Author Topic: surnames where do they come from  (Read 18070 times)

Offline coombs

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Re: surnames where do they come from
« Reply #54 on: Saturday 08 September 12 20:15 BST (UK) »
For example my George Coombs was born in Bincombe in Dorset in 1790 and lived in London from about 1810 onwards. Coombs is common down in the West Country. I have Teager in Suffolk which seems Viking.
Researching:

LONDON, Coombs, Roberts, Auber, Helsdon, Fradine, Morin, Goodacre
DORSET Coombs, Munday
NORFOLK Helsdon, Riches, Harbord, Budery
KENT Roberts, Goodacre
SUSSEX Walder, Boniface, Dinnage, Standen, Lee, Botten, Wickham, Jupp
SUFFOLK Titshall, Frost, Fairweather, Mayhew, Archer, Eade, Scarfe
DURHAM Stewart, Musgrave, Wilson, Forster
SCOTLAND Stewart in Selkirk
USA Musgrave, Saix
ESSEX Cornwell, Stock, Quilter, Lawrence, Whale, Clift
OXON Edgington, Smith, Inkpen, Snell, Batten, Brain

Offline Nick29

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Re: surnames where do they come from
« Reply #55 on: Sunday 09 September 12 10:15 BST (UK) »
Lots of names refer to nearby geographical features.   Combe is old English for a wooded valley.  One of the names in my Ancestral tree is Hole, which refers to a hollow, and is quite prevalent in Somerset and Yorkshire, where underground caves and other underground features are to be found.
RIP 1949-10th January 2013

Best Wishes,  Nick.

Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline Redroger

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Re: surnames where do they come from
« Reply #56 on: Sunday 09 September 12 18:45 BST (UK) »
I have the surname Butt in my tree, luckily they never met and married your ancestors Nick
One of the names in my Ancestral tree is Hole, which refers to a hollow, and is quite prevalent in Somerset and Yorkshire, where underground caves and other underground features are to be found.
Ayres Brignell Cornwell Harvey Shipp  Stimpson Stubbings (all Cambs) Baumber Baxter Burton Ethards Proctor Stanton (all Lincs) Luffman (all counties)

Offline rancegal

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Re: surnames where do they come from
« Reply #57 on: Monday 17 September 12 22:02 BST (UK) »

  Butt meant either a barrel, or the targets used for archery practice, which was compulsory in the Middle Ages.
  I know at least two places with a Butts Road and there must be others.

   Unfortunately, the word 'crap' was in use many years before Thomas Crapper began his career.
Bridge: GT Catworth, Hunts, and surrounding area
French: Blisworth,  and W. Northants


Offline LoneyBones

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Re: surnames where do they come from
« Reply #58 on: Tuesday 18 September 12 10:16 BST (UK) »
I just realised last night, whilst doing a bit of serious stuff, my g-grandfather YEATMAN, who was a shoemaker all his life, was actually a gatekeeper on his last electoral roll entry. YEATMAN / YATEMAN / YETMAN all mean Gateman / Gatekeeper.  :D
Direct matriarchal line; ENNIS-Yeatman-Cooper-Papps-Ryland-Lechford/Luxford-Bagshaw-Henriett
ENNIS-Thomas-Bonnin-Aldridge-Williams-Harding-Brown.
ENNIS-Davis/Davies-Buck-Oakley-
JONES-Roberts-Handy-Ross-Warrillow-Eagles-Cotterill-Bailey.
JONES-Walton-Grayson-Stobbs-Baldwin-Ibbotson-Scott.
JONES-Goodwin-Parker-Instant-Hubbard-Hancock-Skinner.

STILL LOOKING FOR: Elizabeth Ann Balfour ENNIS nee DAVIS. Disappeared in Adelaide, South Australia. 1881.

Offline joboy

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Re: surnames where do they come from
« Reply #59 on: Wednesday 19 September 12 09:45 BST (UK) »
My own surname is old english locative and rare according to surnames of England and Wales ... but interestingly I also have some herbaceous names like WOOD,MOULD,FLOWER as well to keep it interesting.
joboy
Gill UK and Australia
Bell UK and Australia
Harding(e) Australia
Finch UK and Australia

My memory's not as sharp as it used to be.
Also, my memory's not as sharp as it used to be.

Offline Pamela.Ebrey

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Re: surnames where do they come from
« Reply #60 on: Wednesday 19 September 12 13:37 BST (UK) »
The origin of my surname, Ebrey, was always a bit of a puzzle to me until one day I was scrutinizing a large scale map of Shropshire (where the vas majority of Ebreys seem to have come from) and I noticed a tiny place called Ebreywood. Now I like to think that my name originated with a scruffy old hermit who lived in the wood!

Unless, of course, the scruffy hermit came first and the woods were named after him...
EBREY anywhere
BOWSTEAD in Gloustershire, Warwickshire