We’re now down to the last three surnames, each of which could boast over 1,000 households in the Cornwall of 1861. Like Harry and Harris or Stephens and Stevens, Richard and Rickard share the same root, being merely alternative pronunciations (one from Parisian Old French and the other from Picardy.) In medieval Cornwall and England … Continue reading 3. Richards
Tag: Rickard
Linkinhorne: born out of wedlock
The third quarter of the 1800s was a time of profound social change at Linkinhorne, a parish to the east of Bodmin Moor. It was on the edge of the district that experienced a mining boom from the 1830s to the late 1860s. As a result, its population almost tripled during those years as miners … Continue reading Linkinhorne: born out of wedlock
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 