Family names from the Irish, Anglo-Saxon, Anglo-Norman and Scotch considered in relation to

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Family Names ^.MJ
FROM THE
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IRISH, ANGLO-SAXON, ANGLO-NORMAN AND SCOTCH
Considered in Relation to their Etymology,
Brief Remarks on the History and
Languages
—
OFTHE
Peoples to Whom we are Indebted for their Origin.
BY THOMAS GENTRY,
G.
Author of "Life-Histories of Birds of Eastern Pennsylvania," "The House
Spakrow," " Nests and Eggs of Birds of the United States," etc.
PHILADELPHIA:
BURK & McFETRIDGE.
1892.
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—
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NOV u
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Copyright, 1892,
—
BY
THOMAS GENTRY
G.
PREFACE.
In all ages and localities of the world names, implying some one
or more characteristics of person, feature, faith, place or event, were
conferred by people, especially by those of defective education and
rude, unpolished manners. The nations of antiquity appear to have
set the example, for the Hebrews had their "Adam," which meant
" red earth," their " Elizabeth," "the oath of God," and the Greeks
their " Theophilus," "the friend of God." Scriptural names, and
those of a purely classical character, have been studied with less
difficulty. Every Hebrew name has been fully discussed and exam-
ined by the best scholars, and the Greek have received the same
amountofcareful consideration. Not so with the Latin. While much
of value and interest have been gleaned through patient study and
investigation, yet there is a great deal that must forever remain
doubtful and inexplicable.
Ripe German philologists have given full attention to the numerous
race of German appellations, the Scandinavian class having been
most ably treated in a series of articles to the Norsk Maandeskrifts
from the pen of Prof. Munch, of Chrisiiania. Turner, Kemble,
Thierry, and others, have studied, but not comparatively, Anglo-
Saxon names, and thrown considerable light upon the subject.
Keltic names have presented far greater difficulties. The changes
through which the name passes must be considered, and not merely
the sound when translated into English. Books of travels, histories,
and popular tales, are here indispensable aids to the dictionary,
especially when writers have been good enough to give with any-
thing like tolerable accuracy the genuine word rather than their
Anglicised construction.
While surnames and local names have often been discussed, and
that very poorly in the large majority of cases, the Christian name
has generally been considered too fortuitous to merit notice. Camden
did indeed review the current ones of his day, giving many correct
explanations, but Verstegen, who followed him up, was more specu-
lative, and, consequently, less correct. Since his day, no English
author seems to have given any reliable information to the subject.
It is true that a few lists of names and meanings have appeared in
magazines and popular works, but they have generally been copies
of Verstegen, with puerile and incorrect additions. One paper,
which was published a long time ago in Chamber's Journal, was the
only truly valuable paper on English names en masse that has appeared
since he wrote.
But little attention has been paid to the history of names. Why
one should be popular and another forgotten, why one should flourish
tilltiiij;lit»ut.Ill I'lilire coimtry. another in one section alone, and another
around some petty district, has not, it would seem, been of suHicient
imi>ortan(e to invite examination. History has answered some ofthese
iiueslions. ^enealoj^y others, and the paiient tracing of patron saints,
tlieir rehcs, and their lej^ends, many others. In this department of
investis^ation, philoloji:y owes a lasting debt of gratitude to Charlotte
M. Vonge, a well-known luiglish authoress, who has had the time, the
A
patience, the ability, for so herculean a task. careful perusal of her
work, w hilc it shows a few defects, the results of preconceived notions
and lalse reasoning, brings to the light of knowledge much that is
valuable and important.
The writer's interest in the subject began with his study of the Irish
language more than two decades ago. That interest has never wavered,
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but has gathered strength and force with the advancing years.
desire that his fellows .should know something of the etymology and
meanings of names, for few people have any other idea than that
names, family names especially, are the results of chance, has led to
the pul)lication of this work. In its preparation he has drawn his facts
'
from primitive sources. Few names, and these originally Christian in
character, have been taken at second hand, but in most instances even
these have been modified in derivation and meaning to adapt them to
his conceptions of what the genius of the languages, from which they
were drawn, w^ould require. Bourke's Self-Instruction in Irish O'Reilly's
^
Irish-Enolish Dictionary^ Foley's Ens^lish-Irish Dictionary^ and The Irish
Echo, a monthly paper published in Boston, anddevoted to Irish history
and genealogies, are the sources from which have been obtained the
facts for the Irish names. March's Comparative Gramviar of the Anglo-
Saxon Language, March's Anglo-Saxon Reader, and Bosworth's Anglo-
Saxon and English Dictionary have been invaluable so far as the Anglo-
Saxon are concerned, and for the Anglo-Norman and Scotch consider-
able information has been gleaned from the writings of Chaucer,
edited by Wright, from Percy's Rtliques of Ancient English Poetry, and
from scores of other sources.
It is not pretended that the list ofnames herein given is anything like
complete. Hundreds of others could have been included, but they
would only have augmented the size of the book beyond the author's
intention. He has endeavored to select names presumably familiar to
English-speaking people, and to give their probable derivation and
significance. The keen eye of the critic may detect some faults, for a
work ofthis kind cannot necessarily be free from errors, either ofjudg-
ment or wisdom, but it is to be hoped that the value of the work, as
a vehicle of truth and information, may not materially be affected by
reason of them.
THOMAS GENTRY.
G.
Philadelphia, June i, 1892.