The Old French first name Henri, from the Germanic Heinric, was introduced to the British Isles following 1066. This, together with its close relation, the Norman-French Hanri, became Middle English Henry. But in the cottages and communities of the common folk, this name usually became Harry. Harry, like other first names, was then appropriated as … Continue reading 7. Harris
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Patronyms and the Cornish language
Does the presence of patronymic surnames (surnames derived from first names) tell us anything about the last days of the traditional Cornish language? I have argued elsewhere that the distribution of the most common surnames in nineteenth century Cornwall – Williams, Thomas and Richards – offers a good indication of the geography of the language … Continue reading Patronyms and the Cornish language