(or Montfiquet, or Montfiket), in Normandy; so named after
their Scandinavian ancestor. The Montfichets were hereditary
standard-bearers, or military chiefs of London. The younger
branches retained the name of Gernon. Alured Gernon, brother of
William de Montfichet, had estates in Essex and Middlesex, 1130.
Geoffry Gernon, of this line, was surnamed De Cavendish, from his
residence at Cavendish, Suffolk, 1302. He was grandfather of Sir John
Cavendish, Chief Justice to Richard II. Cavendish and Gernon bear
indiscriminately the same arms. The Dukes of Newcastle, Devonshire
and other great families bearing the name of Cavendish (pronounced
Candish), descended from the Gernons and Montfichet. The genealogists
differ on these points, but the old heralds seem to agree.
_Caville_, or Cavill, identified by its arms (a calf) with Calvel, or
Cauvel. Robert Cauvel, Normandy, 1198. William Cavell of Oxfordshire,
1292.
_Cawdery_, or Coudray, Cawdray. A branch of the Beaumonts, Viscounts
of Maine. (Vide Beaumont.)
_Cawley_, for Colley.
_Cawse_, Calz, or Caux, from Caux, near Abbeville. Hence the English
surname, Cox or Coxe.
_Cayley_, from Cailly, near Rouen.
_Cecil_, Cicelle, or Seyssel, from Kessel, or Cassel, east of Bruges,
Flanders. Its arms (escutcheon charged with the lion rampant of
Flanders) are still borne in Flanders by a family of the same name.
Walter de Alterens, descended from Robert Fitz-Hamon, living 1165, is
derived the noble house of Cecil. The great English statesman, Lord
Burleigh (William Cecil) was of this family.
_Ceeley_, or Seily, from Silly, Normandy.
_Chabot_, or Cabot. Robert Kabot, 1198. Roger Cabot, of England, 1272.
_Chace_, Chase, or Chausey. Armorially identified, also, with Chancy
or De Canci. The name appears in all parts of England as Chancey,
Chancy, etc.
_Chad_, for Cadd.
_Chaff_, from Chause. Vide Cafe.
_Chaffer_, Chaffen, from Chevricres, Normandy, 1195.
_Chaffey_, or Chaffy, a form of Chafe, or Chaff.
_Chaffin_, for Caffin. (Lower.)
_Chalie_, for Cayley.
_Challands_, for Chalas. Vide Challen.
_Challen._ A branch of the Counts of Chalons.
_Challenger_, or Challenge, from Chalenge, Normandy.
_Challoner._ Probably from Chalons.
_Chamberlain_, Robert, Herbert, William Henry Camerarius, or
Le Chamberlain, Normandy, 1180-98. England, 1194-1200. Henry,
Hugh, Ralph, Robert, Thomas, Walter, Richard Turbert Camerarius.
The principal family of these was descended from the Barons of
Tancarville, Chamberlains of Normandy; also, Chamberlaine, Chamberlin,
Chamberlayne.
_Chambers_, or De Camera. William de Camera, England, 1189, Oxford,
Essex, Sussex. The family appear early in York, Wilts and Norfolk.
Chambre, or Camera, was in Brabant, the family seeming to have come
thence at the Conquest. Governor John Chambers, of Kentucky, was one
of the aides of General Harrison at the battle of the Thames;--was
appointed Territorial Governor of Iowa by President Harrison.
_Champ._ Vide Camp.
_Champin_, for Campion, or Campian.
_Champney_, from De Champigne, Normandy.
_Chancellor_, Canceller, Chanslor. Chancillor, a Norman name. Ranulph
Cancellarius.
_Chaney_, for Cheyney.
_Channell._ Armorially identified with Charnell. An eminent judge bore
this name.
_Channon._ Vide Cannon.
_Chant._
_Chantry_, from Chaintre, near Macon.
_Chappel._ Vide Capel.
_Chappius._ Calvus, Normandy, 1195. England, Cabous, 1311.
_Charge_, from Gaurges, in the Cotentin.
_Charles._ Vide Carless.
_Charnell_, for Carnell.
_Charniter._
_Charter_, for Chartres.
_Charteris._ The Scottish form of Chartres.
_Chartres._ Ralph Carnotensis (De Chartres) held estates in Leicester,
1086. Ébrard de Carnot, 1148, Winchester.
_Chase._ Vide Chace.
_Chattell._ Vide Cattell.
_Chatwin_, for Chetwynd.
_Chaucer._ Geoffrey Chaucer, the poet, married a daughter of Sir Paine
Roet, sister of John of Gaunt's wife, and was valectus, or esquire, to
Edward III. The family of Chaucer, Chaucier, Chaucers, or Chaseor, had
been seated in the eastern counties, and some members were in trade
in London. The name, Le Chaucier (Calcearius) may have arisen from
some sergeantry connected with the tenure of land. Probably a branch
of the family of Malesoures.
_Cheek._ William Cecus occurs in Normandy, 1198; and in Gloucester,
1189. Walter Chike of England, 1272.
_Cheiley_, or Ceiley, a form of Cilly. Vide Ceely.
_Cheney._ Vide Cheyney.
_Chenoweth._ The history of this name is of peculiar interest. John
Trevelesick, according to an old London record, married Elizabeth
Terrel. Their son, John, received from his father a tract of land upon
which he built a house, and called the place "Chenoweth," doubtless
from an oak grove or woods upon the land. The initial syllable of the
name is not uncommon in the genealogical nomenclature of Normandy; and
Cornwall is notably a land of Norman castles and druidical groves of
oak. The Trevelesick family, as was a custom of the period, took the
name of the _place_, and was henceforth known as "Chenoweth." This
change may have been partly induced by the circumstances that there
was a law which required the people to take names that were "easy" to
the English. There seems to have been an early etymological connection
between the familiar Virginian names "Chenoweth" and "Chinn." Vide
Chinn, Cheyne, Chêne, Chenoie, and the Scandinavian suffix _with_. In
a list of names from Domesday Book we note the following: Cheneuvard,
Chenuard, Cheuvin, Chenut. The Chenoweths of Kentucky are from
Berkeley County, Virginia, the progenitor of the family being a
"fighting pioneer."
_Cherey._ (1) De Ceresio. The early form, Cerisy. (2) Also from
Cheeri, William Cheeri of Normandy, 1180.
_Chesney_, from Quesnay, near Coutances; De Chesnete in England.
_Chevalier_ (_i. e._ Miles), Normandy, 1180. Reginald Miles, England,
1272.
_Chew._ William de Cayu, Normandy, 1180. Walter C. Kew, England.
_Cheyne._ Cheyney, Chinn, from Quesnay, near Coutances. Robert de
Chesneto, Bishop of Lincoln, 1147. The Lords Cheyny were of this
stock. Chinn is an old family name in Kentucky, and seems to be
genealogically connected with the Chenoweth gens. (Vide Chenoweth.)
The progenitor of the Chinn family in England and America was one
Thomas de Cheyne, of Norman-French descent. Rawleigh Chinn, gent.,
married Esther Ball, a connection of the Washington family, and came
to America about 1713 and settled in Lancaster County, Virginia. (See
the "Register" for 1907, page 63.)
_Chick_, or Chike, a form of Cheak (Robson). A prominent Kentucky
family (Boyle).
_Child_, the English form of Enfant. William and Roger le Enfant,
Normandy, 1180. William and John Child, England, 1180.
_Childers._ A corruption of Challen or Challers. Vide Smithson.
_Chinn._ Vide Cheyney, Cheyne.
_Chitty._ In 1272 was Cette. Roger Cette, Norfolk.
_Chivers_, or Cheevers, from La Chievre, or Capra, Normandy.
_Choicy_, a form of Chausy.
_Chollett._ Collett.
_Cholmelsey_, or Cholmondely. William de Belwar, or Belvar, or
Belvoir, married Mabilia, a daughter of Robert Fitzhugh. From this
William de Belwar descended the House of Cholmondely.
_Christian._ Thomas and William Christianus, Normandy, 1180. Walter
Christianus, England, 1199. Crestien, Cristian, Crestin, England, 1272.
_Christmas._ A translation of the Norman-French Noël.
_Chucks_, a form of Chokes, or Chioches, from Choquet, Flanders.
_Church._ Vide Search.
_Churchill_, or De Courcelle. The Churchills of Dorset, ancestors of
the great Duke of Marlborough, are traceable by the ordinary heralds'
pedigrees to the reign of Henry VII. The family of Wallace (Walensis)
was a branch of the Corcelles. From this family came the Great Duke.
One of the later Dukes of Marlborough published a charming account
of his visit to Kentucky, just after the war. He was entertained at
"Ashland" by Major Henry C. McDowell.
_Clare._ Two families. (1) De Clare of Browne. (2) The Norman House of
De Clere.
_Claret._ Walter Clarté, Normandy, 1180. John Clarrot, England, 1272.
_Clark._ George Rogers Clark.
_Clay_, from Claye, near Méaux. The name is borne by the Baronets
Clay. The Clays of Bourbon and the Clays of Fayette, says General
Cassius M. Clay, are descended from the same remote ancestor.
_Cliff_, or Clift, Clive.
_Cochrane_, Cochran. The family were resident in County Renfrew (says
Lower) for many centuries. Vide Peerage, Earl of Dundonal. Renfrew has
strong associations with John Knox, and according to Doctor MacIntosh,
the vigorous race he represented had a strong infusion of Norman or
Scandinavian blood. A recent legal decision connects the name of
Cochrane with one of the most important cases ever brought before a
Kentucky judge.
_Cockerell._
_Collins._
_Collins._ William de Colince or Colimes held lands at Chadlington
near Oxford. Coulimes was near Alençon. Hugh de Coulimes, 1165, held a
barony of four fees.
(1) The Collins family or families of Kentucky have been notably
distinguished. General Richard H. Collins was a lawyer of great
ability. His sons, also lawyers, were brilliant and cultivated men.
John A. Collins was a member of the Cincinnati bar, and a partner
of Senator Pugh. Charles and William were writers of ability and
distinction. Richard was a gallant Confederate soldier and the
artillerist of Shelby's command. Their father welcomed John Quincy
Adams to Kentucky when he made his famous speech in vindication of Mr.
Clay.
(2) Judge Lewis Collins was a native of Kentucky and derived from
pure Virginian stock. He was a man of the highest character. His
history of Kentucky, a valuable work, was officially recognized by
the Legislature of the State. His son, Doctor Richard H. Collins, a
man of marked and varied ability, continued his father's historic
labors; revised the volume first published, added another volume,
and increased the quantity of matter fourfold. No one has bestowed
higher commendation upon this work than Professor Shaler, himself an
historian of the State.
_Combs._
_Cooke._
_Corbett._
_Corbin._
_Corker._ De Corcres, Normandy, 1180-95.
[Illustration: HONORABLE HUMPHREY MARSHALL.]
_Costello_, from Mac Ostello, descendants of Hostilio de Angelo,
settled in Ireland, temp. Henry. In this instance the new settler took
the prefix _Mac_, not an uncommon occurrence in those days. The native
"Macs" and "O's" of Ireland were never at peace, and the Galwagians
repudiated both. When the Normans came they gave the Celts "_Fitz_,"
and characteristically enough the Celts, who were dissatisfied with
"O" and "Mac," have been having "Fitz" ever since. Lower says that
English settlers sometimes assume the prefix "Mac," apparently from a
desire of assimilation to the Celtic race. In Ireland "O" was held in
higher esteem than "Mac" In Scotland, it was just the reverse.
_Courtenay._
_Cowan._
_Cox_, or Coxe; Cocks, Le Coq; Coke; Cocus; also, De Caux.
_Creasy._
_Cripps._ Armorially identified with Crisp.
_Crittenden._ A fine old name from Kent. The Crittendens of Kentucky
have nobly illustrated the name. The founder of the family, John
Crittenden, was an officer in the Revolutionary War. He came to
Kentucky at the close of that struggle, and settled in Woodford,
the heart of this State. His sons, John, Thomas, and Robert, were
eminent at the bar, and Henry, who devoted his life to agriculture,
was equally conspicuous for talent. John J. Crittenden received
his elementary education at the local schools; afterwards attended
Washington Academy (now Washington-Lee University), and completed his
studies at William and Mary. The effect of his classical training
is shown in the clearness, finish, and felicity of his published
speeches; his peculiar power in forensic oratory must always be a
matter of tradition.
The name "Crittenden" is imperishably associated with that of
Kentucky. It is peculiarly a family of soldiers, lawyers, and
political leaders. One soldier of the name was immortalized by his
tragic fate--William Crittenden, the proto-martyr of _Cuba Libre_.
The history of the family is the history of the State.
_Crockett._
_Crook_, or Crooke.
_Crozier._
_Cummings_, or Cumming.
_Cunditt._
_Currier._ Richard Coriarius, Normandy, 1180, from Angerville, in the
Cotentin.
_Curtis._
_Cuss._ A form of Cust. One may be a "Cuss" in Kentucky; but quite as
often he is "Cust."
_Dade._
_Dailey._
_Dangerfield_, or D'Angerville.
_Daniel._
_D'Arcy._
_Darrell._
_Davie._
_Davies._
_Davis._ Mr. Burton N. Harrison, in his graphic "Century" narrative
of the Capture of Jefferson Davis, records the last "War" speech of
the Southern President. It was addressed to a column of cavalry,
under the command of General Duke, at Charlotte, N. C., the soldiers
waving their flags and hurrahing for "Jefferson Davis." The speech was
brief. He thanked them for their cordial greeting; complimented the
gallantry and efficiency of the Kentucky cavalrymen; and expressed his
determination not to despair of the Confederacy, but to remain with
the last organized band, "upholding the flag." This was all. He said
later to his faithful Secretary, "I can not feel like a beaten man."
In a private letter written by Secretary Harrison to his mother about
this time (unpublished), he says: "Thaddeus Stevens recently sent us
an offer to become one of Mr. Davis' counsel if it were agreeable
to us to have him serve." Mr. Harrison's letters to his family are
admirably written and full of interest.
It was the trained sagacity of an English statesman which in the midst
of universal doubt and misconception enabled him to comprehend at a
glance the difficulties encountered by Jefferson Davis in bringing
order out of the wild chaos of secession in the Southern States. "He
has created a Nation"--said Mr. Gladstone. Doubtless, posterity, in
full possession of the facts, will be disposed to let the judgment
stand. These facts have never been more ably and accurately stated
than in the eulogy by Colonel William C. P. Breckinridge upon that
able and daring pilot in this great extremity of the South. The
eulogist was competent to speak; he was early in the field; he was
close to the inner councils of the war; he saw and shared the
struggle in every phase; and at the close, he calmly accepted the
results. His clear and rapid summary will carry historic weight:
"When the world once understands how it was possible for the
government, inaugurated at Montgomery, without a battalion of
soldiers, or a ship of war, without arms or munitions of war, without
provisions and military stores; a government not possessing within
its borders a single factory at which a single weapon of war, or
a single part of a weapon of war, could be manufactured, without
credit or funds; a nation with her ports soon blockaded so as to be
deprived of access to the markets of the world; a republic composed
nominally of thirteen separate States, of which Kentucky, Tennessee
and Missouri were practically under the control of its enemy--how
such a nation could maintain such a war for a period of four years
against the United States of America, and bring into the field an
army more numerous than its entire adult white population, feed it,
clothe it, transport it, arm it, take care of it and keep it in such
condition that it won unprecedented victories, has been an unsolved
mystery. When it is added that during those years personal freedom was
maintained, order preserved, courts kept open and no rights usurped,
thinkers will conclude that he who was the head and life, the spirit
and chief must have been a very great man."
The London _Times_, in its obituary notice, said: "As he was the
first to perceive the true nature of the struggle, so was he the last
to admit that the battle was lost. He fought a losing battle with
unquestionable ability and unflinching courage. His achievements will
secure him an honorable place in his country's history."
In the last public address of Jefferson Davis, delivered in the
capitol of Mississippi to the Legislature in joint convention, he
said: "The people of the Confederate States did more in proportion
to their numbers and men than was ever achieved by any people in the
world's history. Fate decreed that they should be unsuccessful in the
effort to maintain their claim to resume the grants to the Federal
Government. Our people have accepted the decree; it, therefore,
behooves them, as they may, to promote the general welfare of the
Union; to show to the world that hereafter, as heretofore, the
patriotism of our people is not measured by the lines of latitude and
longitude, but is as broad as the obligations they have assumed and
embraces the whole of our ocean-bound domain. Let them leave to their
children and children's children the grand example of never swerving
from the path of duty, and preferring to return good for evil rather
than to cherish the unmanly feeling of revenge."
_Davison._
_Davy_, or Davey.
_Dawe._
_Dawkins_, or Dakin.
_Dawson._
_Day._
_Deacon._
_Dean._
_Dearing_, or Deering.
_DeLacy_, or Lacy.
_Delmar_. An abbreviation of De la Mare.
_Denis_, or Dennis.
_Denney_, or Denny.
_Denton._
_Derry_, for D'Arry or D'Airy.
_Desha._ (Fr. Deshayes.) A grandson of Governor Desha of Kentucky,
visiting many years ago the Valley of Wyoming, the ancestral
home-place of the Desha family, found a venerable scion of the pioneer
stock, who invariably spelt his name Deshay. Fields, woods, hedges,
etc., give surnames to families. In the following line from an old
French writer we find two family names, or at least words familiarly
used as such:--_On lui dressoit des sentiers au travers des hayes de
leurs bois_. The name Desha is accented on the second syllable, in
Kentucky, this doubtless being the original pronunciation as implied
by the ancestral orthography--"Deshay." Beyond the Seine in old Paris;
beyond the Latin Quarter and the Faubourg St. Germain, near the
fortifications, there stands--or did stand in the closing quarter of
the last century--a block of antique villas. One of these was known
as the _Villa Deshayes_. Captain Deshayes, of the French man-of-war
_Le Grand Joseph_, made a gallant fight against two British frigates
during the Colonial wars.
General Joseph Desha, after a brilliant military and political
career, became Governor of Kentucky in 1824. His administration (says
Collins, the old Whig historian) was strong and efficient. The message
of Governor Desha of Kentucky, November 7, 1825, says Professor W. G.
Sumner of Yale, "deserves attentive reading from any one who seeks to
trace the movement of decisive forces in American political history."
Judge Bledsoe (the father-in-law of Governor Desha) is reported to
have said that "Desha commenced his career with as sound a set of
politics as any man in Kentucky, but it was his misfortune never to
change them."
Even Desha's enemies concede that he made a brilliant and impressive
appearance upon the hustings. His handsome person and carriage
contributed much to this effect. He is described in that Hudibrastic
skit, "The Stumpiad" (1816):
"With chapeau-bras and good broad sword,
And fine as any English lord."
(Vide sketch and portrait of Desha in No. 18 of the Publications of
The Filson Club: Battle of the Thames.)
_Devereux._
_Devine._ William le Devin, Normandy, 1180-95.
_Dewey._
_Dickens_, or Digons. Digin or Diquon, an early "nurse-name"
of Richard. Digg, Diggery, Dickman, Digman, Digins, Diggins,
"Dickens"--name of the novelist. Also, Dickson, Dickenson.
"Dickins," used as a nickname of Satan, is a contraction of the
diminutive _Devilkins_.
_Dietrich._ (Scan.) Didrik. Didrich, Diderk, Diderisk. (From a list of
Frisian Personal and Family Names--Barber.)
_Dimmett_, for Diment.
_Dimmitt._
_Dixie._ Armorially identified with Dicey. From Diss, Norfolk, which
belonged to Richard de Lucy, Governor of Falaise. The Confederate
war-song, therefore, bears a Norman name.
_Dodson._ The son of Dode, Alwinus Dodesone, occurs in Domesday as a
tenant-in-chief. It is an open question whether it is Scandinavian or
Anglo-Saxon. Even Lower is doubtful. There is a large connection of
this name in Maryland and Kentucky. One branch is connected with the
Botelers of Virginia. A good English stock.
_Doggett._
_Doniphan._ Probably an early form of Donovan. By old writers
(says Lower) the name is written Dondubhan ("the brown-haired
chief")--changed to Doniphan by the familiar substitution of p for
b. The Doniphans of Kentucky were a strong race--lawyers, soldiers,
physicians, etc. General William Nelson's mother was a Doniphan.
Joseph Doniphan came to the Fort at Boonesborough in 1777. He is said
to have been the first school-teacher in Kentucky.
At the battle of Bracito, the Mexican leader of a large force
called upon Colonel Doniphan (a Kentuckian) to surrender, with the
alternative "no quarter."
"Surrender, or I will charge your lines!"
The answer came at once--"_Charge and be damned_!"
There was no surrender. The Mexicans lost.
Colonel Alexander Doniphan was a close maternal kinsman of General
William Nelson, of Kentucky, and like him in many respects.
_Dougles_, or Dougless.
_Dover_, from Douvres or Dovers, Normandy. A baronet family which
derived its name from a Scandinavian Dover at the conquest of
Normandy, 912. Dover, Kentucky, is doubtless in the same line of
descent.
_Dowell_, for Doel or Dol. Rivallon, Seneschal of Dol, ancestor of
the Counts of Dol; connections of the du Guesclins (of France) and
Stuarts (of Scotland). Passing into a Celtic environment, a Norman
Dol or Dowell would naturally assume the Celtic prefix, "Mac," as in
like circumstances English settlers have done. In Lord Stair's list of
_Macs_, he gives _Dowale_, _Douall_, _Dowell_. McDowell is the form
the name assumes in Virginia and Kentucky, one branch of the family
(McDowells) being known as the _McDoles_, a traditional pronunciation
of the name. The progenitor of the family, Colonel Samuel M. Dowell,
was a Colonial leader in Virginia, and conspicuous and influential
as a pioneer in Kentucky. He was President of the Convention that
organized the State.
The common derivation of "Dowell" is from _Dougall_, and was intended
in the Highlands to apply exclusively to the _Lowlander_; though quite
as applicable to the "man from below." (Vide Lower: _Dhu_, black;
_gall_, a stranger.)
_Downing._ Old English name familiar in Kentucky. A loc. n. Worc.
(Eng.)
_Drake._ There is no reason to doubt that the Drakes of Devon were
all originally of the same race. They bore a dragon (Draco), showing
that their name had been Draco. The father of Daniel Drake came to
Kentucky in the closing years of the Eighteenth Century, settling in
the rich bluegrass county of Mason. Along with a rifle and an axe,
he brought five books to the wilds of Kentucky, to wit, a Bible, a
hymn book, an arithmetic, a spelling book, and the "Famous History
of Montellion, a Romance of the Ages of Chivalry." "The Letters of
Lord Chesterfield,"--borrowed by the father of Daniel from a friend
in the neighboring Virginian colony--"fell in mighty close"--says
the son--"with the tastes of the whole family." Chesterfield and
Montellion:--ideal educators even in this "school of the woods," as it
was happily termed by its most distinguished graduate, Doctor Daniel
Drake.