"Man is born unto trouble as the sparks fly up- Though vigorous as the morning sun,

Poetry.

Youth's leaves are good nature, with modesty part of the nobility and gentry con

twin'd,

Ev'ry virtue the tints it displays,

Its odours consist of a sweetness of mind,
And charms us with freedom and ease.

This flower is ANNA, young life is her morn,
May she bloom like a blossom in Spring,
And years roll away while unpointed the thorn,

To infix in her bosom a sting!

ANSWER TO A QUERY ON SURNAMES.

sist, viz.-such as are derived from the names of places, or have given name to them. The following may be stated as examples among many: Arundel, Arbuthnot, Abercrombie ; Berkeley, Barrington, Borthwick; Coventry, Crawford, Cathcart; Dundas; Elphinstone; Fularton; Grant; Hamilton; Innes; Johnstone; Livingstone; Menzies, Murray, Montgomerie; Netterville; Purves; Riddel, Ross; Somerset, Sutherland; York. This mark of antiquity is, however, not so unequivocal as the first; for although many ancient families, as above, have their surnames from particular places, which either were, or still are, in their possession, yet all that are so designed are not ancient. For it is by no means uncommon for new families to call their lands by their FROM this seemingly unimportant sub-own name, and many have their surject, a great deal of curious, and even useful information, may be extracted, by attending to the circumstances peculiar to the different classes unto which these marks of family distinction are naturally divided.

In the Imperial Magazine for August last, col. 676, a question was inserted on the Origin of Surnames. To this question a short reply was given in the Number for October, col. 830. Since that time we have been favoured with a more detailed account, which can hardly fail to prove satisfactory to our readers.

Thus, whenever we find Surnames of which the etymology is either obscure, of foreign extraction, or altogether unknown, the origin of such families may very safely be ascribed to the ages of antiquity, to the Norman conquest, or to one or other of the different influx of foreigners, that have so frequently, either in a friendly or in a hostile manner, come into this country.

In proof of this, it may be remarked, that the greater part of the ancient nobility and gentry are thus derived. Such as the Surnames of Allen, Agnew, Agar; Bruce, Burnett, Bertie; Courtenay, Campbell, Cummin; Douglas, Drummond, Dillon; Elliot, Erskine, Eden; Foulis, Forbes, Frazer; Gordon, Graham, Goring; Howard, Herbert, Hope; Ingram, Irwin, Jervis; Kerr, Keith, Kennedy; Lesley, Lam

names from towns and countries, who never had any property there.

A very considerable portion of all ranks is denominated from what is properly called the Sir-name, which is taken from the name of the father, or most honourable progenitor of the tribe; and when this is expressed in the ancient language of the country, it is a pretty sure indication of remote antiquity. In England, this ancient sir-name is expressed in the old Norman dialect by Fitz, meaning a son; in Scotland by Mac, a son also; and in Ireland, by O, a grandson; all prefixed to the proper name of the progenitor. Of the first, the following families have attained to the peerage; Fitzwalter, Fitzgerald, Fitzherbert, Fitzwilliam, (2) Fitzgibbon, Fitzpatrick, Fitzmaurice, and Fitzroy, (2) but this last is rather the mark of descent than of antiquity, being the illegitimate offspring of Charles II. Of the sirname by Mac, the following have attained to 'peerage:--Macdonald, Macdonnel, Mackenzie, (2) Mackay, Macgill, Maclellan, Macdowal, and

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Ansmer to a Query on Surnames,

Macartney and by O, in like manner in the peerage, O'Brien, (2) O'Neil, O'Callaghan, and O'Hara. In Wales, ap, originally prefixed to the name of the father, had the same import; as, ap-Rice, ap-Howel, ap-Evon; the son of Rice,-of Howel,-of Evon. The two first were soon contracted to Price and Powel, and still indicate antiquity; but the more common practice of expressing the sirname plainly, Evans, Edwards, Johns, or Williams, is a modern device, which tends to confound ancient families with the commonalty of that country, who change the sirname every generation, by adding for their own sirname the genitive s, to the proper name of their immediate progenitor. Ex. William the son of John Edwards, will call himself William Johnes, or Jones, and his own son Edward will in like manner call himself Edward Williams; so that were this practice general, all family distinction, so far as depends upon sirname, would be involved in utter confusion.*

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haps among the most ancient of this class, its chief having possessed under that name his present lands in Athol for more than 400 years.

Of proper names, almost every one may be adduced as surnames. The following are in the peerage, but, except the first, of no great antiquity: Peter, Alexander, Duncan, and Matthew.

The surnames derived from the diminutives of proper names, such as Dick, Thom, Jamie, Will, Watt, Rob, Sim, Saunders, Pate, with their own progeny of Dickson, Thomson, Jamieson, &c. must all have sprung originally from the lower orders, if not from illegitimacy; as is most probably the case with all surnames derived from the names of women, such as Alison, Mollison, Nelson, Beatson, and Christieson, as well as Christie, or rather Chirstie itself, that being the usual appellation of Chirstain, which in Scotland, is a woman's name.

It would be an endless task to trace the origin of every surname, nor is it here meant to be attempted; but still a few observations more may be indulged, particularly on such as have attained in this country to celebrity.

Thus we may observe, that official station and rank have given rise to many dignified families that still continue in power and affluence, although the station or rank that their ancestors held has long since ceased to be enjoyed, such as Stuart, Marischal, Constable, Butler, King, Dean, Monk, Knight, Falconer, Forester, Bishop, Archdeacon, Treasurer, Chamberlane, &c. There are now about twenty of the prime nobility of these surnames, exclusive of the four last, which have not yet attained to that honour.

That branch of sirname that is formed by adding son in plain English to the proper name of the progenitor, is, like the English language itself, more modern, and besides that there are fewer of the nobility of this denomination, their elevation to the peerage is but of recent date; the most ancient at present on the list being Watson Lord Sondes; created such only 45 years ago, since which there has been only eight more of this class added, viz. Robinson, (2) Leeson, Dawson, Acheson, Jenkinson, Nelson, and Hutchinson. Sanderson, Earl of Scarborough, is no proper exception to this, that being only an assumed name at no remote period, the original name being Lumley, which is indeed a name of great antiquity.† There was in- Some surnames again denote the deed a Robertson, now changed to Col-nation or people from whence the falier, Earl of Portmore, of pretty ancient date, but that name itself is per

*Not unsimilar to this is the practice in the Imperial family of Russia, where the children take the name of their own father as a sirname: Ex. Peter Alexowitz, Paul Petrowitz, Alexander Paulowitz. They have even a feminine declension owna, instead of owitz. Ex. Elizabeth Iwanowna, Ann Paulowna, &c. But here there is no danger of confusion, the family being too dignified to admit of doubt, as to lineage.

+ It is related, that when our sagacious monarch, James VI. was on his journey south to London, to take possession of the English

milies are derived, as Scott, Fleming, French, (which have all attained to the

crown, he lodged one night at Lumley castle, between Newcastle and Durham. Here the chaplain of the family, in conducting the royal visitor through the gallery of family portraits, took occasion to expatiate on the vast antiquity of his patron's ancestors, tracing them through an almost endless genealogy. His Majesty, who foresaw where this was to end, and unwilling to be longer detained on the subject, cut him short at once with-" Stop, stop, man, never kend before, that Adam's surname was Lumley."

713

Answer to a Query on Surnames.

714

peerage) Inglis, and Welch. Nobody | Crookshanks, Bastard, Trollope, &c. has, however, yet thought of distin- which in some of the cases may have guishing themselves by the name of been assumed by, and in others imIrish, yet Ireland is not uncommon as posed on, the parties; of which the a surname; as also England, Scot- wonder is, how their descendants do land, Wales, France, and Holland. not contrive to alter them, which is Almost every town and country, in- often done in other cases, where nodeed, has given rise to a surname. thing opprobrious attaches from the name. There can be no doubt also, that many surnames are corrupted undesignedly in the hands of illiterate people; of which, perhaps, there cannot be shown a stronger instance than the surnames Death and Devil, from De Ath, and De Ville.

The cardinal points, South, East, North, West, are all surnames, of which the two last are in the peerage. Parts of the Body have been assumed as surnames,-as Foot, Hand, Tongue, Head, Heart, Beard, Belly, Shank, Leg, of which last there are two families in the peerage; and of dress and armour, such as Sword, Spear, Shield, Buckle, Greaves or Graves, Hood, Cuff. Of the three last surnames, there are five peers of the realm.

The Colours form a numerous and brilliant class, as Green, Red, Black, Blue, Brown, of which there are several in the peerage; White, lately raised to it, and Grey, which has been for ages on the list of nobility, and had once nearly secured the crown.

race

From Animals, a numerous are surnamed, and of high dignity. Guelph, the German for Wolf, is the surname of the illustrious house of Brunswick, and, of course, of the Royal Family of Great Britain: and in the list of the peerage are the following; Lyon, Griffin, Wolf, Fox, Lamb, Hare, Hawk, Coote, Cocks, and Finch.

But the most numerous of all the classes of surnames, is that which has arisen from trade and occupation, there being very few handicrafts that have not given surnames to particular families; and even these must be of considerable antiquity, as the different employments of men would be an obvious distinction at the first assumption of surnames among the great body of the people, which it is believed took place in this country about the end of the 13th, or beginning of the 14th century. But as in these rude ages, the path to honour would rarely lie in the way of rustics and mechanics, it would be long before many families of this class would attain to rank or distinction, and in fact there are few or none thus derived that lay claim to much renown, till within these 150 or 200 years; although in the present day the number, even in the higher ranks, thus descended, is very considerable, and even among them some are named from professions by which one would scarcely ex

There are remarkably few surnames taken from the Sea, notwithstanding our intimate connection with it. Shore, lately advanced to the peerage, seems the only one of respectability;pect that almost any family would for, of the few others in use, such as Herring, Haddock, Crab, Whale, and Hulk, they seem rather to have been imposed as nicknames, than assumed

as surnames of distinction.

A considerable number of surnames are derived from the Gaelic, such as Roy, Red; Bane, White; Ogg, Young; More, Great; Begg, Little; none of them have, however, attained to much distinction, except Duff, Earl Fife, and of the same import Dove and Dow, all of which signify Black.

There are several surnames derived from personal qualifications or circumstances, such as Sharp, Smart, Jolly, Fair, Short, Small, Strong, Little; and even some from personal reproach or deformity; as Waddle, No. 30.-VOL. III.

have chosen to be distinguished. Thus Collier and Salter, which were originally professions held in great disrepute, (so much so as to be conducted only by bondmen,) are now the names of very respectable families; as well as Dempster, which was originally the public executioner.

The following surnames of this plebeian origin, are now enrolled in the class of nobility: Fayer, Collier, Cooper, Carpenter, Turner, Ryder, Smith, Litster, and Gardiner or Gardner, consisting of the families of one Marquis, six Earls, two Viscounts, and four Barons.

On the whole, it is a most gratifying reflection, that, as, on the one hand, such a numerous race of dignified 2 Z