Origin of names

[Cactus Annie]

last name: Hewson

this surname is english and one of the patronymic forms of the male given name hugh. Introduced into britain by the normans, after the conquest of 1066 as "hue" and "hughe", perhaps surprisingly the true origin is pre 7th century old german. It is a short form of the various compound names with the first element "hug", meaning heart or spirit. This includes such names as hubert, from "hugberht", heart-bright, or hubble, from "hugbald", heart-brave. Hugh was a popular given name among the normans because of the fame of st. Hugh of lincoln (1140 - 1200), who established the first carthusian monastery in england. The patronymic surnames generated include hughson, huson, hewson, hooson, hoosun and howson, and the earliest recordings are those of william huggesone of worcestershire in 1327, henry howsone of cumberland in 1332, and michael hwesone of essex in 1378. Later recordings include the marriage of rodger hooson and alice clarke, at the church of allhallows, london, on september 30th 1670, and elizabeth hughson, aged 22, who earlier left london on july 23rd 1635, bound for virgina, new england. The first recorded spelling of the family name is believed to be that of richard hughson, which was dated 1310, in the "letter books of the city of london", during the reign of king edward 11, known as "edward of caernafon", 1307 - 1327.

read more: Surname Database: Hewson Last Name Origin

last name: Evans

this distinguished surname, of medieval welsh origin, is a patronymic form of the welsh male given name ifan or evan, itself coming from "iohannes" through the colloquial "iovannes", latin forms of john. The forename john has enjoyed enormous popularity in europe throughout the christian era, being given in honour of st. John the baptist, st. John the evangelist, or the nearly one thousand other saints of the name. The ultimate derivation is from the hebrew name "yochanan" meaning "jehovah has favoured (me with a son)" or "may jehovah favour this child". The surname evans emerges in the early part of the 16th century (see below), and in the modern idiom takes the forms: Evans, evens, evins, evance, ifans, ivings and heavans. The name is well represented in the "dictionary of national biography" with over fifty entries, one of the most notable being mary ann evans (1819 - 1880), who under the name of george eliot, wrote "silas marner" and "middlemarch", and many other popular works. William evans, aged 23 yrs., who embarked from london on the ship "america" bound for virginia in july 1635, was one of the earliest recorded namebearers to settle in the new world. A coat of arms granted to the evans family of north wales, descended from rhirid flaidd, circa 1070, is green, a chevron ermine between three silver wolve's erased, langued red. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of john yevans, which was dated 1533, in the "records of monmathshire", wales, during the reign of king henry v111, known as "bluff king hal", 1509 - 1547. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In england this was known as poll tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

​

​

​

​

-

 

[Cactus Annie]

Last name: Mullen

Recorded as Mullan, Mullen and Mullin, this surname can be confusingly either English or a Scots-Irish surname, and as a result there are several distinct origins. If English it is medieval and either a topographical for someone who lived at or by a mill, or occupational for a miller. The derivation is from the Norman word moulin, meaning a mill, and usually a water mill. The second origin is pre medieval Gaelic, and as such it may be Scottish or Irish. If Irish the development is from Maolan, an ancient byname meaning "The tonsured one", and a reference to a monk or holy man. In Scotland the origin is the same although in later form it is usually MacMullen or the son of the tonsured one! Amongst the early recordings are those of Shane Crosagh O'Mullan, a colourful namebearer, who led a fabulous Robin Hood type of existence until he was caught and hanged in Dublin in 1729, whilst slightly earlier Catherine Mullen married Robert Fitzpatrick on July 17th 1722 at St. Nicholas-within-Dublin, Ireland. The first recorded spelling of the family name anywhere is shown to be that of Ralph de Molins. This was dated 1159, in the Pipe Rolls of the city of London, during the reign of King Henry 11nd, 1154 - 1189. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

​

 

[Cactus Annie]

Last name: Clayton

Recorded as Clayton, and occasionally dialectals such as Claiton, Cleaton, Cleiton, and others, this is a medieval English surname. It is locational from various places now called Clayton in the counties of Lancashire, Staffordshire, Sussex and the West Riding of Yorkshire. The derivation is from the pre 7th Century "clorg-tun, meaning the village on the clay. The earliest spelling is in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Claitone and Claitune, and it appears in its present form in Lancashire in the pipe rolls of 1263. Locational surnames were usually acquired by a local landowner, or especially by former inhabitants of a place who had moved to another area, and were thereafter best identified by the name of their birthplace. Spelling over the centuries being at best erratic and local dialects very thick, often lead to the creation of "sounds like" spellings. Amongst the interesting namebearers listed in the Dictionary of National Biography is Charlotte Clayton, later Lady Sundon, and a lady of the bedchamber to Queen Caroline of Brunswick in 1714. She obtained great influence over the German speaking queen, and controlled court patronage. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Jordan de Claiton. This was dated 1191, in the Charter Rolls of Yorkshire, during the reign of King Richard 1st, known as "Lionheart", 1189 - 1199. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was sometimes known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Read more: Surname Database: Clayton Last Name Origin

Surnames can also take after the name of a family trade such as the Bakers, Bancs, Butchers, Fishers, Carpenters, etc. I would have thought the name Clayton would indicate that Adam's dissendants worked with clay.
​

 

[sweetie]

I just found out that my maiden name means cross-eyed

 

[Cactus Annie]

I've read various sources where Bono states that his mothers maiden, Rankin, name is Jewish. He does have a Jewish look about him. I find this interesting

 

[rupertrover]

last name: Hewson

this surname is english and one of the patronymic forms of the male given name hugh. Introduced into britain by the normans, after the conquest of 1066 as "hue" and "hughe", perhaps surprisingly the true origin is pre 7th century old german. It is a short form of the various compound names with the first element "hug", meaning heart or spirit. This includes such names as hubert, from "hugberht", heart-bright, or hubble, from "hugbald", heart-brave. Hugh was a popular given name among the normans because of the fame of st. Hugh of lincoln (1140 - 1200), who established the first carthusian monastery in england. The patronymic surnames generated include hughson, huson, hewson, hooson, hoosun and howson, and the earliest recordings are those of william huggesone of worcestershire in 1327, henry howsone of cumberland in 1332, and michael hwesone of essex in 1378. Later recordings include the marriage of rodger hooson and alice clarke, at the church of allhallows, london, on september 30th 1670, and elizabeth hughson, aged 22, who earlier left london on july 23rd 1635, bound for virgina, new england. The first recorded spelling of the family name is believed to be that of richard hughson, which was dated 1310, in the "letter books of the city of london", during the reign of king edward 11, known as "edward of caernafon", 1307 - 1327.

​

The above is only correct for an English name. Assuming that Bono's name has a Gaelic root, then here is the more apt explanation:

During the 18th and 19th centuries there were concerted efforts by the English to suppress the use of the Irish Language and the use of Irish names. At that time falling in line and changing your name to something with a more English sound was a pragmatic move which improved your chances of social and economic advancement.
This had two primary effects on Irish names:

1. The use of Mac and O’ was dropped by many families
   Some families have since revived the O or Mac, others never did, which explains why you will find Mahony and O’Mahony, Neill and O’Neill, all with a common history.
2. Many old Gaelic names became anglicised
   Sometimes the anglicised version was a translation, sometimes a phonetic spelling of the Irish, sometimes a mixture of the two.

The latter change in particular can cause great confusion to those researching names, as there can be many very different versions in English of a single original Gaelic name.
Take the name MacAoda, which can mean either “son of Aodh” or “son of Hugh”, since Aodh is the Irish version of the given name Hugh.
Depending on where in Ireland you lived, and thus on the regional version of the Irish language you spoke, Aodh would be pronounced either as “ee” in the word ’see’ or as “ay” in the word ’say’.
This led to huge variation in the way the name was changed into English.
All of these could derive from MacAodh: Magee, MacKee, McKee, MacCoy, MacKay, McCay, Hughes, McHugh, Hayes and Hewson.

 

[MsPurrl]

Very interesting stuff!

 

[gman]

Out of intrests.....and off the tops of your heads...does anyone knoow why surnames were invented?

 

[A stor]

Very interesting stuff!

I agree. I have been doing a family tree and found out that my ancesteral name of Kidney was origianlly O' Dubhain. Ancient Gaelic meaning son of the black haired ones. It's funny because my great grandfather's family were all raven haired and so am I. The name's origin is from County Cork Ireland.

Thanks Annie for starting this thread. You rock!

 

[biff]

Out of intrests.....and off the tops of your heads...does anyone knoow why surnames were invented?

Usually to indicate what tribe or clan or locale you belonged to, as in so many of the Gaelic names that mean "son of" so-and-so. Nordic names usually end in "son", as in Leif Ericson (son of Eric). Icelandic names for women almost always end in "dottir", for example Siggursdottir, which mean the daughter of Siggur. Or, as in the example above, Hewson = son of Hew/Hugh. It's human nature to need to know whom we belong to. The negative side of this is the way it leads to tribal attitudes of us vs. them.

 

[MsPurrl]

Usually to indicate what tribe or clan or locale you belonged to, as in so many of the Gaelic names that mean "son of" so-and-so. Nordic names usually end in "son", as in Leif Ericson (son of Eric). Icelandic names for women almost always end in "dottir", for example Siggursdottir, which mean the daughter of Siggur. Or, as in the example above, Hewson = son of Hew/Hugh. It's human nature to need to know whom we belong to. The negative side of this is the way it leads to tribal attitudes of us vs. them.

Great post, biff! I'd like to add that the O' prefix (short for "of") on Irish names, as well as the Irish Mc and the Scottish Mac, also indicate "son of."

 

[Galeongirl]

Out of intrests.....and off the tops of your heads...does anyone knoow why surnames were invented?

Wasn't that because Napoleon forced it down our throats? That's why there are a lot of 'funny' last names, since people thought it was temporary.

 

[biff]

Wasn't that because Napoleon forced it down our throats? That's why there are a lot of 'funny' last names, since people thought it was temporary.

Not sure if you're kidding here, but.... Obviously there were last names long before Napoleon's time. Napoleon himself was born with a last name, and last names are widespread throughout the world, going back a very long time.

 

[Anji]

Didn't Americans also give their slaves their surnames? Thinking of the cotton pickers etc, who often only had a first name, but they were given the family name to denote who they blonged to? I am sure that was in Roots (old TV prog)

Also, for the UK, it was mainly first names hundreds of years ago, then people's professions became surnames. For example John Smith or John Black , John who was a Blacksmith.

 

[Cactus Annie]

Usually to indicate what tribe or clan or locale you belonged to, as in so many of the Gaelic names that mean "son of" so-and-so. Nordic names usually end in "son", as in Leif Ericson (son of Eric). Icelandic names for women almost always end in "dottir", for example Siggursdottir, which mean the daughter of Siggur. Or, as in the example above, Hewson = son of Hew/Hugh. It's human nature to need to know whom we belong to. The negative side of this is the way it leads to tribal attitudes of us vs. them.

That's interesting to learn. That will explain why those who come from the former Yugoslavia regularly have surnames that end with 'ic and 'vic', or Romanian surnames end with 'cu' and Russian surnames end with 'ov' or 'ski'. Does anyone know what these final syllables mean?

 

[biff]

That's interesting to learn. That will explain why those who come from the former Yugoslavia regularly have surnames that end with 'ic and 'vic', or Romanian surnames end with 'cu' and Russian surnames end with 'ov' or 'ski'. Does anyone know what these final syllables mean?

The "ski" (or "ska" for women) indicates that someone's father had a certain occupation or trade. For example, Kowalski indicates the son of a kowal, a smith. The "ic" ending in Serbian names is a patronymic, meaning "little son of". It's the same for Romanian, with the "escu" ending, for example, also meaning son of, as in, for example, Petrescu (son of Petre).