4. Rowe

The surname dictionaries insist that Rowe originated in a name for someone living by a hedgerow or in a row of houses. Given its pre-eminent place in the rollcall of Cornish surnames and the personal names origin of the others in this list, that explanation seems a bit lacking. Even if some with the byname … Continue reading 4. Rowe

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