_, so common as a river-name (Arm. ster, water,
river), made into _star_ in the craving for some kind of a meaning.
Let us take another name with the same ending, _Clutterbuck_, also, I
doubt not, a name of local origin, though I am unable in this case to
identify the place. But _clutter_ seems evidently to be from the
Anglo-Saxon, _hluttor_, clear, pure, limpid, and the word must have been
_hluttorbeck_, "clear brook," so that this is another case of a similar
corruption. The Anglo-Saxons, no doubt, strongly aspirated the initial
_h_, so that the name has become Clutterbuck.
Another name which may be taken to be of the same kind is _Honeybun_, no
doubt a corruption of another name _Honeyburn_, from _burn_, a brook,
_honey_ being apparently used by the Anglo-Saxons as an epithet to
describe sweet waters. But to the modern ear Honey_bun_ is a much more
natural association than Honey_burn_, particularly since the Anglo-Saxon
_burn_ for _brook_ has passed out of use in England.
Among the Germans, corruptions towards a meaning are also common, as in
such names as _Guttwein_ for Godwine or Gotwine, _Warmbadt_ for
Warinbod, _Leutenant_ for Liutnand (_liud_, people, _nant_, daring).
There is a curious-looking and seemingly profane name _Heiliggheist_, as
if from the third person of the Trinity, which may, however, be a
corruption of an ancient name, perhaps of the name Haldegast.
The odd-looking names _Oyster_ and _Oysterman_ in _Suffolk Surnames_ are
probably the German names Oster and Ostermann (_oster_, orientalis) in
an anglicised form, the marvellous power of assimilation possessed by
the great Republic evincing itself, among other things, in the way in
which it anglicises foreign names. Thus the name _Crumpecker_, placed by
Bowditch among names from birds, is, we can hardly doubt, a corruption
of a German Krumbacher, _i.e._ "a native of Krumbach," of which name
there are several places in Germany. So also the ending _thaler_ in
German names, from _thal_, valley, is changed into "dollar" as its
supposed equivalent. Hence the Americans have _Milldolar, Barndollar_,
and _Cashdollar_, corruptions of some such German names as Muehlthaler,
Bernthaler, and Kaesenthaler, signifying an inhabitant respectively of
Muehlthal, of Bernthal, and of Kaesenthal. It would seem as if a man
coming to this new world, where everything around him is
changed--presumably for the better--accepts it as, among other things, a
part of the new dispensation, that whereas his name has hitherto been,
say Kaesenthaler, he shall henceforth answer to the name--perhaps not an
inauspicious one--of Cashdollar.
FOOTNOTES:
[43] There is another name _Snodgrass_, which may be a similar
corruption of Snodgast, from the stem _snod_, A.S. _snot_, wise.
[44] This however is by no means certain, inasmuch as there is a stem
_card_ or _gard_ from which it might be formed, though the corresponding
ancient name has not turned up. On the other hand it is to be observed
that _wealh_ is not one of the more common endings.
[45] Pagan occurs as an A.S. name, (_Thorpe_, p. 648), and may probably be
referred to _bagan_, to contend. _Cf._ also Pagingas among the early
settlers.
[46] According, no doubt, as the ancient name appeared as Thorgaut or
Thorgaud.
CHAPTER VII.
THE OLD FRANKS AND THE PRESENT FRENCH.
To any one who takes note of the large proportion of French Christian
names which are of German origin, the question, one would think, might
naturally suggest itself--If such be the case with Christian names, may
it not also be the case with regard to surnames? The Christian names
_Albert_, _Adolphe_, _Alfonse_, _Charles_, _Claude_, _Edouard_,
_Edmonde_, _Ferdinand_, _Gerard_, _Henri_, _Louis_, _Philibert_,
_Robert_, _Richarde_, _Rudolfe_, _Guillaume_, and the women's _Adele_,
_Clotilde_, _Louise_, _Mathilde_, _Heloeise_, and many others, serve to
remind us that the French have come of the Franks. That the same holds
good also of French surnames I have in a previous work endeavoured to
prove in considerable detail, and I will not go over the ground again
further than at the end of this chapter to present as an illustration of
my views upon the subject one or two stems complete with their branches.
The Franks being a branch of a High German, and the Saxons of a Low
German stock, it follows that French names, as compared with English,
should, in names of Teutonic origin, exhibit High German forms in
comparison with our Low German. One of these differences is, for
instance, _au_ for _ea_, as in German auge, Anglo-Saxon, _eage_,
English, _eye_. Thus the Anglo-Saxon _ead_, happiness, prosperity, so
common in men's names, is in Frankish represented by _aud_, or
_od_--hence the name of the Norman bishop Odo is the counterpart of an
Anglo-Saxon Eada or Eda, and the name of the Lombard king Audoin
(Audwin), is the counterpart of the Anglo-Saxon Eadwin. It will be seen
then that the French Christian name _Edouard_ is not a true Frankish
form--the proper form is shown in two French surnames, _Audouard_ and
_Audevard_. I cannot account for the particular case of this Christian
name on any other ground than that simply of euphony. The corresponding
Italian Christian name, _Odoardo_, come to them through the Franks or
the Lombards, represents, it will be seen, the proper High German form.
The High German forms, then, that appear in English names may be taken
to a great extent to represent Old Frankish names that have come to us
through the Normans. But the number of such names appears to be greater
than could reasonably be thus accounted for, and moreover we seem, as I
have noted at p. 75, to have had such forms even in Anglo-Saxon times,
_e.g._ both the forms _ead_ or _ed_, and _aud_ or _od_, in the names of
our early settlers. And it appears to me therefore that Lappenberg's
theory that Franks, Lombards, and Frisians were among the early
settlers, is one that deserves most careful consideration. And I propose
at present to deal with the subject, so far as the Franks are concerned,
and to trace out to the best of my ability, the Frankish forms that seem
to present themselves in Anglo-Saxon times, and also in our existing
surnames. In so doing, I wish to disclaim any assumption of philological
knowledge such as might be implied by dealing with the niceties of
ancient dialects. All that I proceed upon is this--I find from German
writers that certain forms prevailed in Frankish names, and I compare
them with certain forms apparently of the same kind which I find in
Anglo-Saxon times.
Now the ancient Frankish speech, along with the ordinary characteristics
of a High German dialect, had some special peculiarities of its own, and
it is through these that we have the best chance of obtaining
satisfactory indications. Of these there are three forms in particular,
with each of which I propose to deal in turn, placing at the head the
group of surnames which I take to owe their origin to this source. And
as assisting to throw light upon the subject I have in some cases
introduced the present French names corresponding.
CHAD, CHATTO, CHATTING, CHADDOCK, CHABOT, CHADBORN, CHADMAN, CHADWICK,
CHATTOWAY, CHATWIN, CHATWOOD, CHARD, CHART, CHARTER, CHAIN, CHANEY,
CHILDAR, CHILDREN, CHILL, CHILLMAN, CHILLMAID, CHUBB, CHUBBACK, CHOPPIN.
One of the peculiarities of the Frankish dialect especially during the
Merovingian period, was the prefix of _c_ before names beginning with
_h_, as in Childebert and Childeric for Hildebert and Hilderic. Of this
there seem to be considerable traces in Anglo-Saxon times, as will be
seen from the following:--
_Chad_ for _had_, war.
A.S. Chad, bishop of Lichfield--Ceada, found in Ceadanford--Cedda, found
in Ceddanleah--Frankish, Chaddo. Eng. Chad, Chatto.
_Diminutive._
Frnk. Chadichus. Eng. Chaddock.
_Patronymic._
Eng. Chatting.
_Compounds._
(_Bad_, war), Frnk. Chadbedo, Chabedo--Eng. Chabot.[47] (_Wine_,
friend), Frnk. Chaduin--Eng. Chadwin, Chatwin. (_Wig_, war), A.S.
Chatewe (_wi_ for wig) found in Ceatewesleah--Eng. Chadwick, Chattoway.
(We have also the other form Hathaway, O.G. Hathuwi, to compare with
Chattaway.)
Then we have a stem _chard, chart_, which it seems to me may be a
similar Frankish form of _hard_ or _hart_, durus, fortis, a very common
stem for men's names.
_Chard_ for _hard_.
A.S. Cerda (Cherda) found in Cerdanhlaew. Ceorta, found in Ceortan
stapol. Ceort, found in Ceortesege, now Chertsey. Eng. Chard, Chart.
_Diminutive._
A.S. Cerdic, king of Wessex. Also Ceardic, found in Ceardices beorh.
_Compound._
(_Har_, warrior), Frnk. Charterius--Eng. Charter.
In the next group, _child_ for _hild_, war, the Anglo-Saxon names seem
rather uncertain, and though the Franks had many names from it, I only
find one to compare in that form.
_Child_ for _hild_, war.
A.S. Cild, found in Cildeswic--Cilta found in Ciltancumb, now Chilcomb
in Hants--Frnk. Childi, Cheldio, Chillo--Eng. Child, Chill.
_Compounds._
(_Hari_, warrior), O.G. Hilder--Eng. Childar. (_Man_, vir), O.G.
Hildman--Childman, _Hund_. _Rolls_--Eng. Chillman, French, Chilman.
(_Mod_, courage), O.G. Hildemod--Eng. Chillmaid. (_Ran_, raven), Frnk.
Childerannus--Eng. Children.
We have a number of other names beginning with _ch_, which might with
more or less certainty be brought in here, as Chaine comparing with an
A.S. Chen, found in Chenestun, and with a Frankish Chaino for Chagno
(Hagen-spinosus). Also Chubb and Choppin comparing with the Ceopingas
(Chopingas) in Kemble's list. He has also Hoppingas and Upingas,
different forms I take it, of the same name, and upon these might be
formed by the prefix in question, the form Ceopingas. Compare also the
present French names, Choupe, Chopin, Chopard.
CLAUDE, CLOADE, CLODD, CLOUD, CLOUT, CLUCAS, CLOUDMAN, CLOUTMAN,
CLOTHIER. CROAD, CROWD, CROWDY, CRUTE, CROTTY, CRUDEN, CROWDER, CROGER.
CROKE, CROCK, CROOKE, CROTCH, CRUTCH, CROKER. CREED, CREEDY, CRIDDLE.
Another peculiarity of the Frankish dialect was the change of _hl_ at
the beginning of a name into _cl_ or _chl_, and _hr_ into _cr_ or
_chr_. Hence the names of the Frankish kings Clothar, Chlodomir, and
Clodowich, for Hlothar, Hlodomir, and Hlodowich. Of this form there
appear to be considerable traces in Anglo-Saxon times; there are three
names in Kemble's list of early settlers which may find a place here,
the Crangas, the Cramlingas, and the Crucgingas. The name Crangas, as it
stands, is difficult to deal with, and I should suppose it to be
properly either Cringas or Craningas--in the former case from _hring_,
circle, perhaps in the sense of shield--in the latter from _chrann_, as
a Frankish form of _raban_ or raven, Cf. Chrannus in the genealogy of
the Merovingian kings. Cramlingas again compares with a Frankish name
Chramlin from the same stem, while Crucgingas seems to be a Frankish
form of Rucingas, also on Kemble's list.
The first group of names, Claude, Cloud, &c., are referred to O.H.G.
_laut_, loud, in the supposed sense of famous.
_Clod_ for _hlod_, fame.
A.S. Clodd (found in Cloddes heal), Clott (found in Clottismor), Clud
(found in Cludesleah)[48]--Frnk. Chlodio, Cludio, 5th cent.--Eng.
Claude, Cloade, Clodd, Cloud, Clout.
_Compounds._
(_Gis_ or _kis_, hostage), O.G. Hludokis--Eng. Clukas (for Cludkis?).
(_Hari_, warrior), Frnk. Clothar, Chluthar--Eng. Clothier, Clutter.
(_Man_, vir), Eng. Cloudman, Cloutman (for which no ancient equivalents
as yet turn up.)
The next group, Croad, Crowd, &c., may be referred to _hrod_, glory, the
stem from which are formed Robert, Roland, Roger, &c.
_Crod_ for _hrod_.
A.S. Cruda, found in Crudan sceat--Frnk. Chrodo, Crodio--Eng. Croad,
Crowd, Crowdy, Croot, Crout.
Ending in _en_, p. 27.
Frnk. Chrodin--Eng. Cruden.
_Compounds._
(_Har_, warrior), Frnk. Chrodohar--Eng. Crowder. (_Gar_, spear), Frnk.
Crodeger--Eng. Croger (=Roger). (_Mar_, famous), A.S. Cruddemor, found
in Cruddemores lacu--Frnk. Chrodmar--Eng. Cromar.
The next group, Croke, Crock, &c., are from a stem _hroc_, the
root-meaning of which seems to be the same as Eng. _croak_, and the idea
of which, as in some other stems (see _im_ in voce Emma), may probably
be that of strength, fierceness, or huge stature, derived from a harsh
and gruff voice. Cf. O.N. _hrokr_, vir fortis et grandis.
_Crock_ for _hroc_.
A.S. Crucga, found in Crucgingas; Croch, found in Crochestun, now
Croxton in Norf.--Frnk. Crocus, Cruccus--Eng. Croke, Crock, Crooke,
Crotch, Crutch.
_Compounds._
(_Her, heri_, warrior), O.G. Roacheri--Eng. Croker, Crocker. Eng.
Crockett might represent a Frankish Crochad or Crochat (_had_, war), not
turned up.
Perhaps from a similar origin may be the name of Crida or Creoda, king
of Mercia, as representing a stem, _hrad_, or _hred_ (O.H.G. _hradi_,
celer), whence probably the Hraeda in the Traveller's Song. Kemble has
two tribe-names, Creotingas and Cridlingas (the latter, derived from a
place in Yorkshire, being perhaps doubtful so far as regards the tribe,
though a man's name all the same).
_Crad_ for _hrad_.
A.S. Creoda, found in Creodan ac, Creodan hyl, Creodan treow--Cridda,
found in Criddan wyl--Cridd, found in Criddes ho--Creota, found in
Creotingas--Cretta, _lib. vit._--Eng. Creed, Creedy.
Ending in _el_.
A.S. Cridel, found in Cridlingas--Eng. Criddle.
Perhaps the most characteristic peculiarity of the Frankish dialect is
the prefix of _g_, or its sharper form _c_, before names beginning with
_w_.[49] Hence it is that the French have such a word as guerre
(=gwerre) which is _g_ prefixed to a German _wer_ or _war_. And such
names as Guillaume, Gualtier, and Guiscard, which are from _g_ prefixed
to Wilhelm, Walter, and Wiscard (our Wishart). Hence, also, such a
place-name as Quilleboeuf in Normandy, being, with a _c_ prefixed, the
same, I take it, as an English Willaby (_boeuf_, as Mr. Taylor has
shown, representing the Danish _by_). I have referred, p. 75, to the
name Cwichelm for Wighelm or Wichelm as a strongly-marked Frankish form,
but I cannot say that I find such forms generally prevalent in
Anglo-Saxon times. Kemble has three tribe-names in this form,
Cwaedringas, Cwaeringas, and Queningas. The Cwaedringas answer to the
Waetringas, and the Wedringas, both also on Kemble's list, and both, I
take it, different forms of the same name; the Cwaeringas to the Waeringas
and the Werringas, also different forms of the same name; the Queningas
to the Weningas or the Winingas. One or two of our names beginning with
_gw_, as Gwilliams, Gwatkin, and perhaps Gwalter, are probably due to
the Welsh, of which this prefix is also a characteristic. As
representing the Frankish form, we have more names in the sharper form
cw, which is represented by _q_. Under the present head comes the name
of the highest lady in the land, _Guelph_ (further referred to in next
chapter), being a Frankish form of Welf (O.H.G. _hwelf_; Eng. _whelp_).
The names _Welp_, _Whelps_, and _Guelpa_, appear in _Suff. Surn._, but
whether English or not does not appear.
QUARE, QUARY, QUARRY, QUEAR, QUERY, QUARRIER, QUARMAN. QUIDDY, QUITMAN,
QUITTACUS. QUIG, QUICK, QUY, QUIGGLE, GWYER, QUIER, QUIRE. GUILLE,
GUILY, QUILL, QUILKE, GWILLAM, QUILLMAN, QUILLINAN. GUINEY, QUIN, QUEEN,
QUEENEY, GUINAN, QUINAN, QUEENAN, QUINER. QUAIL, QUALEY, QUINT. QUAINT,
QUANTOCK. GWILT, QUILT, QUILTY, QUILTER, QUAKER, QUASH.
The meaning of the stem _war_ is very uncertain; Foerstemann proposes
five different words, without including O.H.G. _werra_, Eng. _war_, and
it seems very probable that there may be a mixture of different words.
_Gwar, cwar_, for war.
A.S. Cwara, found in Cwaeringas--Frnk. Guario--Eng. Quare, Quary, Quarry,
Quear, Query--French Querrey.
_Compounds._
(_Hari_, warrior), O.G. Warher--Eng. Quarrier. (_Man_, vir), O.G.
Warman--Eng. Quarman--French Guermain.
The stem _wid_, on which is formed _guid_ and _cwid_, may perhaps be
referred to O.H.G. _wid_, wood, in the sense of weapon (see next chapter
_in voce_ Guido), though in this case also there may probably be a
mixture of words.
_Gwid, cwid_, for _wid_.
Frnk. Guid, Guido, Quido--Eng. Quiddy--French, Guide.
_Compounds._
(_Man_, vir), O.G. Witman--Eng. Quitman. (Gis, hostage), O.G.
Witichis--Eng. Quittacus (_Suff. Surn._).
The stem _wig_ or _wic_, on which are formed _gwig_ and _cwic_, may be
taken to be from _wig_, war.
_Gwig_, _cwic_, for _wig_, _wic_.
Frnk. Gwigo--Eng. Quig, Quick, Quy--Fr. Guiche, Quyo.
Ending in _el_.
O.G. Wigilo--Eng. Quiggle.
_Compound._
O.G. Wigger, Wiher--Eng. Gwyer, Quier, Quire.
The stem _will_, on which are formed _guill_ and _cwill_, may be
referred to Goth. _wilya_, will, perhaps, in the sense of resolution.
_Guil, cwil_, for _will_.
Frnk. Guila--Eng. Guille, Guily, Quill--Fr. Guille, Quille.
_Diminutive_
O.G. Willic--Eng. Quilke--Fr. Quillac.
_Compounds._
(_Helm_, helmet), Frnk. Guilhelm--Eng. Gwillam--Fr. Guillaume. (_Man_,
vir), O.G. Wilman--Eng. Quillman--Fr. Guillemain. (_Nand_, daring), O.G.
Willinand--Eng. Quillinan.
I am inclined, from the way in which the names run into each other, to
take _cwen_ and _cwin_ to be one and the same stem, and to refer them to
A.S. _wine_, friend.
_Gwin, cwin, cwen_, for _win_.
A.S. Cwena, found in Cweningas; Quena, found in Quenanden--Frnk. Guuine,
Quino--Eng. Guiney, Quin, Queen, Queeney--Fr. Gueneau, Quenay, Quineau.
Ending in _en_, p. 27.
A.S. Cwenen, found in Cwenenabroc--Eng. Guinan, Quinan, Queenan--Fr.
Guenin.
_Compounds._
(_Hari_, warrior), O.G. Winiheri--Eng. Quiner--Fr. Guinier, Guinery,
Quinier. (_Bert_, famous), Frnk. Quinabert--Eng. Guinibert.
From the Ang.-Sax. _wealh_, stranger, foreigner, may be the following
stem:
_Gual, cwal_, for _wal_.
Frnk. Gualo, Guala--Eng. Quail, Qualey--Fr. Guala.
Then there are some other stems not sufficiently represented to make it
worth while to put them into a tabular form, as Quint, a Frankish form
of Wind (the stem being supposed to mean Wend), with the present French,
Quinty. Also Quaint and Quantock, representing Old German names, Wando
and Wendico, the stem being perhaps as in the previous case. And Gwilt,
Quilt, Quilty, and Quilter, which seem to be formed similarly on Wild
(ferus) and Wilder. Also Quart for Ward or Wart, and perhaps Quaker for
Waker and Quash for Wass (as in Washington from Wassingation).
With regard to this last Frankish peculiarity, which I conceive not to
be of such ancient date as the preceding ones, I am inclined to suppose
that the greater part of the English names in which it appears have come
to us through the Normans. And with regard to the others I would venture
the general remark that inasmuch as the Anglo-Saxons in all probability
more or less aspirated an initial _h_, it would perhaps be going too far
to conclude that, in all cases where it has been hardened into a _c_,
Frankish influence is necessarily to be presumed. Still, I think that
the general result of the comparison which I have instituted, more
especially considering the comparatively limited area from which the
Anglo-Saxon examples have been drawn, is such as to give considerable
support to the theory that Franks were among the early settlers.
Besides the names of Old Frankish, _i.e._ German origin, which have come
to us through the Normans, we have also received from them some names,
mostly of a religious character, from the Latin, and from the Hebrew. I
have even ventured to suggest, in the next chapter, that it is to the
Franks that the Italians are indebted for the name of Dante (Durante)
from Lat. _durans_. More certainly it is from them that the
corresponding name _Durand_ has come to us. The early Frankish
Christians adopted several such names, some from the Latin, as
Stabilis, Clarus, Celsus, Electus (perhaps in some cases from the names
of Roman saints), some from the Hebrew, not only scriptural names of men
and women, but also such words as Pasc (passover), Seraphim, Osanna,
&c., and these they often mixed up with the Old German words to which
they had been accustomed, the names of the Apostles Peter and Paul being
so dealt with, and even the name of Christ himself. This probably arose
from the desire of parents to connect the names of their children with
their own, as seems clearly shown in the case of a woman called Electa,
who gives to her two children the same name with a German addition,
calling one Electard, and the other Electrudis. From one of these hybrid
Frankish names, Clarembald, come our _Claringbold_ and _Claringbull_ and
the French _Clerambault_. From the above word, _pasc_, we have _Pascoe_,
_Paske_, and _Pash_, and the French have _Pasquin_, corresponding with a
Frankish Pascoin (Pascwin). There is one Richard Osannas, a witness to
an acquittance in the later Anglo-Saxon times, the name being probably
from the Frankish Osanna, which seems, however, to have been originally
a woman's name. In the same charter occurs also Jordan, another of these
old Frankish names, taken presumably from the river--whence I take to be
our _Jordan_, and the French _Jordan_, _Jourdan_, and _Jourdain_,
probably also the name of the Dutch painter _Jordaens_. The name Crist,
which seems most probably from this origin (Cristeus in the _Pol. Irm._)
is not very uncommon in France; it occurs also in Germany, and though I
have not met with it in England, yet Bowditch gives it as the name of a
member of the New York legislature, where it may, however, possibly be
German. It is rather amusing to see how the learned Germans are
occasionally a little mystified by these Old Frankish Scriptural names.
Stark, for instance, sets down Elisaba (Elischeba, the Hebrew form, I
take it, of Elisabeth) as Celtic, and Foerstemann, excusably perhaps, is
posed with Erispa (Rispah, the daughter of Aiah?), though I think he
might have guessed Osanna.
Before concluding this chapter I may refer to the _Roll of Battle
Abbey_, containing the names of the principal Normans who came over with
the Conqueror. This has been severely impugned by some excellent
antiquaries on the ground that some of the names are, on the face of
them, regular English names, and such as could not reasonably be
supposed to have been borne by Normans. And hence it has been supposed
that interpolations must have been made to gratify the vanity of certain
families who wished their names to appear in the Roll. This in itself
does not seem an improbable suspicion, and I do not desire to go into
the question further than to express the opinion that so far as the
names themselves are concerned, there is not one that might not be a
genuine Norman name. Indeed, the undisguised English form of some of
them is to me rather a proof of the honesty of the scribe, for it would
have been so easy to have given them a thin Norman disguise. The
suspicious-seeming names are of two kinds, names which appear to be from
English place-names, as Argentoune, Chaworth, Newborough, Sanford,
Valingford, Harewell; and names which seem to be from English surnames
of occupation, or description, as Hayward, Archere, Loveday. The former
did present a genuine difficulty, and did justify suspicion till now
that Mr. Taylor's discovery of an area in the north of France full of
regular Anglo-Saxon place-names, and no doubt settled by Anglo-Saxons,
has disclosed the source from which they could be derived. I opine then
that the English scribe has done nothing more in the case of such names
than restore them to the original form from which they had been more or
less corrupted. Nor indeed has he done it to as great an extent as he
might have done, for I find several others which may be brought back to
an Anglo-Saxon form, and it may be of some little interest to take a few
of these Norman surnames derived from place-names of the kind discovered
by Mr. Taylor, and compare them with corresponding Anglo-Saxon
place-names in England. I will take the names ending in _uil_, "well,"
of which the scribe has Anglicised one (Harewell), and show how many
more there might have been. We have Bereneuile and Boranuile,
corresponding with A.S. Bernewell (now Barnwell, in Northamptonshire),
from A.S. _brune_, brook, of which the well might be the source. Then we
have Rinuuill, corresponding with an A.S. Runawel (now, Runwell in
Essex), _i.e._ a running or flowing well, Berteuilay corresponding with
A.S. Beorhtanwyl (now Brightwell, in Oxfordshire), and Vauuruile with an
A.S. Werewell (now Wherwell, in Hants), an inclosed well; from A.S.
_woer_, inclosure. Then we have Beteruile comparing with an A.S.
Buterwyel (Butterwell, butter and honey being used apparently to
describe sweet waters), Greneuile (Greenwell), and Glateuile, probably
from A.S. _glade_, brook, and so same as Bernewell.
With respect to the second class of suspected names, such as Hayward,
Archere, and Loveday, these are all Old Frankish names, and the
resemblance to anything English is only an accident. Hayward represents
an ancient Agward or Egward, and would be more properly Ayward, though
we find it as Hayward (see p. 99) even in Anglo-Saxon times. So also
Archere (see p. 42) and Loveday (p. 57) fall into their places as
ancient Frankish names. Such names again as Brown and Gray, though a
little Anglicised in spelling, are names common to the whole Teutonic
system, and, as far as we are concerned, both came in with the Saxons,
being found in Kemble's list of original settlers.
I do not think it necessary to go more at length into the ancient
Frankish names contained in that Roll, but before leaving the subject I
would call attention to some of the names derived from the Danish
place-names of Normandy. There are four names, Dabitott, Leuetot,
Lovetot, and Tibtote (our name _Tiptoft_), from the ending _tot_, which,
as Mr. Taylor has shown, represents the Scandinavian _toft_. And two
names, Duilby and Linnebey, representing the Danish _by_; house,
habitation, village, so common in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire; also two
more, Braibuf and Olibef, with the ending _buf_ or _boeuf_, which, as
Mr. Taylor has shown, also represents the Danish _by_, Olibef being,
perhaps, Olafby, from the Danish name Olaf. Seeing this to be the case,
I venture to hint a suspicion as to the redoubtable name Front-de-boeuf,
and to suggest that it may after all be properly nothing more than one
of these Norman place-names ending in _boeuf_. Such a name as, for
instance, Frodeboeuf, from a Danish man's name, Frodi, might give it. On
the other hand, the plebeian-looking name _Chasseboeuf_, which Volney is
said to have changed rather than have it supposed that any one of his
ancestors had been a cow-boy, is, I doubt not, from a similar origin.
Such a name as Shaftsby (from the Anglo-Saxon man's name Shaft) would,
when _by_ became corrupted into _boeuf_, naturally be made into
Chasseboeuf. I take, however, the name _Leboeuf_ to be from a different
origin, viz. from a Frankish Libolf or Liubolf. There is yet one more
name, Lascales (our _Lascelles_), which I think may be also from a
Danish place-name, the word _scale_ (O.N. _skali_, a wooden hut) being
common, particularly in the Lake District--in Cumberland and
Westmoreland.
I purpose to conclude this chapter with a few stems illustrative of the
common Teutonic element in French, English, and German names, including
such Italian names as I have been able to fall in with. The first stem,
from A.S. _til_, bonus, praestans, seems to have been more common among
the Saxons than among the Franks, and there are, consequently, more
names corresponding in English than in French.
_Dill, till, bonus._
A.S. Dilla, Tilla, in Dillingas and Tillingas--O.G. Dilli, Tilli, Thilo;
Tilli, _Lib. Vit._; Dill, Tilly, Tille, _Hund. Rolls_--Eng. _Dill_,
_Dilley_, _Dillow_, _Till_, _Tilley_--Germ. _Dill_, _Till_, _Tilo_--Fr.
_Dilly_, _Dille_, _Tilly_, _Tille_--Ital. _Tilli_.
Ending in _ec_, probably diminutive.
A.S. Tilluc--Eng. _Dillick_, _Dilke_, _Tillick_, _Tilke_--Fr. _Dilhac_.
_Patronymic._
Eng. _Tilling_--Germ. _Dilling_.
Ending in _en_, p. 27.
Tilne, _Lib. Vit._--Eng. _Dillon_--Germ. _Dillen_--Fr. _Dillon_,
_Tillon_.
_Compounds._
(_Fred_, peace), Tilfred, _Lib. Vit._--Eng. _Tilford_. (_Gar_, spear),
A.S. Tilgar--Dilker, _Hund. Rolls_--Eng. _Dilger_, _Dillicar_. (_Had_,
var), Tilhaed, _Lib. Vit._--Eng. _Tillott_--Fr. _Dillet_, _Tillot_.
(_Man_, vir), A.S. Tillman--Tilmon, _Lib. Vit._--Tileman, _Hund.
Rolls_--Eng. _Dillman_, _Tillman_, _Tileman_--Germ. _Dillemann_,
_Tilmann_--Dutch. _Tillemans_--Fr. _Tilman_. (_Mar_, famous), O.G.
Tilemir--Eng. _Dillimore_. (_Mund_, protection), A.S. Tilmund--Fr.
_Tilmant_. (_Wine_, friend), Tiluini, _Lib. Vit._--Eng. _Dillwyn_.
(_Her_, _heri_, warrior), A.S. Tilhere (Bishop of Worcester)--Eng.
_Diller_, _Tiller_, _Tillier_--Fr. _Dillery_, _Tillier_.
The following stem may be taken to be from A.S. _hyge_; O.H.G. _hugu_,
mind, thought; A.S. _hogian_, to study, meditate. The form _hig_, which
seems to be more particularly Saxon, intermixes considerably in the
English names.
Hig, hog, hug, _thought_, _study_.
A.S. Hig, Hicca, Hocg--O.G. Hugo, Hug, Huc, Hughi, Hogo--Eng. _Hugo_,
_Hug_, _Hugh_, _Huie_, _Huck_, _Hogg_, _Hodge_, _Hoe_, _Hick_,
_Hickie_--Germ. _Huge_, _Hugo_, _Hucke_, _Hoge_--Fr. _Hugo_, _Huge_,
_Hug_, _Huc_, _Hue_, _Hua_--Ital. _Ugo_.
Ending in _el_, probably diminutive.
A.S. Hicel--O.G. Hugila, Huckili--Eng. _Hugall_, _Huckell_, _Whewell_,
_Hickley_--Germ. _Huegel_--Fr. _Hugla_, _Huel_--Ital. _Ughelli_.
Ending in _lin_, probably diminutive.
A.S. Hugelin (Chamberlain to Edward the Confessor)--Hugelinus,
_Domesday_--Hueline, _Lib. Vit._--Eng. _Huelin, Hicklin_--Fr. _Huguelin,
Higlin_--Ital. _Ugolino_.
Ending in _et_, probably diminutive.
A.S. Hocget--O.G. Huetus, thirteenth century--Hueta, _Domesday_--Eng.
_Huggett, Howitt, Hewitt_--Fr. _Hugot, Huet_--Ital. _Ughetti_.
Ending in _es_, probably diminutive.
O.G. Hugizo--Eng. _Hughes, Hewish, Hodges_--Fr. _Hugues_.
_Kin_, diminutive.
Hogcin, _Lib. Vit._--Eng. _Hodgkin_.
Ending in _en_, p. 27.
A.S. Hyeken--Hygine, _Lib. Vit._--Eng. _Hoggin, Hucken, Higgen_--Fr.
_Hugan, Hogan, Huan, Hoin, Hienne_.
_Compounds._
(_Bald_, fortis), A.S. Higbald (Bishop of Lindisfarne), Hibald--O.G.
Hugibald, Hubald--Eng. _Hibble, Hubble_--Fr. _Hubault_--Ital. _Ubaldo_,
_Ubald_(_ini_). (_Bert_, famous), A.S. Higbert (Bishop of
Worcester)--O.G. Hugubert, Hubert--Eng. _Hibbert, Hubbard_--Germ.
_Hubert_--Fr. _Hubert_. (_Hard_, fortis), O.G. Hugihart, Hugard--Eng.
_Huggard, Heward_--Fr. _Hugard, Huard, Huart_. (_Laic_, play), A.S.
Hygelac--O.G. Hugilaih--O.N. Hugleikr--Eng. _Hillock, Hullock_--Fr.
_Hulek_. (_Lat_, terrible,?), Hugolot, _Lib. Vit._--Eng. _Hewlet,
Higlet_. (_Lind_, mild), O.G. Hugilind--Eng. _Hewland_. (_Man_, vir),
A.S. Hiccemann--Eng. _Hugman, Hughman, Human, Higman, Hickman_--Germ.
_Hieckmann_--Fr. _Humann_. (_Mot_, courage), O.G. Hugimot--Eng.
_Hickmot_. (_Mar_, famous), A.S. Hykemer--O.G. Hugimar--Eng. _Hogmire,
Homer, Highmore_. (_Wald_, power), O.G. Hugold--Fr. _Huault_. Perhaps
also, from _noth_, bold, though I do not find an ancient name to
correspond--Eng. _Hignett_, and Fr. _Hugnot, Hognet_.
I will take for the last example the stem _magin, main_; A.S. _maegin_,
strength, force; Eng. _main_, which is rather better represented in
French names than in English. There are names, Maianus and Meinus on
Roman pottery, which might, however, be either German or Celtic.
O.G. Magan, Main--Main, _Lib. Vit._--Eng. _Magnay, Mayne_--Germ.
_Mehne_--Fr. _Magne, Magney_--Ital. _Magini_.
_Compounds._
(Bald, fortis), O.G. Meginbold--Fr. _Magnabal_. (_Burg_, protection),
O.G. Meginburg--Fr. _Mainbourg_. (_Frid_, peace), O.G. Maginfrid--Fr.
_Mainfroy_. (_Gald_, value), O.G. Megingald--Fr. _Maingault_. (_Ger_,
spear), O.G. Meginger--Eng. _Manger_. (_Gaud_, Goth), O.G. Megingaud Fr.
_Maingot_. (_Had_, war), O.G. Magenad--Fr. _Maginot_--(_Hard_, fortis),
O.G. Maginhard, Mainard--Eng. _Maynard_--Germ. _Meinert_--Fr. _Magnard,
Maynard_--Ital. _Mainardi_--(_Hari_, warrior), O.G. Maganhar,
Mayner--Germ. _Meiner_--Fr. _Magnier, Maynier_--Ital. _Maineri_.
Perhaps also to this stem (with _nant_, daring) we may put Magnentius,
the name of a German who usurped the imperial purple and was slain A.D.
353, also the Fr. _Magnan_ and _Maignan_.
These three stems, in one of which the Anglo-Saxon predominates, and in
another the Frankish or High German, while in a third there are two
parallel forms, Anglo-Saxon and Frankish, running side by side, may be
taken as fairly representative of the system upon which Teutonic names
are formed.
FOOTNOTES:
[47] This name may be, not improbably, one of those that were brought
over after the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes.
[48] We also find the other form, Hlud, in Hludes beorh, Hlud's barrow,
or grave.
[49] Some further remarks on this Frankish prefix will be found in the
succeeding chapter on Italian names.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE GERMAN ORIGIN OF GREAT ITALIANS AS EVIDENCED IN THEIR NAMES.
The successive waves of German invasion that swept over Italy, leaving
their record in the name of one of its fairest provinces, while they
added a few German words to the language, left a much larger number of
German patronymics in the names of its families. The Christian names
borne by well-known Italians, such as _Alberto, Arnolfo, Bernardo,
Carlo, Enrico, Federigo_ (Frederic), _Francesco, Leonardo, Luigi,
Ludovico, Mainardo, Odoardo_ (Edward), _Ridolphi, Sinibaldo, Ugo_ (Hugo
or Hugh), _Onofrio_ (Humphrey), all of German origin, sufficiently
attest this to have been the case. And I think we shall be warranted in
assuming, as in the case of France, that if this be the case with
Christian names, it cannot be essentially different with regard to
surnames.
But inasmuch as I have not had the same opportunity of collating and
examining the mass of Italian surnames that I have had in the case of
those of France, I propose to shape the comparison into a rather
different form, and, without departing from its etymological purpose,
to endeavour to give it something of an ethnical interest as well. This
admixture of German blood could not fail to have an influence--and, we
can hardly doubt, an invigorating influence--upon the character of the
softer and more receptive Italian race. It may not then be without
interest--though we need not attach more importance to the result than
it deserves--to endeavour to trace the result of that admixture in the
names of illustrious Italians. For it is somewhat remarkable how many of
the men most distinguished in the council and in the field, in science,
literature, and in art, bear names which testify to a German origin. And
we are even able, in certain cases, to indicate with a fair amount of
probability the particular race of Germans from whom these names may be
taken to be derived. The rule laid down by Max Mueller (_Science of
Language_) that words in Italian beginning with _gua_, _gue_, _gui_, may
be taken to be pretty certainly of German origin, holds good also of
Italian names. Now this form of _gua_, _gue_, _gui_ represents the
prefix of _g_ before _w_, which was a special characteristic of the
Franks, as it is still of their descendants, the French, in such names
as Guillaume (=Gwillaume) for Wilhelm or William. In some cases, though
more rarely, this prefix of _g_, in accordance with a High German
tendency, becomes a hard _c_ and is represented by _q_, as in _Queringi_
and perhaps _Quirini_. Such names then as _Gualdo_, _Guardi_, _Guido_,
_Guicciardini_, _Guarnerius_, may be taken as certainly of German, and I
think, more especially of Frankish origin.
To begin with the names of warriors, the list may well be headed by that
of the old hero, _Garibaldi_. Garibald (_gar_, spear, and _bald_, bold)
was a well-known Old German name, being borne, among others, by a Duke
in Bavaria in the sixth century, by six bishops in the three centuries
following, and, what is more to the purpose, by two Lombard kings in
Italy. We ourselves have the name in its Saxon form (_gor_ for _gar_) as
_Gorbold_ and _Corbould_ (O.G. Kerbald), and the French have it as
_Gerbault_. "Blind old _Dandalo_" may also be claimed as German;
Dandalo, corresponding with an O.G. Dantulo, being formed as a
diminutive from the Old German name Dando. I have elsewhere made the
suggestion, which I venture here to reproduce, that _Bonaparte_ may also
be a name of German origin, slightly changed to give it a seeming
meaning in Italian. The case stands thus. Bonibert and Bonipert are
found as Old Frankish names, respectively of the seventh and the ninth
centuries. In that part of Italy which was overrun by the Franks, namely
at Turin, is to be found the present Italian name _Boniperti_, which we
can hardly doubt to be derived from the Old Frankish Bonipert. Now from
this part of Italy came originally also the Bonapartes, and the question
is simply this, May not the name _Bonaparte_ originate in an attempt to
give something of an Italian meaning to this other name _Boniperti_,
which would convey no sense to an Italian ear? The French still have the
Old Frankish name as _Bompart_ (changing _n_ before a labial into _m_,
as they do in Edimbourg for Edinburgh); there was a vice-admiral of
that name who proved his courage by engaging, though unsuccessfully, an
English frigate of superior force. And we--or at any rate the
Americans--have it in a Saxon form as _Bonbright_ (_Suffolk Surnames_).
And very appropriate, if we were to translate it, would be the
meaning--_bona_, a slayer, and _bert_ or _pert_, illustrious.
The two distinguished families of the _Adimari_ at Florence and of the
_Grimaldi_ at Genoa both give evidence of German descent in their names
(O.G. Adimar and Grimwald); as regards the latter indeed it is to be
traced historically, though the position of the present representative,
as ruler of the principality of Monaco and recipient of its doubtful
gains, is perhaps hardly in accordance with the higher traditions of his
family. The name, _Alphonso_, of a Duke of Ferrara in the middle ages,
was one given also by the Germans to a still more illustrious lineage in
Spain. Alphonso is a contraction of the O.G. Adalfuns (_adal_, noble,
_funs_, eager). The Saxon form of _funs_ being _fus_, it seems to me
that our name _Adolphus_ may be properly Adel-fus, and not a
latinization of Adolph. German also are the names of the two great rival
factions of the _Guelphs_ and the _Ghibellines_, Guelph being a Frankish
form of Welf or Welp, Eng. whelp, and the Ghibellines deriving from an
Old German name Gibilin, traced by Mone to a Burgundian origin. Thus the
Guelphs, given originally by Germany to Italy, were afterwards
transplanted again to Germany, and thence to England, to rule far above
all factions. And again, we find the Bonaparte, whose ancestor was
expelled from Italy as a Ghibelline, come forward to pursue on a
grander scale his hereditary feud with the Guelphs.
In the names of scholars and men of science the German element is very
strongly represented. We find _Accolti_ (O.G. Achiolt for Agiovald[50]),
_Alamanni_ (O.G. Alaman), _Algarotti_ (O.G. Algar for Adelgar),
_Ansaldi_ (O.G. Ansald for Ansovald), _Audifredi_ (O.G. Audifred),
_Bertrandi_ (O.G. Bertrand), _Gualdo_ (O.G. Waldo), _Giraldi_ (O.G.
Girald), _Gosselini_ (O.G. Gosselin), _Guicciardini_ (O.G. Wichard),
_Lanzi_ (O.G. Lanzi), _Lamberti_ (O.G. Lambert for Landbert), _Manfredi_
(O.G. Manfred), _Maraldi_ (O.G. Marald), _Odevico_ (O.G. Ottwic for
Audewic), _Orlandi_ (O.G. Arland for Hariland), _Raimondi_ (O.G.
Raimund), _Rolandini_ (O.G. Roland for Rodland), _Roberti_ (O.G. Robert
for Rodbert), _Sacchi_ (O.G. Sacco), _Quirini_ (O.G. Guerin, Werin). We
may add to the list the name of the historian _Sismondi_ (Sigismund),
who, though born at Geneva, must, I apprehend, have been of Italian
origin. The name in its uncontracted form, _Sigismondi_, is also found
in Italy.
Among the names of distinguished explorers and discoverers, we have
_Americus_ (O.G. Emrich), who gave his name to America, and _Belzoni_
(O.G. Belzo). German are also the names of the Pope _Aldobrandini_ (O.G.
Aldebrand), and of the philanthropist _Odeschalchi_ (O.G. Odalschalch),
whose name, if translated, would be the appropriate one of "Servant of
his country."
The painters are not quite so strongly represented as the men of letters
and science, the two principal names being those of _Lionardo_ (O.G.
Leonhard) and of _Guido_. Guido is one of the Frankish forms to which I
have before alluded, and is formed by the prefix of _g_ to the name Wido
or Wito,--it was not an uncommon name among the Old Franks, and is found
at present among the French as _Videau, Viteau_, and _Guide_. The
ill-omened name of the assassin _Guiteau_ I take to be from the same
origin, and to be of French extraction. So also may be our own name
_Widow_, which corresponds with a Wido of about the twelfth or
thirteenth century in the _Liber Vitae_. There is another Italian name,
_Guidubaldi_, that of a Duke of Urbino, in the middle ages, formed on
the same stem with the addition of _bald_, bold, and corresponding with
a Frankish Guidobald. The word concerned seems to be most probably Goth.
_vidus_, O.H.G. _witu_, wood, used in a poetical sense for weapon.[51]
Other names of painters are _Baldi_ (O.G. Baldo), _Baldovin_(_etti_)
(O.G. Baldwin), _Anselmi_ (O.G. Anshelm), _Ansuini_ (O.G. Answin),
_Aldighiero_ (O.G. Aldegar), _Algardi_ (O.G. Alagart), _Alberti_ (O.G.
Albert for Adalbert), _Alloisi_ (O.G. Alois = Alwis), _Ghiberti_ (O.G.
Gibert), _Gherardini_ (O.G. Gerard), _Gennari_ (O.G. Genear),
_Ghirlandaio_ (O.G. Gerland), _Tibaldi_ (O.G. Tiebald for Theudobald).
Also _Guardi_, another of the Frankish forms before referred to,
representing an O.G. Wardi, and the same name as Eng. _Ward_, for which
we find a corresponding A.S. Weard.
Of those eminent in the sister art of music, we have _Castoldi_ (O.G.
Castald for Castwald), and _Frescobaldi_. This last name does not figure
in Foerstemann's list, but we can hardly doubt its German origin, _bald_
being a typical German ending, while Fresc, as a Teutonic name, is found
in the Fresc(ingas), early Saxon settlers in England, another instance
of the common tie which binds all Teutonic names together. We may add to
the list, as the name of a living composer, _Guglielmo_ = Wilhelm or
William. Among those who were accessory to music as instrument-makers,
we have _Stradivarius_ and _Guarnerius_ (O.G. Guarner for Warinhar)
corresponding with our own names _Warriner_ and _Warner_, and present
French names _Ouarnier_ and _Guernier_. It will not be out of keeping
with what we should expect if we find the German element develop itself
in the conception rather than in the execution of music, and in the
combination of science and patience which led to the success of the old
instrument-makers.
But it is in the names of immortal singers that we find the German
element most conspicuously represented. Dante himself bears a name
which, though not in itself German, may yet have been given to Italy by
the Germans, while as to his second title, _Alighieri_, there seems
hardly any doubt of its German origin.[52] Dante is a contraction of
_Durante_, which seems to be derived most naturally from Latin
_durans_, and it might seem something of a paradox to suppose a Latin
race to be indebted to the Germans for a Latin name. And yet I think
that there are some grounds for supposing it to be a name adopted by the
early Frankish converts to Christianity, and by them transmitted to the
Italians. For we find Durant, Durand, and Durann as not uncommon German
names, apparently Frankish, in the eighth and the ninth centuries. And
we find the word moreover made up into a German compound as Durandomar
(_mar_, famous). The French have moreover at present, derived we may
presume from their Frankish ancestors, another name, _Durandard_,
similarly formed (_hard_, fortis). Now this is precisely the same
principle as that on which the early Frankish converts, as we find from
the _Pol. Irm._ and the _Pol. Rem._, used to form many of their names,
taking a word of Christian import from the Latin or otherwise, and
mixing it up with the Old German compounds to which they had been
accustomed. Thus, for an example, we find that a woman called Electa,
which we can hardly doubt means "elect," gives to her son the name of
Electard, a similar compound to Durandard. There seems then, on the
whole, a fair amount of probability for this suggestion, which would
moreover sufficiently account for the manner in which the name is common
to France, Italy, Germany, and England. The French have it as _Durand_,
_Durant_, and _Durandeau_ (besides _Durandard_ already noted); the
Italians as _Durante_, _Duranto_, and _Durandi_; the Germans as _Durand_
and _Dorand_; and we ourselves as _Durand_ and _Durant_. Our names came
to us no doubt through the Normans,--there is a Durand in the _Roll of
Battle Abbey_, and it is not till after this period that we find it as
an English name.
For the German origin of _Tasso_ a rather stronger case can be made out,
Tasso and Taso being found as ancient German names, and the latter in
particular being a Lombard leader in Italy. But there was another
Lombard called Taso, who, as a man of remarkable sanctity of life, and
as the founder of a monastery at Volterra, was eminently likely to leave
a name behind him in Italy. _Tasso_ is still a current name in that
country, and our surname _Tassie_, along with the French _Tassy_, may be
taken to be the same name. Both we and the French have also _Tassell_,
formed from it and corresponding with Tassilo, the name of a Bavarian
king of the sixth century. The meaning of the word has not been
satisfactorily explained, and this may be one of the cases in which the
original word has either greatly changed in meaning, or else has
perished out of the language.
Another name which we may take pretty certainly to be of German origin
is _Leopardi_, corresponding with the O.G. Leopard, for Liubhard
(_liub_, love, and _hard_, fortis). There was a Lombard named Leopard
who was abbot of Nonantola in Italy in the tenth century. Then we have
_Amalungi_, from the O.G. Amalung, fifth century, a patronymic form,
"son of Amal or Amala," the (perhaps mythical) forerunner of the Goths.
The French have the name, _Hamel_ and _Ameling_, and we have _Hammill_,
_Hamling_, and _Hambling_. This is another of the cases in which a name
has outlived its etymon; we know that _amal_ was a word of honourable
meaning, but as to its origin even the patient research of the Germans
has failed to find a clue. The name _Amalthius_ may also be taken as
certainly German, from _amal_ as above, and the common Old German ending
_thius_, _dio_, or _tio_, servant, though we do not find a name to
correspond in the _Altdeutsches Namenbuch_. There was also a painter
_Amalteo_, whose name is a variation of the same. Another name which I
take to be German, without finding the ancient name to correspond, is
_Boiardo_, _boi_ (supposed by the Germans to mean Bavarian) being a
common prefix in Old German names, and _hard_ one of the most common
endings. The French have, among other names derived from their Frankish
ancestors, the corresponding names _Boyard_ and _Poyard_, and we
ourselves have _Byard_, which I take to be from the same origin. Then we
have _Berni_ (O.G. Berno), _Bernini_ (O.G. Bernin), and _Beroaldus_
(O.G. Berowald).
There remain yet two distinguished names, _Alfieri_ and _Guarini_. The
former may be from the O.G. Alfheri, _alf_, elf, and _heri_, warrior,
the sense contained in the former word being perhaps that of occult
wisdom. Hence it would correspond with our surnames _Albery_ and
_Aubery_, Alfheri and Albheri being convertible Old German names.
_Guarini_ may, with somewhat more of certainty, be taken to be from the
Old Frankish name Guarin, formed on the principle already referred to on
other Old German names, Warin and Warno. Hence our names _Warren_ and
_Warne_, and the French _Guerin_. The Wearningas, "sons or descendants
of Wearn," are among the early Saxon settlers referred to in Chapter
IV., and Warin is found as an early name in the _Liber Vitae_. There are
some other names which may very possibly be of German origin, but the
form of which is not sufficiently distinct to make the connection
generally intelligible.
I conclude this chapter with a suggestion as to the possibly German
origin of one who but of late occupied a considerable place in European
politics, viz. _Gambetta_. This name is of Italian origin, and I venture
to think may be one of those given to Italy by the Germans, and perhaps
most probably by the Lombards. There was a Gambad who ruled over Ticino
in the ancient duchy of Milan, and was subsequently driven out by
Pertharit, who thereupon became the ruler of the whole of Lombardy.
Gambad seems to be probably a Lombard form of Ganbad (_gan_, magic, or
fascination, and _bad_, war), or it might be of Gandbad (_gand_, wolf),
both ancient German stems. This name Gambad would in French take the
form of Gambette,[53] and in Italian of Gambetta. It would be curious if
this name were one left behind by the Lombards (or possibly even the
Franks) in their invasion of Italy, and restored to France to rouse her
to a gallant though unavailing attempt to stem the tide of another
German invasion. And very suitable too would be the name, in the sense
of magic or fascination, to one whose energy and eloquence acted as such
a potent spell to revive the drooping courage of his countrymen.
FOOTNOTES:
[50] When there are two Old German names, the former is that which is
found in a form most nearly corresponding with the Italian, the latter
is that which may be taken to be the most correct form.
[51] Names of a similar kind are the O.G. Gervid, our _Garwood_,
signifying "spear-wood." Also the O.G. Asquid, whence the Ascuit in
_Domesday_, and our present names _Asqwith_ and _Ashwith_, signifying
"ash-wood," of which spears used to be made.
[52] Diez takes it to be a contraction of Adalgar.
[53] As in the French names _Gerbet_ and _Herbette_, representing the
Old Frankish names Gerbad and Herbad.
CHAPTER IX.
VARIOUS UNENUMERATED STEMS.
In the present chapter I propose to include a few stems which were not
taken into account in my previous work, or respecting which I may have
something more to say.
I have referred, at page 75, to Lappenberg's theory, that Franks,
Lombards, and Frisians were associated with the Saxons in the early
invasions of England. His theory seems to be based only upon the general
relations which subsisted between these different tribes, and the
various other occasions on which they are found to have been acting in
concert. I have, in a previous chapter, referred to the subject so far
as the Franks are concerned, and endeavoured to show that there were in
Anglo-Saxon times, and that there are in our names at present, certain
peculiarities which are in accordance with Frankish forms, and so far
favour the theory that Franks were among the early settlers.
There is another peculiarity which seems to be found in some of the
names of Anglo-Saxon times, the form _ch_ for (as I suppose) _g_, as in
such a name as Cissa (Chissa) and Cippa (Chippa). Cissa I should
suppose to be the same name as Gisa, that of a bishop in the time of
Edward the Confessor, and Cippa the same as Gyp in Gypeswich. May not
this be a Frisian form? Chippo comes before us as a name apparently
Frisian.
CHIPP, CHIPPING, CHIPMAN, CHEESE, CHESSON, CHESMAN, CHESNUT, CHURN,
CHIRNIE, CHITTY.
If the above be correct, Chipp, corresponding with an Anglo-Saxon Cippa
found in Cippenham, a Ceapa found in Ceapan hlaew, and Cypa in Cypingas,
also with a Chippo probably Frisian, would be another form of Gibb or
Gipp, _geban_, to give. And Cheese, which appears as Chese in the
_Hundred Rolls_, may represent Cissa as another form of Gisa (_gis_,
hostage). There is a present Friesic name Tsjisse, which, though it
looks more like an attempt to represent a sneeze than anything else, I
take to have the sound of Chissa. Chesson may be taken to be from the
ending in _en_, p. 27, and Chesnut might be from the ending _noth_,
bold, frequent in Anglo-Saxon names. Churn and Chirney, corresponding
with an O.G. Chirno, and perhaps with the Cearningas among the early
settlers, might come in here as another form of _gern_, eager. And
Chitty, perhaps the same name as that found in the Cidingas, may
possibly be, on the same principle, another form of Giddy, Kiddy, or
Kitty (stem _gid_, hilaris).
MUMM, MUMMY, MUMMERY.
There are a few Old German names, mostly of women, in Mam and Mum. And
there are also two Old Frankish women's names, Mamma and Momma
(apparently overlooked by Foerstemann), in the _Pol. Irm._ It seems
difficult to take these names as from anything else than the
widely-spread word signifying mother. In an age when names sat much more
lightly than they do now, one might fancy such a word superseding a
woman's original name. I can even conceive the possibility of such a
name, its origin having somewhat passed out of sight, being given in a
masculine form to a son. We have several instances in the _Pol. Irm._ of
such a custom; for instance, where, the mother being called Genesia, the
son is called Genesius, and the mother being called Deodata, the son is
called Deodatus. However, this cannot be taken for anything more than a
somewhat speculative suggestion. As in present use, the French name Mumm
is well known in connection with dry champagne; the Germans have Muhm,
and though I am not quite certain of Mumm as an English name, I think we
may count upon Mummy (ending in _i_, p. 24). Mummery might be a compound
(_hari_, warrior), but from the facility with which _n_ passes into _m_,
I should be more disposed to take it to be a corruption of Munnery,
corresponding with an O.G. Munihari, Goth. _munan_, to think.
BODY, FREEBODY, GOODBODY, LIGHTBODY, PEABODY, HANDSOMEBODY.
_Body_ I take to be from O.N. _bodi_, envoy or messenger. It is found as
an ending in many ancient names, particularly among the Saxons. And in
our surnames it appears sometimes as representing ancient names, and
sometimes more probably as a sobriquet of a later period. In the
"Household Expences" of Eleanor, Countess of Montford, A.D. 1265, the
names of her three messengers are given as Treubodi, Gobithesty, and
Slingaway. These are all sobriquets,--Treubody is "trusty messenger,"
Gobithesty is from A.S. _sti_, a footpath, hence the name may be
equivalent to "short-cut," and the last explains itself. Our name
Handsomebody has clearly been a sobriquet of the same kind, and,
referring to the older sense of "handsome," means a handy or useful
messenger. Peabody, which I think may have been originally Pipbody, from
_pipr_, swift, active, may also have been a sobriquet. So may Goodbody
and Lightbody, but it is by no means certain. We might take our
Lightfoot to have been a sobriquet, but we find a corresponding name,
Lytafus (_fus_, foot) on Roman pottery. Freebody probably represents the
O.G. Frithubodo, compounded with _frith_, peace.
BRAGG, BRACKIE, BRAY, PRAY, BRAGAN, BRACKEN, BRAIN, BRACKING, BRACKETT,
BRAYMAN, BRAKEMAN, BREWIN.
There are two different origins from which this stem might be derived,
A.S. _brego_, king, ruler, and A.S. _bracan_, to break, subdue, crush,
the former being perhaps preferable upon the whole. There are but very
few names in Old German, and Foerstemann does not make any suggestion as
to the origin.
A.S. Braeg (found in Braegeshale), Bracca (found in Braccanheal). O.G.
Brachio, Thuringian, sixth century. Eng. Bragg, Brackie, Bray, Pray.
Ending in _en_, p. 27.
A.S. Bregen (found in Bregnesford). Eng. Bragan, Bracken, Brain.
Ending in _el_, prob. diminutive.
A.S. Brakel (found in Brakelesham). Eng. Breakell.
_Patronymic._
Eng. Bracking.
_Compounds._
(_Had_, war?), A.S. Breged (found in Bregedeswere)--Eng. Brackett.
(_Man_, vir), Eng. Brakeman, Brayman (Mod. G. Brackmann, French
Braquemin). (_Wine_, friend), A.S. Bregowin (Archbishop of
Canterbury)--Eng. Brewin.
LORD, LORDING.
We may take the above to be the same as an A.S. Lorta and Lorting, p.
100. And whatever may be the origin, it is certainly not A.S. _hlaford_,
Eng. "lord." There are two isolated names in the _Altdeutsches
Namenbuch_, Laurad and Lorad, both seventh century, of which the
Anglo-Saxon name seems not improbably to be a contraction. The word
concerned might be A.S. _lar_, lore, learning, Old North. _laerdr_
(larad?), learned. Stark however seems to take Laurad and Lorad to be
Celtic. But in the genealogy of the sons of Woden in the _Edda_ of
Snorro occurs the name Loride, which, though Snorro's names are not
always trustworthy, seems to point to the existence of an ancient
Teutonic name corresponding with those in the _Altdeutsches Namenbuch_,
and so far to favour the derivation which I have suggested.
STUDD, STOTT, STOUT, STUTTER, STODDART, STUDEARD. STITT, STEED, STADD,
STIDOLPH.
We find Anglo-Saxon names to account for all the names of the former of
these two groups, viz., Stut, Stuter (_her_, warrior), and Stutard
(_hard_, fortis). The word concerned does not seem to have anything to
do with Eng. "stout," which seems to have lost an _l_, and to have been
originally _stolt_. The group is no doubt parallel with the second
group, which is more distinctly represented in Old German names, and
which may be referred to O.N. _stedia_, firmare, _staddr_, constitutus,
A.S. _stide_, _stith_, firm, steadfast; our Stidolph corresponding with
an O.G. Stadolf, and a Stithuulf in the _Liber Vitae_.
FOGG, FOGGO, FUDGE, FEW.
There are Old German names Focco and Fucco, for which Foerstemann
proposes O.N. _fok_, flight. And there is a Fuca, rather probably a
corresponding name, on Roman pottery. Among the Anglo-Saxons we have
Focingas, early settlers in Kent. Also Focga and Fucg, deduced from
place-names, p. 99. Foerstemann seems to take this as the stem on which
is formed _fugal_, fowl, bird.
FLAGG, FLACK, FLECK, FLUCK, FLY, FLEA, FLEW.
The Fleccingas are among the early settlers inferred by Mr. Kemble. And
there are also Anglo-Saxon names Flegg, Flecg, and Flogg, deduced from
place-names, p. 99. The name Floki, of a Northman in the _Landnamabok_,
also comes in here. There is also another Northman called Flugu-Grimr,
"Fly or Flyer Grim," a kind of inverted surname. The origin may be taken
to be A.S. _fleogan_, O.N. _fliuga_, to fly. And this group may be taken
to be fundamentally parallel with the last.
CLEAN, CLINE, KLYNE.
There is a Clen in the genealogy of the Merovingian kings, and there is
perhaps an A.S. Clena to be deduced from the place-names Clenanford,
Clenancrundel, &c. It may probably be from A.S. _clene_, clean, pure.
"The original sense seems to have been bright."--_Skeat_. This may
probably be the sense in names.
SWEARS, SWEARING, SWIRE, SQUIRE, SQUARE, SQUAREY, SQUIRRELL.
The stem _swar_, _swer_, in O.G. names, is referred by Foerstemann to
O.H.G. _suari_, weighty, important, Goth. _swers_, honourable. There is
an A.S. Sweor found in a place-name, p. 102, and there is an O.G.
Suaring corresponding with our Swearing. Also a Suara on Roman pottery,
which I take to be German, and to represent the stem of which Suaring is
a patronymic. I take Squire and Square to be phonetic corruptions of
Swire and Swear, and Squirrell to be properly Swirrell, a diminutive.
LUMB, LUMP, LUMPKIN.
Lumbe is also a present German name, and seems to be the same as an O.G.
Lumpe, which Stark takes to be a contraction of some compound name,
perhaps Lundbert. Lump and the diminutive Lumpkin are from _Suffolk
Surnames_, and may be German and not English.
KNELL, NELLY, NILL, KNELLER.
Of the Cnyllingas, settled in Northamptonshire, I find no further trace
in Anglo-Saxon times, nor anything to correspond in Old German names.
The name is also a very uncommon one at present, the above Knell, Nelly,
and Nill being all taken from _Suffolk Surnames_, though Knell at all
events was an English name. Kneller, as the name of the painter, is of
Dutch origin; it seems to be a compound from this stem (_hari_,
warrior). The origin may perhaps be found in O.N. _hnalla_, to beat.
KNAPP, KNAPPING, KNIBB, KNIPE, KNIPPING, NAF NAPP, NAPKIN, KNIFE,
KNYVETT.
One of the oldest Low German names on record is Hnaf, mentioned in the
"Traveller's Song," written, as supposed, about the fifth century. There
is a corresponding O.G. Hnabi, eighth century, the origin being, no
doubt, A.S. _cnapa_, _cnafa_, son, boy. To this may be placed our names
Knapp, Napp, and the patronymic Knapping. (The name Naf, in _Suffolk
Surnames_, may possibly not be English.) I also take the A.S. Cnebba[54]
to come in here, also Hnibba, found in Hnibbanleah (Hnibba's lea), and
Nybba, found in Nybbanbeorh (Nybba's barrow), and so connect also our
names Knibb, Knipe, and Knipping. Stark also brings in here the name
Cniva, of a Gothic king of the third century, and Cnivida, also the
name of a Goth, placed by Foerstemann to A.S. _cnif_, knife. If this be
correct, our name Knife might also come in here, parallel with Knipe,
and also Knyvet as probably a diminutive. Also Napkin, another
diminutive = Germ. _knabchen_.
PIM, PYM.
The father of the Lombard king Rachis was called Pimo. There is also a
Pymma about the tenth century in the _Liber Vitae_. As to the origin of
the name, I am unable to offer any suggestion. It may be, as Stark
opines, a contraction of some compound name.
WAMBEY, WAMPEN.
Wamba was the name of a West-Gothic king in the seventh century, and
there was also a deacon of the same name a few years earlier. I do not
know of it as an Anglo-Saxon name, but I suppose Scott must have had
some authority for introducing it as the name of the jester in
_Ivanhoe_. The only derivation that can be suggested is from the Goth.
_wamba_, belly, giving it the meaning of "paunchey." But it was not a
nickname in the case of the Gothic king, for he bore it upon his coins,
and it is difficult, as Stark observes, to suppose such a name for a
king. Finding, however, on certain of his coins the variation Wanba,
Stark is inclined to think that it may be a contraction of some name
such as Wanbert. Was it by literary intuition that Scott pitched upon
such a name for the jester, or did he know of its supposed meaning of
"paunchey"?
The name may be represented in our Wambey, though it is perhaps quite
as likely to be from some Danish place-name in _by_, such as Wanby or
Wandby. Wampen, however, if there is such a stem, might be placed to it.
STRANG, STRONG, STRANK, STRANGWARD, STRANGWICK, STRINGLE, STRINGFELLOW.
There are two A.S. forms, _strang_ and _streng_, represented in the
above. The only Anglo-Saxon names that I can find are a Stranglic dux in
a charter of Ina, and a Streng, found in Strengesho, "Streng's
grave-mound." Stranglic is the A.S. _stranglic_, strong, and looks like
a sobriquet which had superseded his original name. Streng might be the
same as far as it is itself concerned, but there is an O.G. Strangulf
(_ulf_, wolf) which, along with our own names Strangward and Strangwick,
strongly suggests an ancient baptismal name, and a formation in
accordance with the Teutonic system. The last name, Stringfellow, must
have been a sobriquet,--it probably represents a mediaeval Strengfelaw,
and has been rather curiously corrupted, owing to the meaning of
_streng_ not being recognised.
STRAY, STRAW, STRETCH, STREEK, STRAIN, STRICKETT, STRAIGHT.
Closely allied to _strang_ and _streng_ are A.S. _strac_ and _strec_,
violent, powerful, brave, whence I take the above. The only ancient
names to correspond are an O.G. Strago, ninth century, and Strocgo,
eighth century. Strain and Straight represent respectively the forms
Stragin and Stragget, formed with the endings in _en_ and in _et_
referred to in Chapter II.
STARK, STARKIE, STARR, STARCH, STURGE, STURGIN, STURGEON, STERICKER.
From the A.S. _stearc_, _sterc_, O.H.G. _starah_, _starh_, stiff,
strong, I take the above. This form _starc_ seems formed by metathesis
from the above _strac_,--indeed, all the three forms, _strang_,
_strack_, and _stark_, are etymologically very closely allied. This stem
enters distinctly into the Teutonic system, but besides the simple form
Stark, corresponding with O.G. Starco and Staracho, we have only
Stericker, corresponding with an O.G. Starcher (_her_, warrior).
EAVESTAFF, LANGSTAFF, WAGSTAFF, HACKSTAFF, SHAKESTAFF, COSTIFF.
These names ending in _staff_ might naturally be taken to have been
sobriquets, to be classed along with Shakespear, Breakspear, and other
names of the same kind. But as regards two of them at least, Hackstaff
and Shakestaff, there may be something more to be said. There is an
ending _staf_ in Teutonic names, for which Grimm, referring to Gustaf,
thinks of O.H.G. _stab_, A.S. _staf_, staff,--in the sense, as I should
suppose, of baton, or staff of office. There are only discovered as yet
two Old German names with this ending, Chustaff and Sigestab. The
former, which seems to be from _cunst_ or _cust_, science, learning, may
be the original of the Swedish Gustaf, and possibly of Costiff, one of
the curious names gathered by Mr. Lower. Corresponding with the O.G.
Sigestab, we find an A.S. Sigistef, a moneyer of Coenwulf. And there is
also a Hehstaf, witness to a charter (_Thorpe_, p. 69). Shakestaff,
then, might be a not very difficult corruption of Sigestef (which in
the form of Sicestaf would approach still nearer). And Hackstaff might
represent the A.S. Hehstaf, in which the second _h_ was no doubt
strongly aspirated, and might be more like a hard _c_. I, however, only
bring this forward as a possible explanation; there is quite as much to
be said for the other view, unless other ancient names turn up.
NAGLE, NAIL, HARTNOLL, DARNELL, TUFFNELL, HORSENAIL, HOOFNAIL, ISNELL,
BRAZNELL, COPPERNOLL.
There is in my view no more curious or puzzling set of names than those
which, as above, are derived from _nagel_ or nail, clavis. It appears to
me, though the line is difficult to draw, that they may be divided into
two groups, one of which is the representative of ancient baptismal
names, and the other of surnames of a later, perhaps a mediaeval, date.
Connected with the former we have Nagle and Nail, corresponding with an
O.G. Nagal, ninth century, and an A.S. Negle and Naele, found in
place-names, p. 101. Then there are two Old German compounds, Hartnagal
(hard nail) and Swarnagal (heavy nail), respectively of the eighth and
ninth centuries. The former of these two names we have as Hartnoll, and
the Germans have it as Haertnagel. Then I find two more examples among
the Anglo-Saxons, Spernaegle in a charter of manumission at Exeter, and
Dearnagle in a place-name, p. 98. Spernaegle is "spear-nail," and
Dearnagle is probably the same, from O.N. _doerr_, spear. The latter of
these two names we seem to have as Darnell, and the Germans as
Thuernagel. Then we have Tuffnell, which, as Mr. Lower mentions, was in
the seventeenth century spelt Tufnaile, and might be taken to mean
"tough-nail," but for this we find no corresponding ancient name. There
is a Celtic Dufnal, to which, as being a name adopted from them by the
Northmen, and so having an increased chance of being represented, it
might perhaps be placed. But if this be the case (which I rather doubt),
it would have nothing to do with the present group. The sense in these
ancient names may be taken to be a warlike one, as in the case of other
names having the meaning of point or edge, acies. We find Naegling as the
name given by an Anglo-Saxon to his sword, in accordance with the
ancient custom, prevalent both among the Celts and the Saxons, of giving
names to weapons, and this assists to point the meaning as that of edge,
acies. And it seems to me hardly necessary to assume, with Mone
(_Heldensage_), any connection with the mythological smith, Weland.
Then there is another set of names of which we have a considerable
number, and the Germans still more, which appear to have been given at a
later period, and to be perhaps, at least in some cases, derived from
trade. Such are Horsnail, and the corresponding German Rosnagel;
Hoofnail, and the German Hufnagel; while there are others, such as
Isnell (iron nail), Coppernoll (and Germ. Kupfernagel), about which I
hardly know what to think.
HONE, HEAN, HEANEY, ONKEN, ENNOR, HONNER, HENFREY, ENRIGHT, ONWHYN,
ENOUGH.
A very common stem in A.S. names is _ean_, the meaning of which remains
yet unexplained. We seem to have received it both in the Low German
form _ean_ and the High German form _aun_ or _on_. The Honingas
(Oningas) among the early settlers must, I think, be placed to it. It is
very apt to intermix with another stem _an_, to which I formerly placed
a few names which I think should come in here.
Stem _ean_, _en_, _aun_, _on_.
A.S. Eana, Enna (found in Ennanbeorh), Hean (found in Heanspol, &c).
Also Onna (found in Onnandun). Hona, found in Honingas. Ona, _Lib. Vit._
O.G. Ono, Oni. Eng. Hean, Heaney, Hone. Fries. Onno.
_Diminutive._
A.S. Honekyn (found in Honekyntun, now Hankerton). Eng. Onken.
_Compounds._
(_Frid_, peace), A.S. Eanfrith--O.G. Aunefrit, Onfred--Eng. Henfrey.[55]
(_Hari_, warrior), O.G. Onheri--O.N. Onar--Eng. Honnor, Ennor. (_Rad_,
_Red_, counsel), A.S. Eanred--O.G. Onrada--Eng. Enright (=Enrat?).
(_Wine_, friend), A.S. Eanwini, Inwine (found in Inwines burg)--Eng.
Onwhyn. (_Wulf_, wolf), A.S. Eanulf--O.G. Aunulf brother of Odoaker,
fifth century--Eng. Enough. (_Ward_ guardian), Eng. Onword.
IMPEY, EMPEY, HEMP, HAMP, HAMPER, HEMPER.
Mr. Kemble finds Impingas in Impington, in Cambridgeshire, though it
would seem incorrectly, as far as the tribe or family is concerned, the
name being only that of a man, Impin. The name Impa is found also in
Ympanleage, in Worcestershire. A sufficient meaning may perhaps be found
in A.S. _impan_, to plant, engraft. To this stem I place Impey, Hemp,
and probably Hamp, while Hamper and Hemper may be compounds (_hari_,
warrior). There is a stem _umb_ in Old German names, which may perhaps
claim relationship.
CAUNCE, CHANCE, CHANCEY, CHANCELL, CANSICK, KENSAL, KENSETT.
The Cenesingas, found by Kemble in Kensington, would, if the
Anglo-Saxons had possessed the requisite letters, have been better
represented by Kenzingas, being, as I take it, from a stem _ganz_,
_genz_, _kenz_, referred by Foerstemann to _ganz_, integer. I am
inclined to take our names Chance, Chancey, &c., to represent the form
_kanz_ in a softened form, come to us through the Normans. The forms of
the name in the _Roll of Battle Abbey_, Kancey, Cauncy, and Chauncy, and
the present French names, Cance, Chanceau, and Chanzy, seem to be in
conformity with this view. The French seem to have some other names from
the same stem, as Cancalon (O.G. Gansalin) and Gantzere (O.G. Gentsar).
The forms Cansick, Kensal (both diminutives, and the latter answering to
Chancel), and Kensett, may be taken to represent the native form of the
stem as found in Kenzingas.
SNOAD, SNODIN, SNOWDEN (?), SNODGRASS.
Of the Snotingas, who gave the name to Snotingaham, now Nottingham, we
have not many traces, either in Anglo-Saxon times or at present. There
are three Anglo-Saxon names, Snode, Snodd, and Snoding, derived from
place-names, p. 102. In Old German names it only occurs as the ending of
two or three names of women. The meaning is to be found in A.S. _snot_,
prudent, sagacious. The name Snodgrass may be a compound from this stem
as a corruption of Snodgast, though no ancient correspondent has turned
up,--compare Prendergrass, p. 114.
THRALE.
This is a very uncommon name; I never knew of an instance other than
that of the brewer who is handed down to posterity as the friend of
Johnson. So also in ancient times there is only one name on record,
Thralo, for which Foerstemann proposes Old Friesic, _thrall_, swift,
nimble.
EARWAKER, EDDIKER.
The curious-looking name Earwaker is no doubt the same as an Eueruacer
(Everwacer), in _Domesday_, from _evor_, boar, and _wacar_, watchful,
and it is of interest as supplying a missing link in the study of Old
German names. For the Old German name corresponding to this appears as
Eburacer, and while some other German writers have taken the ending to
be _acer_ (Eng. _acre_), Foerstemann has, rightly as it is proved,
suggested that it is a contraction of _wacer_. Similarly the ancient
name Odoacer, of the king of the Heruli, is proved by corresponding
Anglo-Saxon names, Edwaker in a charter of manumission at Exeter, and
Edwacer on coins minted at Norwich (A.S. _ed_ = O.H.G. _od_), to be
properly Odwacer. From this A.S. Edwaker may be our name Eddiker; and
some others of our names, as _Goodacre_ and _Hardacre_, may represent
ancient names not yet turned up.[56] The second part of the compound,
_wacer_ (whence our _Waker_), is itself a very ancient stem, being found
on the one hand in the Wacer(ingas), among the early Saxon settlers, and
on the other in the name Vacir, probably Frankish, on Roman pottery.
SHAWKEY, CHALKEY, CHALK, CAULK, KELK, CHALKLEN, CALKING, CHALKER,
CHAUCER.
We may take it that our name Shawkey (Shalkey) is the same as an A.S.
Scealc, p. 101, and as an O.G. Scalco, from _scalc_, servant. And the
question is, whether our names Caulk, Chalk, and Chalkey, corresponding
with an A.S. Cealca (found apparently in Cealcan gemero), and our name
Kelk, corresponding with an A.S. Celc, p. 98, may not be forms of the
same name without the initial _s_. Or whether they may be, as I before
suggested, from the tribe-name of the Chauci or Cauci, one of the
peoples included in the Frankish confederation. Of such a stem, however,
there is not any trace in the _Altdeutsches Namenbuch_, which one might
rather expect to be the case, seeing how fully Old Frankish names are
therein represented. However, I am not able to come to any definite
conclusion respecting this stem, which the forms above cited show to be
an ancient one. The French names Chaussy, Chaussee, Cauche, Cauchy, seem
to be in correspondence, as also Chaussier, comparing with Chaucer,
which, as a softened form, I think may have come through the Normans.
FOOTNOTES:
[54] Kemble explains Cnebba as "he that hath a beak," which would seem
to make it a sobriquet. But it certainly seems more reasonable to bring
it into an established stem.
[55] This name might also be deduced from another stem.
[56] Unless, as seems possible, Goodacre may represent the Old German
name Gundachar.
CHAPTER X
NAMES WHICH ARE NOT WHAT THEY SEEM.
It follows inevitably that, among the multitude of names such as are
included within the scope of this work, there must be many which, though
being of ancient origin, accidentally coincide with other words of
modern meaning. And thus there are several which might be taken to be
from names of women, such as the following:--
ANNE, NANNY, BETTY, SALL, MOLL, PEGG, BABB, MAGG, MEGGY, MAY, MAYO,
NELLY, LUCY, KITTY, HANNAH, MAUDE.
These are all English surnames, and have sometimes been accounted for on
the supposition of illegitimacy. Now, I am very much inclined to doubt
the existence, at least in England, of any names derived from women,
inasmuch as in the whole range of our surnames I do not know of one that
is _unmistakably_ so derived. There is certainly a case, referred to at
p. 57, of a surname ending in _trud_, a specially female ending, but, as
I have there remarked, it does not necessarily follow that the word is
the same as that used in women's names. There is, moreover, another name
which a little puzzles me, _Goodeve_, which looks as if it were from
the A.S. Godgefa, later Godiva. This is from a special female ending,
and I know of no corresponding masculine. But this might be an
exceptional case, for I doubt not that many a child in England, and
possibly even boys, with an unwonted masculine ending, might be called
after the noble woman who freed her people from the tax--
"And made herself an everlasting name."
However, whether this might be so or not, the case seems scarcely
sufficient of itself to establish the principle. And with regard to
names such as those of which I am now treating, the resemblance is only
apparent, and, as I shall proceed to show, these are all in reality
ancient names of men. Anna, for instance, was a king of the East Angles,
and Moll the name of a king of Northumbria. Anna, Betti, Salla, Moll,
Pega, are early men's names in the _Liber Vitae_, and all of the above
are to be found in some kindred form in the _Altdeutsches Namenbuch_.
And some of these names still bear their ancient meaning on their front,
thus Pegg is the "pegger," and Moll (or Maule, the more proper form) is
the "mauler," the stem being referred to Goth. _mauljan_, to maul.
To take, then, these names in order, Anne, which corresponds with many
ancient names besides that of the king of the East Angles, among others
with that of an Anna, Archbishop of Cologne in the eleventh century, may
be referred to O.H.G. _ano_, ancestor. And Hannah (more properly Hanna)
is, with the ending in _a_, p. 24, the same as Hanney and Hann, probably
from the same stem, the _h_ being falsely assumed. Nanny corresponds
with an O.G. Nanno, referred to Goth. _nanthian_, audere. Betty, along
with which we must take Batty, is to be referred to A.S. _beado_, O.H.G.
_bado_, war, found in many ancient names. Sall, along with Sala, is from
a stem, p. 62, supposed by Foerstemann to mean dark. Kitty, along with
Kitt and Kitto, and also Kidd, corresponding with an A.S. Cydd, p. 98,
and a Cyda, in the _Liber Vitae_, is from a stem _gid_, _kit_, referred
to A.S. _giddian_, to sing. Babb, corresponding with an A.S. Babba, the
name of a moneyer, and other ancient names, is from a stem which
Foerstemann thinks must have been originally derived from "children's
speech." Magg and Meggy, corresponding with an A.S. Maeg and Mecga, and
an O.G. Megi, are from a stem referred to Goth. _magan_, posse, valere;
and May, along with Mayo, corresponding with an O.G. Maio, and perhaps
with a Maio on Roman pottery, is a softened form of the same. Lucy
corresponds with an O.G. Liuzi, a High German form from _liud_, people,
and I think must have come to us through the Normans. Nelly, along with
Knell, is referred to at p. 161, as probably from O.N. _hnalla_, to
beat. Maude stands on a somewhat different footing from the rest, the
surname being really in this case from the same origin as the woman's
name. But the woman's name, as I shall endeavour to show in the next
chapter, owes its origin to an ancient mistake, and is properly a man's
name.
_Names apparently from Animals._
Many of the names apparently from animals are also to be otherwise
explained. A few of the nobler animals, as the bear, the wolf, and the
boar, are to be found in the names of men throughout the Teutonic
system. The lion also and the horse occur, though by no means so
commonly. The _urus_, or wild ox, appears to have contributed a few
names, of which our _Ure_ may be one. I have met with the fox in one
single instance, that of a Northman, Fueks, on a runic inscription quoted
by Stevens, though it is rather probable that Foxes beorh, "Fox's
barrow" (Kemble, _Cod. Dip._), may also be from the name of a man. Among
birds, the eagle, the raven, and the swan were common throughout the
Teutonic system, the last, among the Germans, more especially in the
names of women. To account for this, Weinhold observes that along with
the beauty of the swan was contained a warlike sense derived from the
swan plumage of the maids of Odin. But among the Danes and the Saxon
sea-rovers Swan seems to have been common as a man's name, and in this
case the idea was more probably that of the way in which the swan rides
the waters as the ideal of a rover's life. The eagle, the raven, the
swan, the hawk, and the finch seem to be found in the Earningas, the
Raefningas, the Suaningas, the Haucingas, and the Fincingas, among our
early settlers, though the two last do not seem to occur in the Teutonic
system generally. I doubt all names that appear to be from fishes, and,
with one notable exception, all names that appear to be from reptiles or
insects. That exception is the snake, which was in special favour for
the names of men among the Danes and Northmen, there being no fewer than
twenty-four men called Ormr (worm or snake) in the _Landnamabok_ of
Iceland. Hence the name _Orme_, rather common among us, and the Saxon
form _Worm_, not by any means common. Among the Germans the snake was,
according to Weinhold, who looks upon it as the type of fascination and
insinuation, in especial favour for the names of women. The two
principal words in use among them were _lind_ (O.H.G. _lint_, snake) and
_ling_ (O.N. _lingvi_, serpent). Hence may be our _Lind_ and _Lindo_,
corresponding with an O.G. Linto; and _Ling_ and _Lingo_, corresponding
with an O.G. Lingo, and an O.N. Lingi. But both of these derivations are
somewhat uncertain, and especially the former, for I venture to think
that _lind_, gentle, is at least as appropriate for women as _lind_,
snake. To come then to the names which I take to be otherwise explained.
CAMEL, LEOPARD, BUCK, PIGG, RABBIT, CAT, RAT, MOUSE, SQUIRRELL. GOOSE,
GOSLING, GANDER, DUCK, DUCKLING, OSTRICH, LARK, WREN. FISH, SHARK,
DOLPHIN, SALMON, TROUT, WHITING, SMELT, HADDOCK, HERRING, TUNNY, SPRATT,
MINNOW, LAMPREY. MOTH, MOTE, FLY, FLEA, EARWIG, EMMETT.
Of the above, Camel is another form of Gamol, signifying old; there is a
Northman called Kamol in a runic inscription in Stevens. Leopard (see p.
151) is a corruption of Liubhard. Buck is found among the early Saxon
settlers, also as an O.G. Bucco, and a Buccus, rather probably German,
on Roman pottery, and may be taken to be another form of Bugg, p. 3.
Pigg, corresponding with an O.G. Pigo, must be referred to the same stem
as Pegg, viz. _bichen_, to slash. Rabbit is no doubt the same as a
Rabbod, a "Duke of the Frisians" mentioned by Roger of Wendover, a
contraction of Radbod, p. 119. Catt, along with Cattey, is another form
of Gatty, corresponding with an O.G. Gatto (_gatten_, to unite). Ratt,
corresponding with a French Ratte, may be referred to an O.G. Rato
(_rad_ or _rat_, counsel). Along with Mouse I take Moss, also a present
German Muss, and a French Mousse, all of which may be referred to an
O.G. Muoza, a High German form of _mod_, _mot_, courage; this name
having rather probably come to us through the Normans. Squirrell I have
referred to at p. 160. Goose and Gosling I also take to have probably
come to us through the Normans, as representing a High German form of
the stem _gaud_ (supposed to mean Goth). There are to compare French
names Gousse, Gosselin, Josselin, corresponding with Old German names
Gauso and Gauzelin, the latter a diminutive. Hence also, as a Christian
name, Jocelyn, of Old Frankish origin, come to us through the Normans.
Gander is from an A.S. Gandar, referred to in its place as a compound of
_gand_, probably signifying wolf. Duck, corresponding with a Duce (hard
_c_) in the _Liber Vitae_, is another form of Tuck, as in the Tucingas,
early settlers in Kemble's list, from the stem _dug_, A.S. _dugan_, to
be "doughty." And Duckling, corresponding with an A.S. Duceling, p. 98,
and an O.G. Dugelin, is a diminutive (like Gosling) from the same stem.
Ostrich represents an O.G. Austoric, and an A.S. Estrich (_Auster_ or
_Easter_ orientalis). Wren, along with Rennie and Renno, is from a stem
referred to _ran_, rapine; though it may also be the same name as Rain,
from _ragin_, counsel. Lark and Laverock are perhaps a little uncertain;
we find Anglo-Saxon names Lauerc, Lauroca, and Laferca, which might be
from the A.S. _laferc_, O.E. _laverock_, lark. On the whole, however, I
am rather more disposed to take them to be from Lafer among the early
settlers (not I think a compound) with the diminutive ending _ec_, and
similarly I would take Leverett to be formed from the same word, _lafer_
or _lefer_, with the (perhaps also diminutive) ending _et_.
Coming to names apparently from fishes, I question very much whether
Fiske and Fish are from A.S. _fisc_, pisces, though Foerstemann, in
default of a better, gives that meaning in an ancient name, Fisculf. I
think it is one of the cases in which a meaning is to be got from the
Celtic, and take it that the Welsh _ffysg_, impetuous, supplies the
sense that is required, of which also some slight traces are to be found
in Teutonic dialects. Shark and Sharkey I take to be the same name as
Sere in the _Liber Vitae_, from A.S. _serc_, Sco. "sark," shirt, in the
sense of a shirt of mail. It is formed, according to Diefenbach, upon a
stem _sar_ or _ser_, signifying armatura, p. 62; whence an O.G. Saracho,
corresponding with the above. The Sercings are a tribe or family
mentioned in the "Traveller's Song," and in connection with the Serings:
"With the Sercings I was, and with the Serings."
The connection between the two, however, is here probably only for the
sake of the alliteration. Dolphin is the Danish name Dolgfinnr, p. 48.
There was a Dolfin, presumably of Scandinavian origin, governor of
Carlisle in the time of Rufus. Herring and Whiting are both from the
Anglo-Saxon patronymic, p. 28, and Haddock, with the M.G. Haedicke, is a
diminutive from the stem _had_, war, p. 54. Tunny, along with Tunn and
Tunno (Tunna, _Lib. Vit._), is another form of Dunn, a common
Anglo-Saxon name. Spratt I class along with Sprout and Sprott, comparing
them with an O.G. Sprutho, as from Goth, _sprauto_, nimble, active. And
Minnow, along with Minn and Minney, corresponding with an O.G. Minna,
may be taken to be from A.S. _myn_, love, affection. Salmon is the same
as an O.G. Salaman, from, as supposed, _salo_, dark; and Trout may be
the same as an O.G. Truto, probably signifying beloved. Smelt may be
taken to be from A.S. _smelt_, gentle; it occurs once as the name of an
Anglo-Saxon, but does not seem to be a word entering into the Teutonic
system, and may have been originally a sobriquet. Lamprey I have already
referred to, p. 115, as a probable corruption of Landfred.
Of names apparently from insects, Moth and Mote (Mote, _Hund. Rolls_)
are probably the same as an O.G. Moata, from _mod_, _mot_, courage,
German _muth_. Fly and Flea are included in a stem, p. 159; and Emmet
may be taken to be from A.S. _emita_, quies, found in several ancient
names. Earwig I have taken, p. 49, to be a contraction of Evorwig, as
Earheart of Everhard, and Earwaker of Evorwacer.[57] Many other names of
the same sort might be adduced, but those I have given will I think be
sufficient for the purpose.
_Names apparently from Office or Occupation_:
LORD, EARL, ABBOTT, NUNN, BISHOP, PRIEST, ALDERMAN, PRENTICE, PRINCE,
HAYWARD, HOWARD, ANGLER, ARCHER, AUTHER, FARRIER, HURLER, PLAYER,
MARINER, WARNER, WALKER, PLOWMAN, ARKWRIGHT, HARTWRIGHT, SIEVEWRIGHT,
GOODWRIGHT.
Lord, as noted at p. 158, can hardly be from A.S. _hlaford_, Eng. lord.
Earl, however, along with Early, seems to be the same word as Eng.
"earl," though as a name entering into the Teutonic system it is only a
word of general honorific meaning, and may not represent any man who
ever bore the title. Abbott I take to be the same as an A.S. Abbod, p.
96, the stem being, as supposed, from Goth. _aba_, man. Nunn, along with
Nunney and Noon, compares with Nun, the name of a kinsman of Ina, king
of Wessex, and with O.G. Nunno and Nunni, the meaning of which seems
somewhat obscure. Bishop, at least in its origin, can hardly have been
from the office, for there is a Biscop in the genealogy of the kings of
the Lindisfari, who must of course have been a heathen. The name in this
case may be a compound of _bis_ (closely allied to _bas_, p. 5) and A.S.
_cof_, strenuous, which we find as the ending of some other A.S. names.
But after the advent of Christianity, a man, though inheriting the old
name, would no doubt wear it with a difference. Priest must, I think, be
what it seems, there is a witness to a charter (_Thorpe_, p. 69) whose
name is Preost, and whose description is "presbyter"; his original name,
whatever it was, must have been so completely superseded by that of his
office that at last he accepted it himself, and signed accordingly.
Alderman I have taken, p. 116, to be, even in Anglo-Saxon times, a
corruption. Such a name, as derived from office, could hardly be borne
by an Anglo-Saxon, unless, indeed, as a sobriquet, superseding his
original name. So also Prentice, from an A.S. Prentsa, I take to be due
to a corruption in Anglo-Saxon times. I am not sure that Prince may not
be from the same name, Prentsa, dropping the vowel-ending and becoming
Prents. A name which has been mistakenly supposed to be from some
office of agricultural oversight is Hayward; it is however an ancient
name, more properly Agward or Egward. Howard, which has been sometimes
confounded with it, is an entirely different name, the O.N. Havardr
(_ha_, high), introduced I think by the Danes or Northmen.
Some names formed with _wright_, as Arkwright, Hartwright, Sievewright,
and Goodwright, will be found in their places in Chapter III. as,
according to my view, ancient compounds. I might perhaps add Boatwright,
from an O.G. Buotrit, and also Cheesewright, for which we have the stem,
p. 155, though no ancient form to represent this particular compound.
The Wrihtingas, in Kemble's list of early settlers, I take to be
properly Ritingas, from a stem _rit_, supposed to be the same as Eng.
"ride," though perhaps in an older and more general sense of rapid
motion. Many names ending in _er_, as Ambler, Angler, Archer, Auther,
&c., are in reality from an ancient ending in _har_, signifying warrior.
Ambler represents an O.G. Amalher, p. 42, Angler an O.G. Angilher, p.
42, Archer an O.G. Erchear, p. 42, and Auther an O.G. Authar, p. 42.
Farrier, along with Ferrier, may represent an O.G. Feriher, p. 49, and
Hurler an O.G. Erlehar, from the stem _erl_ already referred to. Gambler
represents an O.G. Gamalher, and Player is the same as an A.S. Plegher,
from _pleg_, play, probably the play of battle. Then we have Mariner and
Marner, which, with French Marinier and Marnier, may be referred to an
O.G. Marnehar (_mar_, famous), and in a similar manner Warrener and
Warner may be taken to be from an O.G. Warnehar (Warin = Wern). Among
names of this class we may also include Walker, of which there is
abundant instance as an ancient name. Kemble has Wealceringas among the
early settlers, as well as also Wealcingas representing the stem on
which it is formed, probably A.S. _wealh_, stranger. There was in after
Anglo-Saxon times a Walchere, bishop of Lindisfarne, and Ualcar is found
in a runic inscription in Stevens; while, as O.G. names, we have
Walachar and Walchar, and as a present German name we have Walcher.
However, in view of the commonness of this name, it is perhaps only
reasonable to suppose an admixture from A.S. _wealcere_, a fuller.
I may here observe that this same ending, _har_, so common in ancient
names, give us many names which have the appearance of a comparative,
such as _Harder_, _Paler_, _Richer_, &c., and in its other form, _hari_,
many names such as _Armory_, _Buttery_, _Gunnery_, _Flattery_, which we
have also in the other form as _Armor_, _Butter_, _Gunner_, and
_Flatter_ (_flat_, formosus).
_Names apparently from Times and Seasons._
The names of this sort have generally been supposed to be derived from a
person having been born at some particular time. That there are names of
this sort, such as Christmas, Noel, and Midwinter, we cannot for a
moment doubt, but, judging by the early records of our names, they are
of very rare occurrence, and I conceive that in the majority of cases
names of such appearance are to be otherwise accounted for.
SUNDAY, MONDAY, FRIDAY, HOLIDAY, LOVEDAY, HOCKADAY, PENTECOST, LAMMAS,
LAMAISON, SUMMER, WINTER, JANUARY.
Sunday may be Sunda, comparing with an O.G. Sundo, and an A.S. Sunta,
perhaps from _sund_, sea. Similarly Munday may be Munda, to be referred,
along with Mundy, to _mund_, protection, and comparing with an O.G.
Mundo. The other four names ending in _day_ seem to represent ancient
compounds, and in what sense these were given it is difficult to say.
Friday corresponds with an O.G. Frittag and with an A.S. Frigedaeg, p.
99, Holiday with an O.G. Halegdag, Loveday (Luiedai in Domesday) with an
O.G. Liopdag (_liub_, love), and Hockaday, with a present French Hocede,
with an O.G. Hodag (_hoh_ or _hoch_, high). From the character of these
names, compounded with "high," "holy," "peace," and "love," they might
be supposed to have been given in a religious sense, and their date, the
ninth century, would be in conformity. The Anglo-Saxon name Frigedaeg, it
will be observed, is from the same word as our "Friday," and not the
same as the Old German name, which is from _frid_, peace. But it seems
to me quite possible that the Anglo-Saxons, having received the name,
might mistake its meaning and spell it according to their own views.
This they seem to do in some other cases, as, for instance, the stem
_wit_, common to the Teutonic system, and rather probably from _wid_,
wood, they seem to take as from _wiht_, man, and spell it accordingly.
Summer and Winter are both ancient names; in the _Cod. Dip. Alamanniae_
there are two brothers called respectively Sumar and Winter, A.D. 858.
Winter was also the name of one of the companions of Hereward the Saxon.
Pentecost I have elsewhere supposed, p. 120, to be a corruption of
Pentecast, as an ancient name. I rather doubt Lammas, which is found as
Lammasse in the _Hundred Rolls_, and which corresponds with a French
Lamas. Lamisso was the name of a Lombard king of the fifth century, and
was derived, according to an old chronicler, from _lama_, water, because
in his youth the king had been rescued from drowning--a derivation which
may perhaps be regarded with some suspicion. Taking Lammas then as the
representative of an ancient name, we might get from it our name
Lamaison (ending in _en_, p. 27), though if Lammas were from the
diminutive ending is, _es_, p. 32, it could not take a German _en_ in
addition; in this case the ending must be Romanic, which, from the
French form of the name, seems very possible. As to the name January, I
am inclined to look upon it as a corruption of another name, Jennery,
which, along with Jenner, I take to be the same as the Old German names
Genear and Ginheri, from, as supposed, _gan_, magic or fascination.
_Names apparently from Parts of the Body._
HEAD, BODY, ARMS, LEGG, LEGGY, LEGLESS, FINGER, HEART, EARHEART, SIDE,
BACK, ELBOW, FOOTE, TONGUE. (LAWLESS, BOOKLESS, FAIRLESS, RECKLESS),
FAIRFOOT, TRUEFITT.
With the exception of Foote and Tongue, I do not think that any of the
above are what they seem. Head seems to be probably the same as A.S.
Hedda, which, like another name, Hada, seems to be from _had_, war.
Body is clearly from _bodi_, messenger, p. 157, and Arms is from an
ancient origin, p. 19. Legg I take to be the same as Law, A.S. _lag_,
found in several ancient names. Hence I take Legless to be the same as
Lawless, and both to mean "learned in the law," from an ancient ending
_leis_, explained by Foerstemann as "learned." This gives something like
a meaning to some other names, as Bookless; "book-learned"; Fairless,
"travel-learned"; perhaps Reckless (A.S. _reccan_, to reck, understand).
Finger is a Scandinavian name, p. 50, Heart is a false spelling of
_hart_, hard, and Earheart is Everard, p. 49. Side is from an A.S. Sida,
p. 93, and Back (Bacca and Bacga in the _Lib. Vit._) is another form of
Bagge, _bagan_, to contend. Elbow I take to be Elbo, from _alb_ or
_alf_, signifying "elf." Foote may be taken to be what it seems, though
I think that such a name must have had a vowel-ending, as its meaning
must be "footy," _i.e._ nimble, as "handy," from hand. Comparing with
our Foote there is a name Fus on Roman pottery, which, see p. 4, it is
clear from his little joke, that the owner took to be from _fus_, foot.
It does not follow, as a matter of course, that the old potter knew the
meaning of his own name; there is a word _funs_, sometimes _fus_,
occurring in O.G. names in the supposed meaning of eager; this word
would more appropriately be used without a vowel-ending than would
_fus_, foot. Foerstemann has a name, Fussio, which does not, however,
throw any light upon it. Another name, however, also found on Roman
pottery, Lytafus, corresponding with our Lightfoot, rather seems to
favour the meaning of _fus_, foot. Two other names of a similar kind to
Lightfoot are Fairfoot (properly Farefoot; _faran_, to go, travel), and
Truefitt (properly Truefoot) a name like Treubodi, p. 26. The last name,
Tongue, corresponds with an O.G. Tungo, which I take to be from _tung_,
lingua, probably in the sense of eloquence. We must presume the name not
to be High German.
_Names apparently from Trees._
Names from trees have been generally taken to be derived from a local
origin, as marking the site of a man's habitation. There are, however, a
number of names which I take in some, or in all cases, to be from a
different origin.
ASH, ASKE, ASKEY, BEECH, BIRCH, ALDER, OAKE, OAKEY, IVY, LINDEN, THORNE,
HASELL, WILLOW, SYCAMORE, CHESNUT, ROWANTREE.
Aske or Ashe represents an ancient stem in Teutonic names, perhaps
derived from a mythological origin, man being feigned to have been
created out of an ash-tree, perhaps from being the wood out of which
spears were made (Cf. _Asquith_, p. 148). The Ascingas were among the
early settlers, and AEsc was the name of the son of Hengest. Hence I take
our names, Ash, Aske, and Askey, with several compounds. The Bircingas
were also among the early settlers; the stem seems to be _birg_,
supposed to mean protection, and entering into a number of names
throughout the Teutonic system. Alder, which corresponds with an A.S.
Aldher, and an O.G. Althar, is a compound of _ald_, old, and _hari_,
warrior. The oak, as the symbol of strength, would seem suitable for
men's names, but upon the whole it seems more probable that Oake and
Oakey, Aikin (A.S. Acen, p. 96) and Aikman (A.S. AEcemann, p. 96), are
from _ac_, _ec_, perhaps "edge," acies. Ivy is the same as Ive with a
vowel-ending, and compares with an O.G. Ivo, and an A.S. Iffa, perhaps
from O.N. _yfa_, to rage. Linden is from _lind_, p. 175, with the ending
in _en_, p. 27. Hasel and Thorn are both found in the list of early
settlers, the former I take to be properly Asel, corresponding with an
O.G. Asilo, from _as_ or _os_, semideus; the latter, which does not seem
to occur in the Teutonic system generally, I rather suppose to be a
contraction of O.N. _thoran_, boldness. Willow, along with Will and
Willey, is also found in the list of early settlers, and corresponds
with an O.G. Willo, perhaps from _will_ in the sense of resolution.
Sycamore is from an O.G. Sicumar, p. 162, and Chestnut is referred to at
p. 155. Rowantree is no doubt from the tree, and may perhaps have
reference to its supposed magical powers. Rointru is also a French name,
perhaps a relic of the many Scotchmen who have at different times taken
refuge in that country, though possibly of older origin.
There are a few other names which may be included here.
STUBBE, STUBBING, GROVE (GRUBB), TWIGG, SPRIGG (TWINE, TWINING, TWISS,
SPRAGUE, SPRACK, SPARK, SPRACKLIN, SPRECKLY).
Stubbe might be taken to be of local origin, for nothing would be more
appropriate to mark a locality than a stub. But the patronymic Stubbing
points to an origin of a different kind, and moreover we find Stubingas
among the early settlers. And there was also a Stuf, nephew of Cerdic,
and a Northman called Stufr in the _Laxdaela-saga_. The origin is to be
found in O.N. _stufr_, _stubbr_, A.S. _styb_, branch, shoot, probably in
the honorific sense of race or lineage. I take Grove, along with which I
put Grubb, to be from Germ. _grob_, Dan. _grov_, coarse, clumsy; but no
doubt in an older sense more suitable for men's names, and probably
cognate with Eng. "gruff," the idea being that of great size and
strength. We find Grobb as an Anglo-Saxon name, p. 99, and Griubinc (son
of Griub) as an Old German name, of which, however, Foerstemann does not
offer any explanation. Grobe and Grove are present German names (the
latter Low German), and Grub and Grubi are found in France. Here also I
may take Twigg, corresponding with an A.S. Twicga, moneyer of St.
Edmund, also with a Tuica found in Tuicanham, now Twickenham. I take it
to be from the same root as "twig," viz. A.S. _tweg_, two, and to have
perhaps the meaning of "twin." (Names of a similar kind may be Twine,
with its patronymic Twining, and also Twiss, corresponding with an O.G.
Zuiso, A.S. _twis_, twin.) Sprigg I class along with Sprague, Sprack,
and Spark, corresponding with a Spraga in the _Lib. Vit._, as from O.N.
_sprackr_, Prov. Eng. _spragg_, _sprack_, smart, active. We have also,
as a diminutive, Spracklin, corresponding with a Spraclingus in the
_Lib. Vit._, and we have Spreckley, probably the same name as that of
Sprakaleg, brother of Sweyn, king of Denmark, from O.N. _spraeklegr_,
sprightly.
_Names apparently from Complexion or Colour of Hair._
Such names as Black, White, Brown, have been no doubt in many, probably
in most cases, original surnames. Nevertheless they are also ancient
baptismal names, and it is not by any means certain that these are from
the same origin as the surnames.
BLACK, BLACKER, BLAKE, BLANK, BLANCHARD, WHITE, BROWN, DUNN, GRAY,
GREGG, CRAIG, MURCH, MURCHIE, SMIRKE.
The Blacingas were among the early settlers. Blecca was the name of a
governor of Lincoln, A.D. 627; Blaca is an early name in the _Liber
Vitae_, and Blac is a name in _Domesday_. I am inclined to take Black,
along with Blake, to be (of course as an ancient name) the same word as
_blic_, found in some Old German names, and to find the sense concerned
in A.S. blican, to shine (which indeed is the root of _black_), hence to
give it, like Bright, the sense of "illustrious." Hence I take our
Blacker and the French Blacher to be the same as an O.G. Blicker
(_hari_, warrior)--the ancient family of Blacker, I believe, trace their
origin to Nancy. I further take Blank and Blanchard (_hard_, fortis) to
be a nasalised form of the above, and to have the same meaning. The stem
will be found in more detail p. 46.
I take White, so far as it may be of ancient origin, not to be from
colour; in some cases it may be from _wid_, wood, and perhaps in others
from _wit_, wisdom. In Anglo-Saxon names it is spelt _wiht_, as if from
_wiht_, man--Cf. O.G. Witgar, A.S. Wihtgar, O.G. Witleg, A.S. Wihtlaeg,
O.G. Widrad, A.S. Wihtraed, though, as I take it, it is the same word
common to the Teutonic system.
The Brownings (Bruningas) were also among the early settlers, and Brun
frequently occurs in after Anglo-Saxon times; among others there is a
Brun bydel, "Brown the beadle," in a charter of manumission. Bruno also
occurs as an Old German name, and Bruni was not an uncommon name among
the Northmen. I am rather disposed to question the derivation from
brown, _fuscus_, and as in the case of Black, to take the sense
contained in the root, which seems to be that of burning or brightness.
One of the Northmen, called Bruni, was surnamed "the white," so that in
his case, at any rate, the name was not derived from complexion. Dunn is
another name that is found among the early settlers, and also in after
Anglo-Saxon times. It seems to me to be at least as probably from O.N.
_duna_, thunder, as from _dun_, fuscus.
The Graegingas (A.S. _graeeg_, grey) are also found in the list of early
settlers, though the name does not seem to figure much in after
Anglo-Saxon times. There are Old German names Grao and Grawo, and
various compounds. The root-meaning seems to contain the sense of
"horror," which may be that which is present in names, the idea being of
course that of one who is a terror to others. As well as Gray, we have
Gregg, and perhaps as another form Craig,[58] and the Germans have Grau.
The Myrcingas among the early settlers may perhaps be represented in our
Murch and Murchie (whence Murchison), possibly also in S(mirke). Whether
the name is from A.S. _mirc_, dark, mirk, may be uncertain; Professor
Skeat thinks of _marc_, limes, for the Myrcingas, who are probably the
same as the Myrgingas of the "Traveller's Song."
_Names apparently from Scriptural Personages._
While names taken from the eminent characters of Scripture have, ever
since the advent of Christianity, been in favour for the names of men,
there are among our surnames some names which we must reasonably suppose
are to be otherwise explained.
PHAROAH, HEROD, ESAU, CAIN, JAEL, POTIPHAR PUDDIFER (ABLARD).
Of the above, Pharaoh is only a misleading spelling of an O.G. name
Faro, perhaps come to us through the Normans. And Esau is a similar
perversion of another O.G. name Eso, probably from _as_ or _os_,
semi-deus. Cain is, along with Gain, from the name Gagin, Cagen, p. 10,
probably signifying victory. Herod is, no doubt, the same as an A.S.
Herrid in a charter of Wihtraed, from, as supposed, A.S. _herad_,
principatus, found also in some Old German names. Jael I take to be most
probably a softened form of Gale, from a stem referred to A.S. _galan_,
to sing. Potiphar, along with Puddifer, a French Potefer, and perhaps a
Low German Boetefur,[59] I take to represent an ancient name not turned
up, from _bod_, _bud_, or _pot_, envoy or messenger, and _faran_, to
travel, found as an ending in some Old German names. Abel is a name
which, as frequently used for a Christian name, might also be found in
surnames. But there is a Teutonic word _abal_, signifying strength,
which may be more probably that which is found in the French Abeillard,
with which we have a name Ablard to correspond.
_Names apparently Descriptive of Moral Characteristics._
There are a number of names which, if they had been found as Christian
names, might have been supposed to be of Puritan origin, but which as
surnames must be otherwise accounted for.
GOODHEART, STONEHEART, GODWARD, LOVEGOD, LOVEGOOD, LOVEMAN, MANLOVE,
GOODLIFFE, FULLALOVE, GODLIMAN, GOODENOUGH, THOROUGHGOOD, HUMBLE, SAINT,
BADMAN, PAGAN, BIGOT, GODDAM, SWEARS, SWEARING, SCAMP.
Of the above, Goodheart and Stoneheart are compounds of _hart_, hard,
pp. 53, 63. So also Godward Lovegod, Lovegood, Loveman, Manlove,
Goodliffe, and Fullalove will be found in their places as ancient
compounds in Chap. III. Godliman I take to be a corruption of an O.G.
Godalmand (the _l_ being introduced in accordance with a principle
referred to at p. 114) Goodenough is referred to at p. 119, and
Thoroughgood at p. 120. Humble I take to be the same name as the German
Humboldt, from an O.G. Hunbald, the ending _bald_ often in our names
becoming _ble_. Saint I take to be the same as Sant, _sand_ or _sant_,
verus, the stem on which is formed Sander in the list of early settlers.