Category: surnames

Cornish surnames in the 17th century

For some obscure reason the most visited page on this website has consistently been 18th century surnames by parish. To accompany this I've spent the Christmas period compiling a list of surnames for each parish in the mid-17th century and this can now be consulted here. In 1642 across Cornwall over half of men (57%) … Continue reading Cornish surnames in the 17th century →

Surnames from first names

Many surnames originally stemmed form first names. In Cornwall Bennet or Benet was a frequent male name in the medieval period. It came orginally from the saint's name Benedict, shortened to Benoit by the French and introduced to the British Isles by the Normans. The name was widely found as a surname in Cornwall by … Continue reading Surnames from first names →

Three surnames in Cornwall from nicknames. Perhaps.

Of the three names below Bastard most obviously originated in a nickname. As might be expected, it was found over a wide area in the 1500s. Bariball probably developed from the name Barbarel, introduced by the Normans and present in the 1300s in Devon, where it's been suggested it was from a nickname. Or did … Continue reading Three surnames in Cornwall from nicknames. Perhaps. →

Unravelling a group of Cornish surnames

Several surnames are supposed to have derived from the first name Bartholomew. These include Bartle, a short form, and Bartlett, a double diminutive. Actually, the double diminutive seems to have established itself first, with several examples of Bartlett in the 1500s strongly implying two points of origin in south east Cornwall and north east of … Continue reading Unravelling a group of Cornish surnames →

More early Cornish surname geographies

Barkle in the 1500s was a mid-Cornwall surname. Look out for a coming map of the associated name Bartle in this same period. Or does the spelling Barkla suggest an origin in Barclay? Barnicoat was more widely spread, its geography perhaps suggesting a sea-borne route from its Devonian origins. Barrett was common across mid and … Continue reading More early Cornish surname geographies →

Bean fields, bread and Barbara? Some rarer Cornish surnames

The earliest spelling of what became Banfield or Bamfield makes it unlikely to have meant bean field originally. A Cornish language name meaning wheaten bread ... From barbarian? Or more likely Barbara.

Who were the Bodrugans?

One surname you won’t meet in today’s Cornwall is Bodrugan. The name has its origin in a place overlooking St Austell Bay near Mavagissey. It means Rygan’s farmstead and was acquired by the family that had emerged as the owners of the local manor by the 1200s. By the 1320s Otto Bodrugan was one of … Continue reading Who were the Bodrugans? →

Celtic hero and Camborne invention: 2 Cornish surnames

The surname Arthur obviously stemmed from the first name. It was found in various parishes up and down Cornwall in the 1500s. As the name of the great Celtic mythical warrior it's interesting that it was no more likely to be found in the Cornish-speaking than the English-speaking districts at that time. Aver presumably derived … Continue reading Celtic hero and Camborne invention: 2 Cornish surnames →

Surname origins and maps of early distributions: three examples

The early distribution of these three surnames provide us with some good clues concerning their points of origin You can compare these with maps of their nineteenth century distributions here. Anstis is from a medieval first name. The origin of Argall is unclear but the map below suggests that the place Argal (near Falmouth) may … Continue reading Surname origins and maps of early distributions: three examples →