Where's YOUR name from?
Study reveals the origins of 46,500 surnames
and shows how 80% are still native to Britain
The origins of 46,500 surnames have been revealed in the most extensive research of its kind
delving back as far as the Norman conquest.
Names such as Farah, Twelvetrees and Li are among 8,000 family monikers explained for the very
first time, while researchers have also been able to make corrections to previous explanations
such as Starbuck and Hislop.
The £1.5million study, which took four years and was funded by the government, was led by a
team from the University of West of England in Bristol.
Researchers delved back through 900 years of British history to investigate the linguistic origins,
history and geographical distribution of 45,600 most frequent family names in Britain and
Ireland.
Of the surnames analysed in the landmark research, 40,000 were native to Britain, while the
remainder reflect the diverse languages and cultures of immigrants who have settled since the
16th century.
It may come as no surprise that Britain's most common surname is Smith, used by more than half
a million people, followed by Jones (400,000) and Williams (nearly 300,0000), and only a fraction
originate from abroad.
Foreign influences came from French Huguenot, Dutch, Jewish, Indian, Arabic, Korean, Japanese,
Chinese and African settlers, according to the £1.5million government-funded study, led by the
University of West England.
The findings have today been published in the Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and
Ireland. It is hoped that local libraries will purchase the £400 book so it is widely available for
research.
The research revealed that around half of names are derived from places, such as Sutton or
Green. Just under a quarter are relationship names such as Dawson. One in five started as
nicknames – Fox, Goodfellow – and about one in 12 describe occupations, such as Baker, Tanner
or Smith.
The researchers found that Hawkins may mean 'son of Ralph', as does Dawkins. Pritchard
originated in Wales and denoted a forefather called Richard. Those called Snow probably had an
ancestor with white hair or pale skin.
Farah is a name most commonly found among Muslim immigrants. The researchers found that in
1881 there were already five people with the name, denoting they were descended from a farrier
– a smith who shod horses.
It is derived from the northern pronunciation of the much commoner Farrer, a Middle English
occupational name derived from the Old French ferreor, meaning 'ironworker, blacksmith'.
But in the cases of many Muslim families with this name in present-day Britain, it is derived from
the Arabic, farah, meaning joy, happiness and delight.
Among those that have arrived in recent decades, Patel is among the most common, with
100,000 bearers in the 2011 census. It is a status name from a Hindu and Parsi word for a village
headman.
Li is the most common Chinese name in Britain, carried by 9,000 people, not counting those who
spell it Lee.
And Chakrabarti means 'a ruler whose chariot wheels roll everywhere without obstruction.'
The project, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, also pinpointed the origins of
US coffee chain Starbucks to the village of Tarbock, on Merseyside.
The business, which opened its first store in Seattle in 1971, took its name from Starbuck, the
mate of the whaling ship Pequod in Herman Melville's novel Moby-Dick.
The research also revealed more about the surname Twelvetrees, a rare name, with 75 bearers
recorded in the 1881 Census, mainly resident in Lincolnshire, and a variation of the name
Twelftree.
The surname is thought to be an altered form, by folk etymology, of Weldrick, a locative surname
from Wheldrake in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
Farraday, Vardy, Clutterbuck, Redknap, Stilgoe and Toynbee are also names that have not been
explained in previous dictionaries, or have previously been sourced back to incorrect origins in
the past.
The research reveals that Vardy and Farraday both come from the Middle English faire dai (have a
fair day), presumably for someone with a cheerful disposition. The two forms have not been
included in previous dictionaries and Farraday has previously incorrectly been explained as
meaning 'servant of Fair', from a Middle English personal name and daie, meaning 'servant,
person in charge of dairy cattle'.
Another name that has previously been incorrectly explained in previous dictionaries is Hislop.
Rather than originating from an unidentified place in northern England, this is a locative surname
of Scottish origin.
Palin originating from the north-west Midlands, is from a late Middle English development of the
surname Paulin, a diminutive form of Paul. Some previous dictionaries have incorrectly explained
this either as a locative name from Palling in Norfolk or Poling in Sussex, or as a relationship
name from Welsh ap Heilyn 'son of Heilyn'.
Professors Patrick Hanks and Richard Coates lead a team of eminent researchers including
historical linguists, medieval historians, lexicographers and expert advisers on Irish, Scottish,
Welsh and recent immigrant names.
The team analysed records from published and unpublished sources dating from the 11th to the
19th century to enable new and detailed explanations of names that is much more reliable and
up to date than those currently available.
Much of the evidence is new, drawn from previously untapped medieval and modern sources
such as tax records, church registers and census returns.
Professor Patrick Hanks Coates said: 'There is widespread interest in family names and their
history. Our research uses the most up-to-date evidence and techniques in order to create a
more detailed and accurate resource than those currently available.
'We have paid particular attention, wherever possible, to linking family names to locations. 'Some
surnames have origins that are occupational - obvious examples are Smith and Baker; less
obvious ones are Beadle, Rutter, and Baxter.
'Other names can be linked to a place, for example Hill or Green, which relates to a village green.
Surnames which are 'patronymic' are those which originally enshrined the father's name - such as
Jackson, or Jenkinson.
'There are also names where the origin describes the original bearer such as Brown, Short, or
Thin - though Short may in fact be an ironic 'nickname' surname for a tall person.'
Most surnames, researchers found, are fairly rare. Nine in ten names had fewer than 1,000
bearers in 1881, the report said.
Beckham – This is a locative surname (deriving from a place), from East or West Beckham in Norfolk.
While East and West Beckham are separate parishes today, they would have made up a single
settlement at the time of surname formation, known simply as Beckham. The place-name means ‘the
homestead of a man called Becca’, from the Old English personal name Becca + Old English hām
‘village, homestead’.
Cowell – this surname has multiple possible origins. In some cases, it is of Irish and
Manx origin, and can derive from Gaelic Mac Cathmhaoil, meaning ‘son of Cathmhaol’
(Cathmhaol literally means ‘battle chief’); Gaelic Mac Comhgaill, meaning ‘son of Saint
Comhghal’; or a reduced form of Gaelic Mac Giolla Comhgaill, meaning ‘son of the
devotee of Saint Comhghal’. In other cases, the surname is of English origin, and can
derive from either of two places called Cowhill in Lancashire and Gloucestershire, or it
may be a variant form of the surname Cole, which itself has multiple origins.
Simon Cowell'
(Corrected) Hislop – This is a locative surname of Scottish origin. It comes from a minor place
called Hislop in Roxburghshire, which is on the banks of Hazelhope Burn, a tributary of Falnash
Burn, which feeds into the river Teviot. The place-name, as well as Hazelhope Burn, derives from
Middle English hasel ‘hazel’ + hop ‘deep enclosed valley’. Previously, this name has been
incorrectly explained as coming from an unidentified place in northern England.
(New) Li - Fully explained for British and Irish readers for the first time, Li, often written Lee, is
one of the commonest Chinese surnames in Britain, with over 9,000 bearers in 2011, not
counting those who spell it Lee, which will multiply the number considerably. It has at least six
different origins in a range of Chinese dialects, including ‘plum’, ‘chestnut’, ‘black’, ‘fortunate’, and
‘strict’.”
(New) Farraday and Vardy – These are two versions of the same name, from Middle English faire
dai ‘(have a) fair day’, presumably for someone with a cheerful disposition. Vardy has not been
included in previous dictionaries. Faraday does appear in Reaney’s dictionary, but is incorrectly
explained as meaning ‘servant of Fair’, from Fair and daie ‘servant, person in charge of dairy
cattle’.
(Corrected) Hawkins – This surname has three possible origins. It can be a form of the surname
Hawkin with the addition of genitival 's', meaning ‘son of Hawkin’, or with post-medieval
excrescent -s (in post-medieval times, when the vast majority of surnames were hereditary, it was
not uncommon for an -s to be added to the end of a name); Hawkin is from the Middle English
personal name Haw (a rhyming pet form of Raw, a Middle English form of Ralph) + the diminutive
suffix -kin, and therefore means ‘young Ralph’. Hawkins may also be a variant form of the
surname Hawking with post-medieval excrescent -s; Hawking is a locative surname from
Hawkinge in Kent, which means ‘hawk place’, from hafoc ‘hawk’ + the place-name forming suffix
-ing. Hawkins may also be Irish in origin, from Ó hEacháin ‘descendant of Eachán’; Eachán is a pet
form of the personal name Eachaidh, which means ‘horseman’.
(Corrected) Maude – Previous dictionaries have explained this as a relationship name from the
Middle English female personal name Maud. While this may be the origin of the name in a small
number of cases, the surname is mainly locative, from Mold in Flintshire, which is recorded as
Mohaut in 1297. The place-name derives from Anglo-Norman French mont haut ‘high hill or
mound’, the Norman name for Bailey Hill, on which Mold Castle stood.
Middleton – This is a locative surname. It did not originate with a single family; it has a number
of different origins, from any of numerous places called Middleton (the place-name means
‘middle farmstead’, from Old English middel + tūn). It may also derive from one of various other
places named with Old English middel + tūn, but known today as Milton; one such example is
Milton in Cambridgeshire, which was recorded as Middeltune in the late 10th century.
(Corrected) Starbuck– This is a variant of the surname Tarbuck, from a place called Tarbock in
Lancashire. The addition of the initial S- is first noted in the 14th century, in Robert Starbok’,
recorded in Wombwell in the West Riding of Yorkshire in the 1379 Poll Tax returns. The
connection between Starbuck and Tarbuck can also be seen in later records, with James Starbuck
and James Tarbuck both recorded in the parish register for Netherseal (Leicestershire) in the late
18th century. Previous dictionaries have suggested that Starbuck is from a place called Starbeck
in Harrogate, but this can be ruled out as a possibility because the medieval surname forms end
'bok' or 'bouk', not 'bek', and the place-name Starbeck is not on record before 1817. The origin of
the place-name Tarbock is uncertain, though it may derive from the Old Scandinavian personal
name Thor, Thori or Old English þorn ‘thorn’ and Old English brōc, meaning ‘brook, stream’. The
surname Starbuck was taken to America by Edward Starbuck in the 1630s, but the Starbucks
chain of coffee houses is named after the first mate of the Pequod in Herman Melville's Moby
Dick.
(New) Stilgoe – This name is not found in previous dictionaries. It is a nickname from Middle
English stille ‘silently, meekly, secretly’, also with the meaning ‘constantly’, + go ‘go, walk’, for
someone who went about silently or secretly, or for someone who was constantly ‘on the go’.
Styles – This is a form of the surname Style with the addition of post-medieval excrescent -s. In
post-medieval times, when the vast majority of surnames were hereditary, it was not uncommon
for an 's' to be added to the end of a name. Style is a locative name, from Middle English stile
‘stile, steep ascent’. It may be for someone who lived by a stile or steep ascent, or it may be for
someone from a place named with this word.
(Corrected) Palin – This is from a late Middle English development of the surname Paulin, itself
from the Middle English personal name Paulin, a diminutive form of Paul. Some previous
dictionaries have incorrectly explained this either as a locative name from Palling in Norfolk or
Poling in Sussex, or as a relationship name from Welsh ap Heilyn ‘son of Heilyn’.
(New) Patel - This is one of the commonest Indian surnames in Britain, with over 100,000 bearers
in 2011. It is a status name from a Hindu and Parsi word for a village headman. Priti Patel is MP
for Witham in Essex and Secretary of State for International Development.
Pegden – this serves as an example of how locative surnames often come from minor localities
which are unlikely to be known by most people. The surname Pegden is from a small place called
Pegden Farm in Lindfield (Sussex).
Pritchard – This name is of Welsh origin. It is a relationship name meaning ‘son of Richard’, from
the Welsh patronymic element ap ‘son (of)’ + the personal name Richard. In the surname, the
patronymic ap has been incorporated in to the following personal name, causing ap Richard to
become Prichard.
(New) Redknap – This name does not appear in previous dictionaries. It is probably a nickname
from Middle English red ‘red’ + knappe ‘boy, servant’, for a boy or servant with red hair or a
ruddy complexion. This explanation is supported by the occurrence of a similar medieval name,
borne by Johannes Redknave in 1377 (in a poll tax return for Rutland), which derives from Middle
English red + knave ‘boy, servant’. However, in some cases, Redknap may be a locative name,
from Middle English red + knap ‘hillock’.
Snow – a nickname from Middle English snou, snow ‘snow’, for someone with snow‐white hair
or an exceptionally pale complexion.
Tobin – This surname has a strong association with Ireland, and is a form of Irish Tóibín, a
gaelicized form of the Norman French surname Saint Aubin, from Saint Aubin in Brittany.
However, it also has an alternative English origin, from a pet form of the Middle English personal
name Tobias or Toby, ultimately from the Hebrew personal name Tobiah.
(New) Twelvetrees - This rare name has become more widely known through Billy Twelvetrees,
the England rugby union international. It is a variant of Twelftree (in 1881 a Northamptonshire
and Bedfordshire surname) with an excrescent 's'. Twelftree is probably an altered form, by folk
etymology, of Weldrick, a locative surname from Wheldrake in the East Riding of Yorkshire. A
gentry family with a surname from this place is recorded in Bedfordshire in the fourteenth
century.
Winslet – This appears to be a late variant of the surname Winslade, which is a locative name
from Winslade in Hampshire or Winslade in Devon. The connection between Winslet and
Winslade is supported by the occurrence of both surnames in the same parishes; see, for
example, Samuel Winslade and John Winslet, both recorded in the parish registers for Richmond
in Surrey in the late 18th century.
Interesting Facts about British Food
10 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT BRITISH FOOD:
Have you ever wondered how some of your favourite foods came to be discovered or invented?
Here are ten interesting facts (or myths) about British food, some going back to Roman times:
1. It was the Romans who made oysters popular in Britain and were responsible for establishing
their cultivation. The rich waters of Camulodunum (Colchester today) are ideal for cultivating
the delicious Colchester oysters .
2. In Spring, you can trace the routes of the Roman Army through the south of England by
following the white blossom on tall, wild cherry trees. Roman soldiers brought cherries from Italy
and spat the pips out as they marched.
3. The world’s most eaten ‘convenience’ food, the humble sandwich was named after an English
aristocrat. The Earl of Sandwich had such a passion for gambling, that he didn’t want to have to
stop playing – gambling addiction? To ensure his game was not interrupted and to keep his hands
clean for the cards, the Earl of Sandwich asked for meat to be put between two slices of bread.
4. King James I of England and VI of Scotland imported 10,000 mulberry trees to start a silk
industry. Unfortunately, he ordered the wrong variety and the silk worms wouldn’t eat the leaves.
The mulberry tree ‘berries,’ however, made excellent jam.
5. Crowdie, a soft, fresh milk cheese, also known as ‘gruth’ in Gaelic is the result of traditional
methods dating back to Scotland’s Vikingoccupation. The first farm to flavor it with garlic only
did so after their cows had escaped from their field, wandered into woods and ate wild garlic. The
flavor that went into the milk was so good that garlic crowdie quickly became a favorite item.
6. ‘Bletted’ Medlars were a much loved after dinner treat in Victorian homes in November and
December. The fruit was gathered from trees in September, laid in sawdust and kept until the flesh
turned dark and soft, as they had to be ‘rotten to be ripe’. I’ll give this one a miss!
7. It is not only Stilton cheese that is important to the people of the Heart of England. In 1734, the
Mayor of Nottingham was bowled over with a 100 lb. wheel of cheese during a riot after
stall-holders at an annual street market had increased cheese prices by more than a third.
8. The world’s first chocolate bar was made in Bristol in the late 1720s by Joseph Fry. His
company was eventually taken over by Cadbury, another British, family owned firm.
9. Mint sauce became the ‘essential’ accompaniment to roast lamb in Britain thanks to Queen
Elizabeth I. To stop her subjects eating lamb and mutton (and help the wool industry), she decreed
that the meat could only be served with bitter herbs. Enterprising cooks discovered that mint made
the meat taste better, not worse.
10. Ice cream was so popular in London in the 19th century that massive ‘ice wells’ were dug in
the city. Ice was imported from America, and later from Norway to fill them.
What is the difference between
UK, Britain, Great Britain (GB) and the British Isles?
'When people say England, they sometimes mean Great Britain, sometimes the United
Kingdom, sometimes the British Isles -but never England.'
Why is England or the UK sometimes called Britain?
"England" is sometimes, wrongly, used in reference to the whole United Kingdom, the entire
island of Great Britain (or simply Britain), or indeed the British Isles. This is not only incorrect
but can cause offence to people from other parts of the UK.
England, Scotland, Wales, Great Britain refer to different 'parts of the UK. The British Isles
includes many islands not even part of the UK.
England Scotland Wales Britain
Great Britain UK British Isles
Britain comprises only England and Wales.
Great Britain comprises only England, Scotland and Wales.
The British Isles - made up of several islands. Great Britain is the largest one.
What is the official name of the UK?
Q&A
1. What is the official name of UK?
The official name of the UK is the "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland".
2. What countries make up the UK?
The name refers to the union of what were once four separate nations: England, Scotland, Wales
and Ireland (though most of Ireland is now independent. Only Northern Ireland is part of the UK
now).
3. What is UK made up of?
England - The capital is London.
Scotland - The capital is Edinburgh .
Wales - The capital is Cardiff.
Northern Ireland - The capital is Belfast.
England, Scotland and Wales together form Great Britain.
Great Britain and Northern Ireland together form the "United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland" (UK)
4. What is the capital city of the UK?
The capital of the UK is London.
5. Why is the whole of Ireland not in the UK?
Before 1922 the UK included Ireland in the definition, but when the Irish Free State ceased to be
part of the Union the title changed to include 'Northern Ireland'.
6. When was the UK formed (made)?
The United Kingdom (UK) was formed in on January 1, 1801 and constitutes the greater part of
the British Isles.
7. What are people called in the UK?
People in the UK are called British although they have different nationalities.
