The Latin name Martinus gave us Martin in medieval English and French. The popularity of this name was then boosted by the cult of the fourth century St Martin of Tours. In the 16th century the family name Martin was more evenly spread across Cornwall than many other surnames coined from personal names. Moreover, in … Continue reading 6. Martin
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Wendron: two exceptional emigrants
Most mining parishes in Cornwall saw at least a quarter of the generation born in the mid-nineteenth century leave for places overseas. In that regard Wendron was no exception. In 1861 around two thirds of its adult men were employed in the mines of the parish, most of them in pursuit of tin. By the … Continue reading Wendron: two exceptional emigrants
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
Cornish studies resources 