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General => The Common Room => Topic started by: Mart 'n' Al on Tuesday 17 December 19 13:20 GMT (UK)
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I've just discovered that my 5x GGM was a Corpse, from Co Durham, (long before she actually died).
I'd be interested to hear any suggestions for the origin of the unfortunate name. I don't have a current FindMyPast or Anc subscription.
Martin
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According to "The Penguin Dictionary of Surnames" Corp(e) is nickname for raven Old French (or ? Old Norse) and Corps '(son) of Corp.'
In the 1881 census there were 338 Corps and 22 Corpse.
Stan
This shows the distribution of Corpse in 1881
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In French Corbeau is Raven, and Corneille is Crow, the family is Corvid, so it is possible, thanks Stan. Any more ideas?
Martin
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Possibly a misreading of Copse, as in the geographical feature. It was an occupation at one time, the coppicing of trees.
Regards
Chas
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I like that one better. This is turning into 'Call My Bluff'.
Martin
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If you search for the name, there are several references/explanations. Stan’s explanation seems to be favoured.
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Reminds me of an old neighbour of ours who worked on a maternity ward and says she was once confronted with a child named "Female" (pronounced fee-mah-lay), which somebody had chosen because they'd seen it written down somewhere and liked the (supposed) sound of it. Actually, writing that down, it does seem apocryphal!
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Free BMD indicates a good beginning year 1837 then onwards for quite a lot of the Corpse name in (now) Greater London and Surrey. Whitby in Yorkshire is a popular place for Corpses.
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Corpse means body in our old English langauge.
In Old English and Anglo-Saxon bān and ban pre-fix of the word mainly linked to the body, main body areas, armour on the body and bone
bān-fæt †, bān-fatu, body or corpse
bān bone, bone of a limb
bāncofa the bodily frame
bana killer, slayer, murderer
bānhelm helmet
bānbeorge leg-armour
bānece in pain in the thigh
bānhūs body, chest, breast
† occurs in poetical texts only
Mark
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Possibly a misreading of Copse, as in the geographical feature. It was an occupation at one time, the coppicing of trees.
Regards
Chas
Interesting - but glad it's not my surname.
There's another surname for the chap cutting down the trunks ol trees so they could be coppiced and that's "Pollard".
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Possibly a misreading of Copse, as in the geographical feature. It was an occupation at one time, the coppicing of trees.
Regards
Chas
Interesting - but glad it's not my surname.
There's another surname for the chap cutting down the trunks ol trees so they could be coppiced and that's "Pollard".
I am a great believer in looking for the simple answer. I don't really think that our ancestors led more complicated lives than our own.
I have lived in this area for the last 45 years because an overworked and underpaid RAF clerk got distracted and posted me to RAF Honington instead of RAF Hullavington.
After all "Spelling is an Adventure, not a Science".
Regards
Chas
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What do you think, Martin. Was this helpful to you? ;)
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Stiff competition...
Martin
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Reminds me of an old neighbour of ours who worked on a maternity ward and says she was once confronted with a child named "Female" (pronounced fee-mah-lay), which somebody had chosen because they'd seen it written down somewhere and liked the (supposed) sound of it. Actually, writing that down, it does seem apocryphal!
In a 1960s general election a candidate Eric Moonman was asked by a voter if she could name her baby after him. Flattered why. She answered that she liked it on his literature. It was his slogan "Launch Moonman!" A woman named Towle named her baby Terry because she thought it fitted! In both and many other cases I ask you? There is this my wife once worked for a manager named Matterface!! Pronounced Ma Ter fa fee!
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Talking about pronunciations I once had dealings with someone called Featherstonehaugh (surname). It was apparently pronounced Fanshaw. Imagine going though life explaining that!
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Latin
corporo [corpus] To make a body or corpse, to make or fashion into a body, to furnish with a body.
corpus A a body, whether living or lifeless: B 1 The flesh of animal bodies ...
2 A lifeless body, a corpse, Caes. B. G.
Caes. Caius Julius Caesar, historian ob. B.C. 44 [Date]
Caes. B. G., Bellum Gallicum.
Mark
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I can't see how these lead to CORPSE becoming a surname. It seems so unlikely.
Martin
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Latin
corporo [corpus] To make a body or corpse, to make or fashion into a body, to furnish with a body.
corpus A a body, whether living or lifeless: B 1 The flesh of animal bodies ...
2 A lifeless body, a corpse, Caes. B. G.
Caes. Caius Julius Caesar, historian ob. B.C. 44 [Date]
Caes. B. G., Bellum Gallicum.
Mark
According to "The Penguin Dictionary of Surnames" Corp(e) is nickname for raven Old French (or ? Old Norse) and Corps '(son) of Corp.'
In the 1881 census there were 338 Corps and 22 Corpse.
Stan
This shows the distribution of Corpse in 1881
Surnames
Corpus (Roman), still a surname too.
Corp (French).
Korpr (old Norse, Norwegian).
Korpr (Nordic countries).
Korp(e)
Mark
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Talking about pronunciations I once had dealings with someone called Featherstonehaugh (surname). It was apparently pronounced Fanshaw. Imagine going though life explaining that!
I asked my friend StJohn Cholmondely-Marjoribanks about that. He just smiled.
Was Mr Corpse the parish sexton?
(sorry, Martin - I'm in a silly mood today!)
The earliest records of CORPSE (exact spelling only) on FreeReg are in Norfolk, in Aldeby and Burgh St Peter in the 1720s.
Philip