Your Surname: What Does It Mean ?

[MysteriousStranger]

Fun thread to get all you little Escapists posting.

Basically, following this link ( http://www.surnamedb.com/ ), find out what your last name means and either type it it in your own words, or copy and paste it. I thought that my last name was pretty rare, but it turns out that it quite a popular english surname which dates back to as early as 1153.

Surname: Hannam

Recorded in at least three spellings Hanham, Hannam, Hunnam and Hannum, and sometimes confused with the Irish Hannan and Hannon, although they are not in anyway conected, this is an English locational surname. It originates from the village of Hanham, in the county of Gloucestershire. This village in the spelling of Hanun, is first recorded in the famous Domesday Book of 1086, and later in the Pipe Rolls of the county in 1153 as Hanum. The name translates as 'The stone house' from the Olde English pre 7th century word 'han' meaning stone, and the later Anglo-Saxon 'ham', a homestead or house. As few houses before Norman times were constructed of stone, 'Hanun' no doubt represented quite a feature in the local countryside. Locational surnames are generally 'from' names. That is to say that usually they were given to people after they left their original homes, and moved permanently elsewhere. It was, and to some extent it still remains, that one of the easiest ways of identifying a stranger was to call him or sometimes her, bu the name of the place from whence they came. Spelling being at best erratic and local dialects very thick, lead to the development of 'sounds like' spellings. In this case early exanmples of the surname recordings include: Thomas de Hanum of Somerset in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, and later John Hannam of Dorset, who is recorded in the register of students of Oxford University in 1577.

 

[Cherry Cola]

It means "Tall and pale Swedish guy"

Just kidding.

That's my username.

My surname is two names mixed together

 

[MelasZepheos_v1legacy]

From memory, it means Son of King(s)

Now to double check.

Son of the Fiery Warrior. I think that's even more awesome than it was before. My ancestor is clearly Surtr

 

[Bob_Bobbington]

Victory!!!!!!

I knew I was awesome.

EDIT: I'm also fierce and cruel.

 

[revjay]

The Irish origin is more complex and is an anglicized form of the Gaelic "Mag Fhloinn", which translates as "The son of the red complexioned one" from "flann", meaning red. The main sept of the clan "Mag Fhloinn" originated in the area of County Westmeath and County Roscommon from where they spread west of the River Shannon, mainly to County Sligo, and north to Donegal. Recorded in the spellings of Mac Glynn, Mac Glennon, Glynn, Glen and Mac Gloin, in 1980 the clan numbered about 4000 persons in Ireland. The clan seems to have been favoured with many members of the priesthood, and some who died protecting the faith. Examples include the Rev Bonaventure Maglin, who fell foul of Oliver Cromwell in 1654, the Rev. Martin Glynn (1729 - 1794), who was the last rector of the Irish College at Bordeaux, and who was guillotined during the French Revolution as a supporter of the king, whilst Martin Henry Glynn (1865 - 1924) was Governor of New York. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of James Glynn, which was dated 1617, a grand juror of County Tipperary, Ireland, during the reign of King James 1st of England and V1 of Scotland, 1587 - 1625. 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.

There goes my internet anonymity. Does this mean I can't act like a thug and bully people now?

 

[Cherry Cola]

O in Irish names means Son of. So O'Neill is son of Niall, referring to Niall Glundubh, high king of Ireland in the 10th century.

I'm a direct descendant of Irish kings I am, I traced it back.

I wonder if that king had a direct Swedish counterpart too...

 

[Earthmonger]

Sorry we have yet to research the origin of the surname Briargate

But don't despair We still endeavour to research about 10 surnames a month. To make sure that we can serve as many people as possible we have a scheme for researching the names with the most interest.

We measure this by the number of people watching a surname, we will research the names from the top of this list. So register with us and add the surnames you are interested in to your watch list, and we will email you when these names get updated.

There are currently no people watching this surname.

Beats me. Logic would dictate that it was an english placename.

 

[The Spectator]

Street... It means.. A street.

Though my greenlandic middlename is Inunnguaq which means.. Little person.

 

[Hippobatman]

Martinsen; originated from Martinson, IE son of Martin.

My first name means "Wolf", so all together my name would be; Wolf, son of Martin.

Cool.

 

[Swaki]

worked with neither Jørgensen or Amorginos.

not very European friendly ^^.

 

[Godavari]

Surname: Strong

Pretty simple to understand.

 

[Shru1kan]

My surname has many mutations but all can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxons as early as 1100 BCE. Tee hee.

 

[Pyode]

My last name is Brown. The origin is pretty much what you would expect. If you had brown hair, dark complexion, or wore brown clothing (such as a monk) you could have had the name Brown.

Pretty fucking lame.

Spoiler: Full text.

Recorded in many spellings from Brown, Broune, and De Bruyn, to Brauner, Bruni and Brunet, this ancient and prolific surname derives, from a pre 7th century Germanic and Anglo-Saxon word "brun" or the Olde Norse personal name "Bruni". Originally this name would probably have been a nationlistic or tribal nickname for a person with a brown complexion or hair, although it may also have referred to someone who habitually wore brown clothing, such as a monk or cleric. The baptismal name as Brun or the latinized Brunus, was a popular name in the period upto the introduction of surnames in the 12th century, see below. Irish name holders derive from 12th century Norman sources. In the west the Browne's are the descendants of a knight called " Hugo le Brun", amd form one of the ancient "Tribes of Galway", as recorded in the "Annals of the nine kings". The Browne's of Killarney form a separate branch and are descended from a later Elizabethan settler. Amongst the early surname recordings are those of Hugh Bron of Stafford, England, in the year 1274, and Hugo Brun of Erfurt, Germany, in 1407. Christopher Browne is recorded as being one of the very first settlers in the new American colonies. In the very first listing of the colonists of New England he is shown to be "living in Virginea, on February 16th 1623".The first recorded spelling of the family name anywhere in the world is probably that of William le Brun, which was dated 1169, in the Pipe Rolls of the county of Northumberland, England. This was during the reign of King Henry 11, known as "The church builder", 1154 - 1189.

 

[gmer412]

They have no info on mine. Dammit.
Edit: Okay, couldn't find my mother's maiden name either, so here's my grandmother's.

Spoiler: Sale

This unusual and interesting name has two possible origins, the first of which is from an early medieval occupational surname for someone employed as a servant at "the hall", at a manor house. The derivation is from the Olde English pre 7th "sael", hall, in Middle English "sale", reinforced by the Old French form "salle", introduced by the Normans after the Conquest of 1066. The second possible origin is either topographical or locational, from the Olde English "salh", Middle English "sale", meaning sallow tree, a kind of low-growing willow. The topographical form denotes residence by a sallow tree, and the locational is from a place named with the word such as "Sale" in Greater Manchester. James Sale was married to Ann Burbery on the 8th November 1652 at St. Martin in the Fields, London. A notable bearer of the name was John Bernard Sale (1779 - 1856), organist of St. Margaret's, Westminster, 1809, and at the Chapel Royal, London, 1838. In 1826 he was employed as teacher of singing to Princess (afterwards Queen) Victoria, 1826. A Coat of Arms granted to the Sale family of London is divided quarterly red and gold, with a gold tower in the dexter chief and sinister bare quarters. A demi chevallier brandishing a sword all proper is on the Crest. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert de la Sale, which was dated 1243, witness in the "Assize Court Rolls of Somerset", during the reign of King Henry 111, known as "The Frenchman", 1216 - 1272. 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.

 

[fudgebo]

This famous national locational and descriptive nickname surname derives from the pre 7th Century Olde English and Anglo-Saxon word "waelisc", meaning "foreigner" or perhaps more likely in the passage of time, "stranger". Be that as it may it is one of the ironies of history that the invaders from North Germany and even the later Vikings, should apparently refer to the people that they conquered or at least drove from their original homes, as 'The Foreigner" and even more so that the name should have stuck. The surname is popular in many areas and countries, there being a large "Walsh" contingent in Ireland, where it is the fourth most popular surname, and even a small number in France, originally in the Nantes area. The modern surname is recorded in a wide variety of spellings, including Welch, Welche, Welsh, Walsh, Walshe, Walch, and Wellish. The early surname development includes examples such as Walter Walsheman of London in 1279, Simon Welshe of Bedford in the year 1279, John Walsh of Roxburgh, Scotland, in 1330, Margery Wellis in the 1327 Pipe Rolls of the county of Essex, and Lawrence Walsh of County Mayo, Ireland in 1588. The first recorded spelling of the family name is from Ireland. This is believed to be that of Haylen Walsh, the son of Phillip the Welshman, and dated 1171. He is recorded as being with Strongbow, earl of Pembroke, in his initial invasion of Ireland in that year. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Ah good name, just like mine
our motto is transfixius sed non mortus, it means wounded but not dead.

 

[Jark212]

Surname: Stuart

Spoiler: For those that actually care

Recorded in the spellings of Stewart, Steuart, and Stuart, this famous royal Scottish surname is perhaps surprisingly, of pre 7th century Olde English origins. In ancient times it was widely used (in both England and Scotland) as an occupational name for a senior official. Derived from the word "stigweard", a compound of "stig" meaning house(hold), plus "weard", a guardian, it was the title used by an officer who controlled the domestic affairs of a royal or noble household. In Scotland after the 12th century it took on a meaning of even greater importance. The Scottish royal family surname of "Stuart or Stewart", the spellings have varied over the centuries, originated from holding the hereditary office of High Steward of Scotland over several centuries from about 1157. In so far that the family originally had a surname it was the French 'Dapifer', the family having come from Brittany! King Robert 11nd (1371 - 1392) was the first "Steward" to hold the crown of Scotland. The earliest recordings of the surname include Nicholas Staward of Somerset in 1273, and William le Fiz Stywarde of Berwick in 1296. The first recorded spelling of the family name is believed to be that of Rogere se Stiwerd. This was dated circa 1100, in the "Old English Byname Register". Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling

 

[Pimppeter2]

Sorry we have yet to research the origin of the surname Kailis

But don't despair We still endeavour to research about 10 surnames a month. To make sure that we can serve as many people as possible we have a scheme for researching the names with the most interest.

We measure this by the number of people watching a surname, we will research the names from the top of this list. So register with us and add the surnames you are interested in to your watch list, and we will email you when these names get updated.

FUCK YOU!!!! And way to spell endeavor wrong!

*Goes off to despair*

 

[DragonsAteMyMarbles]

Byrne (or Ò Broin as it was originally known) means both "raven" and "descendant of Bran" - referring to Bran Mac Maolmòrrdha, king of Leinster and descendant of Cathair Mór, High King of Ireland.

Woo, royalty.