Читать книгу Collins Dictionary Of Surnames: From Abbey to Mutton, Nabbs to Zouch - Leslie Dunkling - Страница 17

Bacchus, Bacher, Backhouse, Backouse, Backus see BAKER.

Badam, Badda, Baddam, Baddams, Badham see ABADAM.

Baiker see BAKER.

Bailey, Bailie, Baillie, Baily (Eng, Scot, Irish) Occupational name of an official, a bailiff, or an indication that the original name-bearer lived near a bail, the outer wall of a fortification. Bailey ‘berry wood’ in Lancashire was also the source of the surname for many families.

Bailhache, Ballachey, Ballechett, Ballhatchet, Baylehache (Eng) An English name, but formed from the Old French words baille hache ‘give axe.’ The occupational name of an executioner.

Baitson see BARTHOLOMEW.

Baker, Bacher, Baiker, Baxter (Eng) Occupational name of a communal baker. He might also be described as a ‘worker at the bake-house,’ giving rise to surnames such as Bacchus, Backhouse, Backouse, Backus, Bakehouse. The Old French boulengier ‘baker’ led to Bullinger, Pillinger, Pullinger. See DUCK.

Baldrey, Baldrick, Baldridge, Baudrey, Baudrick, Boldright, Boldwright, Boldry, Bowdery (Eng) Descendant of Bealdric, a Germanic personal name composed of elements meaning ‘bold’ and ‘power.’

Baldwin (Eng) Descendant of a man named Baldwin ‘brave friend.’ The assumption that the first element of this name meant ‘bald’ led to its occasional use In Ireland for a personal name which means ‘bald, tonsured.’ See MILLIGAN.

William Hone relates in his Every-Day Book that ‘on the twentieth of May, 1736, the body of Samuel Baldwin, Esq., was, in compliance with an injunction in his will, immersed, sans ceremonie, in the sea at Lymington, Hants. His motive for this extraordinary mode of interment was to prevent his wife from “dancing over his grave,” which this modern Xanthippe had frequently threatened to do, in case she survived him.’

Balismith, Balysmyth see SMITH.

Ball, Bald, Balls (Eng) Nickname for a bald man, or indicating an ancestor who lived near a boundary mound.

John Field, in English Field Names, cites many instances of The Ball as a field name. Such names often give clues to surname origins, preserving as they do earlier senses of words. Field names such as Eighteenpennyworth, Fivepenny, Halfpence, Twenty shilling field, Twopenneworth, indicating the value of the land, may also explain some puzzling ‘money’ surnames – see PENNY.

Ballachey, Ballechett, Ballhatchet see BAILHACHE.

Ballaster, Ballester, Ballister, Balster, Bolister (Eng) Occupational name for a crossbow-maker or a soldier armed with one. There is a connection with the word ballistics.

Ballock see BULLOCK.

Balsillie (Scot) Descendant of someone who originally came from the Scottish village of this name, near Leslie In Fife. It is probably from Gaelic baile-seilich ‘willow-tree farm.’

Balster see BALLASTER.

Bandra, Bandrew, Bandrey, Bandro see ANDREW.

Banks, Banker, Bankes (Eng) Descendant of someone who lived near a river bank or on sloping ground. In an Irish context Banks can be the Anglicized form of the Gaelic Bruachán ‘corpulent,’ also found as O’Brogan.

Bannister, Banister, Bannester (Eng) Occupational name of a basket weaver.

Barber, Barbour (Eng) Occupational name of a barber, who spent as much time trimming beards as cutting hair. He was also the local doctor and dentist, hence the description:

His pole with pewter basons hung,

Black, rotten teeth in order strung,

Rang’d cups that in the window stood,

Lined with red rags to look like blood,

Did well his threefold trade explain,

Who shaved, drew teeth, and breathed a vein.

Barby see BARROW.

Bardon see BARNES.

Barebone (Eng) The Little Parliament in Cromwell’s time was headed by Praise-God Barebone, His name is variously recorded as Barbon, Barborne, which suggests that his ancestors came from Barbourne, in Worcestershire, a place named for its ‘beaver stream.’

Barebone’s given name Praise-God was a typical Puritan slogan name of the 17th century. Two of Praise-God’s brothers had the names Jesus-Christ-came-into-the-world-to save Barebone and If-Christ-had-not-died-for-thee-thou-hadst-been-damned Barebone. The latter was known to most of his contemporaries as Damned Barebone, partly because of his immoral behaviour. A special study of such given names was made by Charles Bardsley and published as Curiosities of Puritan Nomenclature.

Barfoot see PUDDY.

Barham (Eng) Descendant of someone who originally came from one of the places so-named because it was a ‘hill homestead.’ The Kentish place of this name was instead ‘Biora’s homestead.’

Barker (Eng) Occupational name for a tanner, who used tree bark when converting hides into leather. But many Barkers have an ancestor who was a shepherd, the name having absorbed Bircher.

Barnard see BERNARD.

Barnes, Barne, Barns (Eng) Descendant of someone who lived near or worked in barns, which were originally places for storing barley. Barnes is also a place in Surrey, named for its ‘barns,’ where some bearers of the name may originally have lived. The name can also mean descendant of Barne, a personal name representing Old English beorn ‘young aristocrat’ or Old Norse bjorn ‘bear.’ In an Irish context Barnes is likely to be an Anglicized form of the Gaelic personal names Bearán ‘spear,’ (found also as Barrane, Barrington, Barron, O’Barran, O’Barrane) or Bardán ‘bard,’ (found also as Bardon).

Barnet, Barnett (Eng) Descendant of a man named Bernard, or someone who came from a place named Barnet. The place name indicated a place where the vegetation had been ‘burned’ away.

Baron, Barron (Eng, Scot) A nickname for someone who acted in a haughty way; in Scotland a title used for a land-owner.

Barr, Barrs (Eng, Scot, Welsh, French) Descendant of someone who lived by a town or castle gate. He could instead have come from Barr in Ayrshire or Renfrewshire, or from Great Barr in Staffordshire, or from places in France such as Barre-en-Ouche, Barre-de-Semilly. Other possible explanations of this name are ‘maker or seller of bars or stakes,’ and nickname for a tall, thin man.

Barrane see BARNES.

Barras, Barrasford see BARROW.

Barrell (Eng) Occupational name of a cooper, maker of barrels or casks, or a nickname for someone who was barrel-shaped. Occasionally a form of Barwell, a place in Leicestershire, and indicating someone who originally came from there.

Barrington (Eng) Someone who came from one of the several places so-named because it was ‘Bara’s or Beorn’s settlement.’ For the meaning in Ireland see BARNES.

Barron see BARNES and BARON.

Barrow, Barby, Barras, Barrasford, Barrowby, Barrowden, Barrowford, Barrows, Barugh, Barway, Barwise, Berrow (Eng) Descendant of someone who originally came from one of the many places named for its ‘barrow,’ a word meaning either a grove of trees or a long low burial mound.

Barrs see BARR.

Barsham see BASHAM.

Bartholomew, Baitson, Barson, Bart, Bartie, Bartle, Bartleet, Bartlet, Bartleman, Bartlett, Barty, Bason, Bate, Bates, Bateson, Batt, Beatson (Eng) Descendant of a man called Bartholomew, an Aramaic name which occurs in the Old Testament. It means ‘son of Tolmai,’ itself another biblical name occurring as Talmai.

Film buffs associate the name Bates with Psycho, the Hitchcock film based on a novel by Robert Bloch. Anthony Perkins played the part of Norman Bates, killer of a young woman in a much-imitated shower scene.

Barton (Eng) Someone who came from one of the several places so-named because it was a ‘settlement where barley was grown.’

The name seems to have appealed to writers: George Eliot writes about Amos Barton in Scenes of Clerical Life and the heroine of Elizabeth Gaskell’s Mary Barton bears that name. For several years (1946–1951) the adventures of Dick Barton, ‘Special Agent,’ captivated the British radio audience.

Bartrick, Brightrich (Eng) Descendant of Beorhtric, an Old English personal name composed of elements meaning ‘brightruler.’

Barty see BARTHOLOMEW.

Barugh, Barway, Barwise see BARROW.

Barwell see BARRELL.

Basham, Barsham, Bassham (Eng) Descendant of someone who originally came from one of the places so-named because it was ‘Bar’s homestead,’ Bar being a personal name meaning ‘wild boar.’

A Mr Basham of Guernsey who was an osteopath once attracted a certain amount of media attention.

Bason see BARTHOLOMEW.

Bass, Bassett see FISH.

Bassham see BASHAM.

Bastard (Eng) Descendant of an illegitimate child. For obvious reasons bearers of this name tend to change it in modern times. The word itself is avoided because it has become a term of abuse.

Dickens was still able to have Oliver Twist referred to as ‘a bastard child,’ though he went on to say that the word was a reproach to whoever used the word rather than the person at whom it was aimed.

R.D. Blackmore comments in Lorna Doone that ‘others were of high family, as any need be, in Devon – Carews and Bouchiers, and Bastards.’

Bate, Bates, Bateson see BARTHOLOMEW.

Batha, Bathaw, Bather, Batho, Battams see ABADAM.

Batt see BARTHOLOMEW.

Battersby (Eng) Someone who came from a place so-named because it was ‘Bothvarr’s village.’ The -by in such names is common in places where Scandinavian invaders settled. It represents an Old Norse byr ‘village, homestead.’ Other typical English place names that became surnames are BOOTHBY, BURNABY, BUSBY, CATESBY, CONINGSBY, DANBY, DERBY, DIGBY, DIMBLEBY, FRISBY, GOADBY, HORNBY, KEARBY, KIRBY, RIGBY, ROKEBY, SAXBY, SELBY, SLINGSBY, SOWERBY, SWINDERBY, THIRLBY, WELBY, WHITBY, WILLOUGHBY. Occasionally, however, surnames ending in -by have a different origin. See, for example, LIBBY, TUBBY.

Baudrey, Baudrick see BALDREY.

Bavon see EVAN.

Baxter see BAKER.

Baylehache see BAILHACHE.

Beaconsfield see STANSFIELD.

Beadle, Beaddall, Beadel, Beadell, Beadles, Beddall, Beddell, Bedell, Bedle, Beedle, Biddell, Biddle, Biddles, Buddell, Buddle, Buddles (Eng) These are all linked to a ‘beadle,’ who would have been a junior law official during the surname-formation period. One of his jobs was to make public announcements.

Mr Bumble, the beadle in Dickens’s Oliver Twist, also takes it upon himself to name the foundlings. ‘We name our foundlin’s in alphabetical order. The last was a S – Swubble: I named him. This was a T – Twist: I named him. The next one as comes will be Unwin, and the next Vilkins. I have got the names ready made to the end of the alphabet, and all the way through it again, when we come to Z.’ This explanation evokes an admiring ‘Why, you’re quite a literary character, sir’ from Mrs Mann.

Beak, Beake (Eng) Nickname for a man with a big nose.

Beaker, Beakerman, Beakers, Beekerman (Eng) Occupational name for a potter who made drinking vessels.

Bean, Beane, Beans, MacBain, MacBayne, MacBean, MacVain (Eng, Scot) As an English name, Bean could indicate someone who grew and sold beans, but there was a Middle English word bene which meant ‘pleasant, kindly’ which could have led to Bean as a complimentary nickname. As a Scottish name Bean, MACBAIN etc. refer to a descendant of Beathan ‘life’, a Gaelic personal name. See GAVIN.

Beard, Beart see WHITBREAD.

Beaton, Beeton (Eng) Someone who originally came from Béthune in Normandy.

Beatson see BARTHOLOMEW.

Beauclerk see CLARK.

Beaulieu, Beaulieux, Bewley (Fre) Someone who came from one of the many French places so-named because it was considered to be a ‘lovely place.’

Bewley indicates the pronunciation that became normal in England, a fact commented on by J.C. Keyte in Minsan: ‘Vernon Beaulieu - and you must pronounce it “Bewley” if you please, or have a half-hour recitation on philology.’

Beauman see BOWMAN.

Beausire see BELCHER.

Beavan, Beavand, Beaven, Beavin see EVAN.

Beavis, Beaves, Beevis, Beves, Bevis, Beviss, Bovis (Eng) A nickname for a ‘handsome son.’ French beau fils now means ‘son-in-law,’ but this meaning came too late to account for the surname. The latter could, however, indicate someone who originally came from Beauvais or Beauvois. There are several places with such names in northern France.

Beavon see EVAN.

Bedard see EDWARDS.

Beddall see BEADLE.

Beddard see EDWARDS.

Beddell, Bedell, Bedle, Beedle see BEADLE.

Bedward, Bedwart see EDWARDS.

Bedworth (Eng) Someone who originally came from the place of this name in Warwickshire, so-called because it was ‘Beda’s homestead.’

The name is treated rather harshly in J.I.M. Stuart’s novel A Memorial Service, where a conversation runs: ‘Here’s a damned impertinent letter from God knows who - calls himself Piddlebed, or some such.’ ‘Bedworth,’ I said. ‘Bedworth, Bedpan - I don’t give a fart for the fellow’s name.’

Beeton see BEATON.

Beevis see BEAVIS.

Belcher, Belshaw, Belsher, Bewcher, Bewshaw, Bewshea, Bewsher, Bowsher (Eng) This seems to have become confused with a common medieval term of address, roughly equivalent to ‘fair sir,’ found as BEAUSIRE, BOWSER, BELSIRE, though it began independently as Norman French bel chere ‘fair face.’ No one has ever suggested that Belcher might occasionally have something to do with eructation, though medieval nicknames were not concerned with politeness. This is presumably because the name was usually pronounced Belsher. Also, the Old English verb bealcian ‘to belch’ is not recorded as a noun until the 16th century. However, the voidance of wind from the lower region is certainly commented on in English surnames such as PETARD, PETTER, PETHARD and the French names PETAIN, PETON, PETOT. It would be surprising if someone’s habit of belching frequently was not commented on by his medieval contemporaries.

Bell, Beller, Bellman (Eng, Scot) Bell is a common name because it is derived from many sources. John atte Bell, who is mentioned in a medieval document, lived near a public bell or at the sign of the bell. John le Bel would have been a ‘handsome’ fellow, but other Bells were descended from an Isobel, or were bell-ringers, or made bells.

Bellingham (Eng) Descendant of someone who originally came from one of the places so-named because it was ‘Beora’s homestead’ or ‘homestead on or near a bell-shaped hill.’

Bellis, Bellison see ELLIS.

Bellman see BELL.

Bellsmith see SMITH.

Bellyse see ELLIS.

Belshaw, Belsher, Belsire see BELCHER.

Belsire see BELCHER.

Bennett, Bendick, Benedict, Bennedick, Bennet, Bennet, Bennetts (Eng, Scot) Descendant of a man named Benedict. This was the name of several saints, the most influential being the 5th century monk who founded the Benedictine Order. Professor Reaney remarks that the Latin name Benedictus ‘blessed’ was invariably used in the Middle Ages in its colloqial French form Beneit, which led directly to Bennett. He wonders therefore whether surnames such as Benedict and Benedick, which clearly derive directly from the Latin word, were not nicknames for someone whose favourite saying was ‘Benedicte!’ ‘bless you!’ Speakers in the Middle Ages used a wide variety of oaths, such as ‘God wot!’ ‘by my troth!’ ‘for God’s sake!’ Several of these ‘oath names’ became English surnames. Bennett is the English form of this name, Bennet is more usual in Scotland.

Benson, Bennison, Bennson (Eng) Descendant of a man named Benedict, see BENNETT. However, Benson is also an Oxfordshire place name ‘Banesa’s settlement’ from which the ancestors of some families of this name may have come.

Bentham (Eng) Descendant of someone who originally came from one of the places so-named because it was a ‘homestead on bent (reedy) grass.’

Bernard, Barnard (Eng) Descendant of a man named Bernard. This is a Norman form of a given name that existed as Beornheard in Old English. The first element means ‘bear,’ the second is ‘hardy, brave.’

The St Bernard dog commemorates Saint Bernard of Menthon (923–1008), who founded hospices on what are now known as the Great St Bernard Pass and Little St Bernard Pass in the Alps. The dogs were kept at the hospices to help rescue lost travellers.

Berriman see BURY.

Berrow see BARROW.

Berry, Berryman see BURY.

Berry, as those who bear the surname well know, is one of those names which attracts punning comments. The tradesman named Berry who sent a bill to a Mr Mathews received the following message:

‘You have sent in your bill, Berry, before it is due, Berry; your father, the elder, Berry, would not have been such a goose, Berry; but you need not look so black, Berry, for I don’t care a straw, Berry.’

Thomas Tryon writes, in his novel Lady: ‘Miss Berry’s first name was Mary, but she was too nice for me to make use of the obvious euphony of her names. Some of the guys from the feed store would walk by hollering “Mary Berry’s got beriberi,” or “Mary Berry loves Harry Carey,” but Miss Berry, whose hearing might have been better, would only nod and smile.’

Bevan, Bevans, Bevens, Bevin see Evan.

Beves, Bevis, Beviss see BEAVIS.

Bewcher see BELCHER.

Bewes (Eng) Someone who came from the Norman town Bayeux. A Welsh family would instead look back to an ancestor who was a Hugh; ab Hugh being ‘son of Hugh.’

In Tess of the D’Urbervilles, a novel in which Thomas Hardy makes much of varying forms of surnames, the author mentions that ‘the Debbyhouses, who now are carters, were once the De Bayeux family.’ He also has a character state that: ‘our little Retty Priddle here, you know, is one of the Paridelles - the old family that used to own lots of the lands for miles down this valley.’ Retty, however, is a dairy-maid. The Durbeyfield - D’ Urberville variation is of considerable importance to the story. These Hardy names are not easy to find in directories and may have been his inventions.

Bewley see BEAULIEU.

Bewshaw, Bewshea, Bewsher see BELCHER.

Bicker see BIGGER.

Biddell, Biddle, Biddles see BEADLE.

Bigg (Eng) Nickname for a big, strong person.

Bigger (Eng) Possibly a variant of BICKER, an occupational name for a bee-keeper.

Mrs H. Bigger of Wantage, Berks, wrote to a newspaper to say that she was not amused when she was pregnant to hear the oft-repeated remark: ‘I see you’re getting a little bigger.’

Bigod, Bigot see PARDOE.

Bill, Billmaker (Eng) Occupational name of a sword-maker or one who made bill hooks, used for pruning.

Billington (Eng) From one of the places bearing this name, so called originally because it was a ‘settlement on a sword-shaped hill.’

Billsmith see SMITH.

Binder (Ger) Occupational name of a barrel maker.

Bindless, Bindloes, Bindloss see CATCHLOVE.

Bingham (Eng) Descendant of someone who originally came from the place in Nottinghamshire, so-named because it was ‘Binna’s homestead.’

Bircher (Eng) An occupational name, but not of an educationist, as Weekley remarks in his Surnames, a joke which might well be lost on modern children. The origin is French berger, ‘shepherd’.

Bird, Bride, Burd, Byrd (Eng) Occupational name of a birdcatcher, especially finches. Since burde in Middle English referred to a young girl, the surname may in some instances have begun as a nickname for someone thought to have girlish qualities. See DUCK.

Birdseye (Eng) At first glance this name appears to be a variant of BIRDSEY, referring to someone who lived on a ‘birds’ island.’ However, no such English place name appears to exist, and the surname is in any case found in America rather than Britain. The name is likely to be a translation of a German locative name: the Langenscheidt German-English Dictionary, for instance, glosses Vogelaugenholz as ‘bird’s eye wood.’ Professor Weekley, however, in Surnames, thought that ‘the compounds of the physical eye are numerous and have not hitherto been recognized as such.’ He cited BLACKIE, a nickname for someone with black eyes, and the analagous BRIGHTEY, BROWNIE, DOVEY, GOLDIE, GOLDNEY, GOOSEY, HAWKEY, LITTLEY, SHEEPY, SILVERY, SMALLEY, WHITEY, WILDEY, where the second element in each case is ‘eye.’ Birdseye, for Weekley, fitted easily into this group.

A man named Victory Birdseye was a New York senator in 1827.

Clarence Birdseye (1886–1956) founded the Birdseye Seafoods company in 1923. He used to relate to anyone who would listen that one of his ancestors had been a page boy to a queen and used to go hunting with her. One day a hawk swooped towards the queen, whereupon the page boy shot an arrow into its eye. The queen immediately named him Birdseye and the family had been ‘stuck with it’ ever since.

Birtwistle (Eng) Descendant of someone who originally came from a place so-named because of ‘birds gathering at the junction of a stream.’

Bishop (Eng) Occupational name of a bishop’s servant, or nickname for someone of ‘ecclesiastical appearance,’ as Bardsley expresses it. He goes on to say: ‘Nevertheless, most of our Bishops owe their title to the custom of electing a boy-bishop on St Nicholas’ Day.’

The Rev. Thomas Bishop of Johannesburg has said that ecclesiastical names run in his family. ‘My great-grandfather was a Mr Church. He married a Miss Dean and their daughter married a Mr Bishop.’

Black, Blacke, Blackman, Blake, Blakeman (Eng) A nickname based on the Old English word blac, which in modern English has become both ‘black’ and ‘bleach.’ The Old English word perhaps had the sense ‘absence of colour.’ The nickname could therefore have been applied to a person of dark complexion or black hair, but it could equally well have been given to someone who was very pale.

The detective Sexton Blake is the hero of countless stories for boys, written by nearly 200 different authors. He has been described as ‘the poor man’s Sherlock Holmes,’ whom he physically resembles. He also lives in London’s Baker Street.

Blackbeard, Blackbird (Eng) Nickname for a man with a black beard. See WHITBREAD.

Blackburn, Blackford, Blackpool, Blackwall, Blackwater, Blackwell, Blacon (Eng) Descendant of someonewho originally came from any of the places so-named, each one close to a ‘dark stream, pool or spring’. Blakemere is a similar name.

Blacke see BLACK.

Blackett (Eng) Nickname for a man with a black head of hair.

Blackford see BLACKBURN.

Blackie see BIRDSEYE.

Blackman see BLACK.

Blackpool see BLACKBURN.

Blacksmith (Eng) Occupational name of a blacksmith.

Blackwall, Blackwater, Blackwell, Blacon see BLACKBURN.

Bladesmith, Blades, Bladsmith (Eng) Occupational name of a cutler.

Blair (Scot, Irish) Descendant of someone who originally came from one of the places so-named. Gaelic blár means ‘(battle)field.’

Blake, Blakeman see BLACK.

Blanton This appears to be an English place name, but no trace of the place concerned can be found. The surname nevertheless appears amongst the 2000 most frequent names in the USA.

Blessington see HAMILTON.

Bligh, Bly, Blye, Blythe (Eng) Nickname for a happy person, but see BLIGHT.

Blight (Eng) G. Pawley White, in his Handbook of Cornish Surnames, says that this is a nickname from Cornish blyth ‘wolf.’ It can have the alternative forms BLIGH and BLYTH.

In Our Mutual Friend Dickens comments: ‘The office door was opened by the dismal boy, whose appropriate name was Blight.’ Block, Blocker, Blogg, Bloggs (Eng) Occupational name of a maker of blocks, eg for book-binding, shoe-making, hat-making. The wooden blockhead of the hat-maker led to use of that term for a stupid person, and this may be the meaning of the surname Block.

Joe Bloggs, as the name of the average ordinary man, is also Joe Blow in American sources, or Joe Do(a)kes. In one of her blues numbers Billie Holiday sings: ‘But just let me walk out of the club one night with a young white boy of my age, whether it was John Roosevelt, the President’s son, or Joe Blow.’ This name was originally applied to a horn-blowing musician, then extended to any man. Joe Soap is similarly a name applied to a ‘dumb’ person, a mug, or any very ordinary person. In 1969 the Guardian said that: ‘Socialists have become over-eager to find out what Joe Soap is doing in order to tell him not to do it.’

Dickens’s Blockitt may belong here. In Dombey and Son occurs: ‘Mrs – ?’ ‘Blockitt, Sir?’ suggested the nurse, a simpering piece of faded gentility, who did not presume to state her name as a fact, but merely offered it as a mild suggestion.’

Bloom, Blomer, Bloomer, Blumer (Eng) Occupational name of an ironworker, who ran the liquid metal into moulds.

James Joyce changed the signification of Bloom for countless readers of his Ulysses by making it the name of his central character. The novel deals with the events of one day in 1924, June 16th, a date remembered annually by Joyce fans as ‘Bloomsday.’ During her long stream-of-conscienceness monologue, Molly Bloom comments ‘bloomers. I suppose they’re called after him I never thought that would be my name Bloom when I used to write it in print to see how it looked on a visiting card or practising for the butcher and oblige M Bloom you’re looking blooming Josie used to say after I married him well it’s better than Breen or Briggs …’ ‘Bloomers’ are in fact normally said to have been named for Mrs Amelia Bloomer, a writer on women’s suffrage and unjust marriage laws. Eric Partridge tells us, in his Name Into Word, ‘that female knickerbockers owed nothing to Mrs Amelia Bloomer except the fact that it was she who, circa 1850, started the earlier fashion from which the dress designers developed the latter.’ Mrs Bloomer herself, it seems, habitually wore a short skirt and long loose trousers, gathered at the ankles.

Blower, Bloor, Bloore, Blow, Blowers, Blowes, Blows (Eng) Occupational name of a man who operated bellows, or in some cases, a HORNBLOWER.

Blumer see BLOOM.

Bly, Blye, Blythe see BLIGH.

Boal, Boaler, Boales see BOWLER.

Boatwright, Boatright, Botwright (Eng) Occupational name for a maker of boats.

Bockett see BUCKET.

Bodin (Swedish) The Swedish form of BOOTH.

E.V. Cunningham makes a character in Lydia say: ‘Bodin - it doesn’t mean a blessed thing, does it? As a matter of fact, it’s another of those small appellative lies that we indulge in so frequently in America. My husband was half-Jewish. His father’s name was Bodinski, and the old man changed it.’

Boileau see DRINKWATER.

Bold (Eng) Nickname for a courageous man, or from residence in a place called Bold. The place-name derives from an Old English word bold ‘dwelling, building.’

Boldright, Boldwright, Boldry, Bowdery see BALDREY.

Bole, Boler see BOWLER.

Bolister (Eng) Probably a form of BALLASTER.

Boll, Boiler, Bolles, Bollman see BOWLER.

Bolton (Eng) Someone who came from one of the several places so-named because it was a ‘settlement with houses.’

Boltsmith (Eng) Occupational name of a man who made crossbow bolts.

Boman see BOWMAN.

Bone, Bonn, Boon, Boone, Bown, Bowne, Bunn (Eng) A nickname for a ‘good’ person, from French bon. Also forms of a Norman name which is sometimes spelt BOHUN, though the pronunciation remains the same. This form rightly hints at a connection with the French place name Bohon, indicating an ancestor who came from there.

G.B.Shaw has a class-conscious waiter in You Never Can Tell who comments: ‘My own name is Boon, sir. By rights I should spell it with the aitch like you, sir, but I think it best not to take that liberty, sir. There is Norman blood in it, sir, and Norman blood is not a recommendation to a waiter.’

Bone also attracts comment in John Wain’s A Travelling Woman: ‘He tucked her name away in his memory: Barbara Bone. He surmised that her maiden name had been something more elegant than Bone.’

Booth, Boothe, Boothman (Eng) Someone who lived in a small hut, or bothy. He would probably have been a shepherd.

While this explanation applies to most bearers of these names, one young lady called Booth was given that name because she was found abandoned in a telephone booth.

Boothby (Eng) Someone who came from a place so-named because it was a ‘settlement with huts.’

Boothe, Boothman see BOOTH.

Borkett see BUCKET.

Bosanquet, Bosanketh (Cornish) Bos- in such names (usually transferred Cornish place names) means ‘dwelling.’ The second element of Bosanquet is probably the personal name Angawd. Similar Cornish names include Boscawen, Bosence, Bosustow, Bosisto, Boswarva.

Bossom, Bosence, Bosson, Bossons (Eng) Occupational names, forms of bo’sun or boatswain. A Sussex family named Bossom might look instead to an ancestor who came from Bosham ‘homestead of Bosa’s people.’

When a Mr Bossom became an MP, Neville Chamberlain is said to have remarked: ‘An odd name! Neither one thing nor the other!’

Boswall, Boswell (Scot) Descendant of someone who came from Beuzeville, Normandy.

Botler, Bottel, Bottle see BUTLER.

Botwright see Boatwright.

Bottom, Botham, Bottams, Bottoms (Eng) Someone who lived in a broad valley. See also LONGBOTHAM.

Boucher see BUTCHER.

Boudet, Boudin, Boudon, Boudot, Boudeau see BUTTON.

Boule, Boules, Bouller see BOWLER.

Bouquet, Bouquain, Bouquin, Bouquot, Bouquerel see BUCKET.

Bourke see BURKE.

Boutcher see BUTCHER.

Boutflour, Boughtflower, Bulteflour (Eng) A miller, literally a man whose job was to ‘sift flour.’

Bouton see BUTTON.

Bovis see BEAVIS.

Bowen, Bowing, Bowins see OWEN.

Bowler, Boal, Boaler, Boales, Bole, Boler, Boll, Boiler, Bolles, Bollman, Boule, Boules, Bouller, Bowie, Bowles, Bowlman (Eng) Occupational name of a maker/seller of bowls (used for drinking). Possibly also a nickname for someone who drank a great deal from bowls.

Bowman, Boman, Beauman (Eng) Occupational name of an archer.

Bown, Bowne see BONE.

Bowser, Bowsher see BELCHER.

Bowsmith, Bowersmith, Bowyer, Boyersmith (Eng) Occupational name of a maker/seller of bows.

Boyd, Boyde (Scot, Irish) Traditionally explained as a reference to the island of Bute, or derived from a Gaelic word for someone with yellowy hair, but no one can be sure of its meaning.

Boyersmith see BOWSMITH.

Boys (Fre) Descendant of someone who was a dweller in a wood.

Brace, Brass (Eng) Occupational name of a maker of armour, specifically that which protected the brace, the two upper arms. In some instances the name refers instead to a maker of breeches. A worker in brass was more likely to become a BRASHER, BRASIER or BRAZIER.

Dickens refers in The Old Curiosity Shop to ‘the legal gentleman, whose melodious name was Brass.’ He goes on to joke: “The dwarf glanced sarcastically at his brazen friend.’

Bracegirdle (Eng) Occupational name of a belt-maker, which girdled a man’s breeches.

Bracer, Braisher, Brasher, Brasseur (Eng) Occupational name of a brewer, from French brasseur. But Brasher can also mean ‘brass-worker.’

Bradley (Eng, Scot) Descendant of someone who came from any one of the many places so-named because of a ‘broad clearing, or wood.’ Similar place-names which became surnames, where Brad -in each case means ‘broad,’ include Bradbrook, Bradbury, ‘fort’, Braddock, ‘oak’, Braddon, ‘hill’, Bradfield, Bradford, Bradshaw, ‘thicket’, Bradwell, ‘stream’.

Bradman (Eng) Nickname for a ‘broad man.’

Bradshaw, Bradwell see BRADLEY.

Bragg (Eng) Nickname for a lively, cheerful person. See BRAXTON.

Brampton (Eng) Someone who came from one of the several places so-named because it was a ‘settlement where broom grew.’

Brasher, Brasseur see BRACER.

Brasier, Brazier see BRACE.

Brasnett, Brassett (Eng) Nickname for someone with a ‘brazen head,’ a head as hard as brass.

Brass see BRACE.

Braxton (Eng) Descendant of someone who originally came from a place of this name, which was ‘Bracc’s enclosure.’

Harper Lee, in To Kill a Mockingbird, mentions ‘Mr Underwood, a profane little man, whose father in a fey fit of humour christened Braxton Bragg, a name Mr Underwood had done his best to live down. Atticus said naming people after Confederate generals made slow steady drinkers.’

Bream see FISH.

Brenton (Eng) Someone who came from one of the place so-named because it was ‘Bryni’s settlement.’

Breton, Bret, Brett, Bretton, Brettoner, Britain, Britner, Britnor, Briton, Britt, Brittain, Brittan, Brittian, Brittin, Brittney, Britton, Brittoner, Britts, Bruttner, Brutton (Eng) Descendant of a Breton, a man from Brittany, but Breton was also a medieval term of abuse for a braggart.

Brewer, Brewers, Brewster, Broster, Brouwer, Brower, Bruster (Eng) A male or female brewer.

This explanation of his family name did not satisfy Dr Brewer, editor of a Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. In the 13th edition of that book he claimed that ‘very few ancient names are the names of trades.’ He went on to insist that Brewer, ‘which exists in France as Bruhiäre and Brugäre, is not derived from the Saxon briwan (to brew), but the French bruyäre (heath), and is about tantamount to the German Plantaganet (broom plant).’ Perhaps one Brewer in a million may trace his name back to a Bruyäre or Läbruyare, but brewing was a very common occupation in the Middle Ages, when beer was probably drunk more often than water.

Brian, Briant, Brien, Bryan, Bryant, MacBrien, O’Brian, O’Brien, O’Bryan (Irish, Eng) Descendant of Brian, a Celtic personal name of disputed meaning, borne especially by Brian Boru, king of Ireland in the early 11th century. The name may mean ‘hill’ (with the metaphorical meaning ‘eminence’), but ‘high, noble’ and ‘of many qualities’ have been suggested by writers on surnames with a knowledge of Gaelic. The final -t in some forms of this name is described by linguists as ‘excrescent.’ As the name is said the extra sound forms itself of its own accord, as it were.

Brice see PRICE.

Brickman (Eng) The official in charge of a toll-bridge.

Bride see BIRD.

Bridge, Bridgeman, Bridgen, Bridgens, Bridger, Bridges, Bridgman, Brigg, Briggs, Brigman, Bruggen, Brugger, Brydges, Dealbridge, Delbridge, Dellbridge (Eng) Dweller near a bridge, of collector of bridge tolls. In some instances the reference may be to a Flemish trader from Bruges, Belgium.

Bridson see KILBRIDE.

Brien see BRIAN.

Brigetson see KILBRIDE.

Brigg, Briggs see BRIDGE.

Brigham (Eng) Descendant of someone who originally came from one of the places so-named because it was a ‘homestead near a bridge.’

Bright, Brightman (Eng) Nickname applied to someone of great beauty.

There are hundreds of limericks which mention particular surnames. A separate book would be needed to do justice to them. One of the better-known examples is:

There was a young lady named Bright.

Who could travel much faster than light.

She started one day.

In the relative way,

And came back the previous night.

Brightey see BIRDSEYE.

Brightman see BRIGHT.

Brightrich see BARTRICK.

Brigman see BRIDGE.

Brill see FISH.

Brisbane, Brisbourne (Eng) A bone-breaker. Reaney mentions a similar surname CRAKEBONE and suggests that the reference is to the sheriff’s officer who broke the legs of condemned criminals.

Britain, Britner, Britnor, Briton, Britt, Brittain, Brittan, Brittian, Brittin, Brittney, Britton, Brittoner, Britts see BRETON.

Broadfoot see PUDDY.

Broadhead (Eng) A descriptive nickname.

Brockhouse, Brockis, Brockman, Brockway, Broke, Brokus see BROOK.

Bronson see BROWN.

Brontë (Irish) The grandparents of the Brontë sisters lived in County Down and were known as BRUNTY, a form of PRUNTY or PRONTY, from a Gaelic name meaning ‘bestower, a generous person.’ The girls’ father then changed Brunty to Bronte, the Greek word for ‘thunder.’

In her Life of Charlotte Brontë Mrs Gaskell remarks that ‘about this time, to her more familiar correspondents, she occasionally calls herself Charles Thunder, making a kind of pseudonym for herself out of her Christian name, and the meaning of her Greek surname.’

Brook, Brockhouse, Brockis, Brockman, Brockway, Broke, Brokus, Brookbank, Brookbanks, Brooke, Brooker, Brookes, Brookfield, Brookhouse, Brooking, Brookings, Brookman, Brookmire, Brooks, Brooksbank, Brooksby, Brookshank, Brookshaw, Bruck, Brucker, Bruckshaw (Eng) Descendant of someone who lived near a brook or someone who originally came from any of the places named for its brook.

Lower also reports that a child found abandoned by the side of a brook, wrapped in a napkin, was duly named ‘Napkin Brooker’ by the parish authorities.

Roger Brook is the British secret agent hero of a series of novels by Dennis Wheatley. Dorothea Brooke is the rather more complex heroine of George Eliot’s Middlemarch, which has been described as the best novel written in English.

Broster see BREWER.

Brougham (Eng) Descendant of someone who originally came from a place in Cumbria so-named because it was a ‘homestead near a fortress.’

Broughton (Eng) Someone who came from one of the several places so-named because it was a ‘settlement near a brook, or by a narrow hill, or by a fortified manor.’

Broun, Broune see BROWN.

Brouwer, Brower see BREWER.

Brown, Bronson, Broun, Broune, Browne, Brownson, Brunson (Eng) A reference to a person’s brown hair or skin.

Thomas Hughes waxes lyrical in Tom Brown’s Schooldays about the part that families named Brown have played in British history. He says that they may be ‘quiet, dogged an homespun’ but they have done as much for their country as the ‘Talbots, Stanleys, St Maurs, and suchlike folk.’

Another fictional schoolboy is William Brown, hero of many comic adventures written by Richmal Crompton.

Charlie Brown features with his dog Snoopy, not to mention his friends Linus and Lucy, in the strip-cartoon series Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz.

Chesterton’s Father Brown is a priestly detective in many short stories, who would probably have appreciated the epitaph for a dentist named John Brown which runs:

Stranger! Approach this spot with gravity!.

John Brown is filling his last cavity.

Brownie see BIRDSEYE.

Brownjohn (Eng) The name derives from a man named John who had brown hair.

Kingsley Amis comments in Ending Up: ‘Mr Brownjohn’s a good man.’ ‘Unbelievable name, that. I do very much wonder how he came by it – I should say, how his ancestor came by it.’

Brownnutt, Brownhut, Brownutt (Eng) A descriptive nickname, found also as NUTBROWN.

Brownsmith (Eng) Occupational name of a coppersmith.

Brownutt see BROWNNUTT.

Bruck, Brucker, Bruckshaw see BROOK.

Brugäre, Bruhiäre see BREWER.

Bruggen, Brugger see BRIDGE.

Brunson see BROWN.

Brunty see BRONTË.

Bruster see BREWER.

Bruttner, Brutton see BRETON.

Bryan, Bryant see BRIAN.

Bryce see PRICE.

Brydges see BRIDGE.

Brydson see KILBRIDE.

Buchanan (Scot) Descendant of someone who came from the Stirlingshire district of this name, ‘house of the canon.’

James Herbert writes, in his novel Sepulchre: ‘He was Alexander Buchanan, a suitably sturdy name for an underwriter whose firm, Acorn Buchanan Limited, had a ‘box’ on the floor of Lloyd’s of London and company offices near Fenchurch Street.’

Bucher see BUTCHER.

Buck (Eng) Probably a nickname for a lecherous man, though some professional connection with stags or goats is also possible. In some instances there may be a reference to residence near a ‘beech’ tree.

Warwick Deeping presumably had the American slang meaning of buck (‘dollar’) in mind when he wrote, in Sorrell and Son: ‘Buck! He did not like the name; it was both too male and too American.’

Bucket (Eng) A well-known character in the BBC television series Keeping up Appearances tries to deflect any derision that this name might evoke by insisting that it should be pronounced like the word ‘bouquet,’ as if it really referred to a bunch of flowers. Bouquet does exist as a French surname, along with its variants Bouquain, Bouquin, Bouquot, Bouquerel, but all are derived, according to Professor Albert Dauzat in his Dictionnnaire Etymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France, from a word meaning ‘he-goat.’ Such names would have been given to a man who was especially lecherous. BUCKETT is normally taken to be a form of BURKETT, which also has the variants BUCHARD, BURCHATT, BURCHARD, BURCHETT, BURKARD, BURKART, BURKITT, BORKETT, BOCKETT, BUDGETT, BUTCHARD, BUTCHART. These derive from someone named Burgheard ‘fort-strong,’ an Old English personal name. However, G. Pawley White claims in his Handbook of Cornish Surnames that Buckett is from Cornish bos keth ‘dwelling of the serf.’

Students of detective fiction are familiar with Inspector Bucket, who appears in Dickens’ Bleak House in a relatively minor role. He is perhaps the first fictional detective. Dickens has him introduce himself by saying: ‘My name’s Bucket. Ain’t that a funny name?’

Buckingham (Eng) Descendant of someone who originally came from one of the places so-named because it was ‘Bucca’s homestead.’

Buckle, Buckell, Buckler, Buckles, Bucklesmith (Eng) Occupational name of a buckle-maker. However, Weekley suggests that Buckler may on occasion be a form of BEAUCLERK.

Bucklin see BUTLIN.

Bucksmith see SMITH.

Buddell, Buddle, Buddles see BEADLE.

Budgett see BUCKET.

Bugg, Buggey, Bugson (Eng) Descendant of Buggi, an Old Norse personal name meaning ‘fat.’ It can also derive from Welsh bwg, a word which can variously mean ‘bogy, bug-bear, ghost, scarecrow.’ Professor Weekley added the suggestion that Bugg might be a shortened form of Burghart, a Germanic name meaning ‘castle strong.’

The modern form of the name is slightly unfortunate, and Thomas Hood long ago commented:

A name – if the party had a voice –

What mortal would be a Bugg by choice.

As a Hogg, a Grubb, or a Chubb rejoice.

Or any such nauseous blazon?

Not to mention many a vulgar name.

That would make a door plate blush for shame.

If doorplates were not so brazen.

For a further disparaging comment by Matthew Arnold, see HIGGINBOTTOM.

In the 19th century an announcement in The Times that a Mr Bugg was changing his name to Howard led to a great deal of comment, including a debate in the House of Commons. As a direct result, James Finlayson published, in 1863, his booklet Surnames and Sirenames, the Origin and History of Certain Family and Historical Names with Remarks on the Ancient Right of the Crown to Sanction and Veto the Assumption of Names, and a Historical Account of the Names Buggey and Bugg.

Like Bugg itself, Bugson also comes in for its share of disapproval. In Sorrell and Son Warwick Deeping writes: ‘Personally I don’t like young Bugson; I don’t like his name or his face or his nature, but we have to put up with the Bugsons. They are here – there – everywhere.’

Bulled, Bulleid (Eng) Nickname for a man with a ‘bull head,’ presumably a comment on his impetuous ways.

Bullinger see BAKER.

Bullock (Eng) Professor Reaney, in The Origin of English Surnames, says that Bullock might have been a nickname for a young man who behaved like a bullock, but he adds: “There can be no doubt that many a Bullock was once a BALLOCK (Old English bealluc ‘testicle’). Occasionally we have a compound, Robert Blakeballoc.’ He mentions also a Roger Gildynballokes ‘golden testicles.’ See GRAY.

A conversation in Elizabeth Gaskell’s Mr Harrison’s Confessions runs: ‘Mr and Mrs Bullock’s compliments, sir, and they hope you are pretty well after your journey.’ ‘Who would have expected such kindness from such an unpromising name?’

Bulteflour see BOUTFLOUR.

Bumphrey, Bumphries see HUMPHREY.

Bunclark see CLARK.

Bunn see BONE.

Burchard, Burchatt, Burchett, Burkard, Burkart, Burkett, Burkitt see BUCKET.

Burd see BIRD.

Burfoot see PUDDY.

Burgess, Burgiss (Eng) A social title, indicating an inhabitant of a town or borough who enjoyed full municipal rights.

Burke, Bourke, Burgh, De Burgh (Eng) Descendant of someone who lived near a prehistoric hill fort, or in a place named for such a fort.

Burley, Burleigh (Eng) Descendant of someone who lived in any of the places of this name, which at one time would have had a ‘fort in a wood.’

In The Autocrat of the Breakfast Table, Oliver Wendell Holmes says that Elizabeth I loved to make puns on people’s names. He quotes her as saying: ‘Ye be burly, my Lord of Burleigh, but ye shall make less stir in our realm than my Lord of Leicester.’

Burnaby (Eng) Someone who came from a place so-named because it was a ‘settlement near a stream.’

Burnham (Eng) Descendant of someone who originally came from one of the places so-named because it was a ‘homestead near a stream.’

Burns, Burness, Burnhouse (Scot) Descendant of someone who lived (in a house) near a stream.

George Black says in The Surnames of Scotland that ‘Robert Burns’s right name was Burness, but because the name was pronounced in Ayrshire as if written Burns, he and his brother Gilbert agreed to drop Burness and assume Burns in April 1786.’

Burton (Eng) Someone who came from one of the several places so-named because it was a ‘settlement near a fortified manor.’

The actor Richard Burton was born Richard Walter Jenkins.

In South Riding, Winifred Holtby writes: ‘Mr Chairman, I see we have another candidate, Sarah Burton. A good plain name. Let us hope a good plain woman.’

Bury, Atberry, Atbury, Atterbury, Berry, Berriman, Berryman (Eng) These names all have a connection with a ‘fort’ or ‘manor house,’ probably indicating someone who worked in such a place (Berriman, Berryman) or lived near one. Since Bury is also a place name in its own right, it could mean ‘someone who came from a place so-named.’ The ancestor of a Cornish Berriman or Berryman, by contrast, might well have come from St Buryan.

Busby (Eng) Someone who came from a place so-named because it was a ‘settlement amongst shrubs.’

Bush, Bushe, Busk (Eng) Descendant of someone who lived near thick bushes.

Butchard, Butchart see BUCKET.

Butcher, Boucher, Boutcher, Bucher (Eng) Occupational name of a butcher or worker in a slaughterhouse.

Butevilain see BUTLIN.

Butler, Botler, Bottel, Bottle, Buttle (Eng) A head servant, specifically one who was in charge of the wine-cellar. Occasionally he was responsible for the importation of wine.

Butlin, Bucklin, Butevilain (Fre) Dr Reaney explained this name in his Origin of English Surnames as Old French boute vilain, ‘hustle the churl.’ It appears to have been the nickname of an overseer.

Butt, Butson, Butting, Butts (Eng) A nickname for a short, thickset person, or one who lived near, or spent a lot of time at, archery butts. Perhaps also a seller of the flatfish called butt, halibut.

Buttle see BUTLER.

Button, Boudet, Boudin, Boudon, Boudot, Boudeau, Bouton Descendant of a man who bore the Germanic personal name Bodo or one of its diminutive forms.

There was a Button family on the Mayflower when it sailed to America.

Lower reports that there is a sexton’s bill in an English parish church which refers to digging a grave for a Mr Button. It reads: ‘To making a Button-hole, 4s.6d.’

Butts see BUTT.

In The Newcomes, Thackeray has the exchange: ‘Mr Butts of the Life Guards.’ ‘Mr Butts – quel nom!’ (what a name!).

Byfield see FIELD.

Bygod, Bygot see PARDOE.

Byndloes see CATCHLOVE.

Byrd see BIRD.

Bywater, Bywaters (Eng) Ancestor of someone who lived near water, such as a lake or river.

Bywood see WOOD.