The Origin and Signification of Scottish Surnames: With a Vocabulary of Christian NamesIt is hard to imagine life without surnames, but surnames were a rarity before the 11th century. Names originated from localities such as Nisbet and Ralston, baptismal names such as Anderson and Lawrence, trades such as Baxter and Fletcher, offices such as Bannerman and Walker, professions such as Clerk and Kemp, peculiarities of body and/or mind such as Fairfax and Armstrong, armorial bearings such as Cross and Horn, nativity such as Fleming and Scott, and many other sources. Persons that joined a particular clan, regardless of descent, assumed the surname of the chief as an act of loyalty. There are distinctions between Highland and Lowland surnames. Highland surnames are usually patronymic with various prefixes and additions such as Mackenzie and Robertson, but there are also surnames derived from localities, peculiarities, armorial bearings and offices. Lowland surnames show Norman influence, and are generally local, but many surnames are derived from baptismal names, peculiarities, armorial bearings, office, occupation and trade. Entries are arranged alphabetically by surname and include varying amounts of information. A separate section is devoted to Christian names, alphabetically listed, with brief meanings provided. |
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Adam afterwards Alexander ancestor ancient argent armorial arms assumed Ayrshire azure barony battle bright brother called Camerons Campbell Castle charter chief clan contraction corruption created crest Crooked daughter David derived descended from Robert descended from Sir descended from William district Donald Douglas Duncan Earl early Edinburgh England English Fair family are descended famous father feminine Fife Forbes France frewshire grandson grant hand head heart Henry hill Home Ireland Isles James John king Lanarkshire lands leader Lennox Little living Local London Lord Malcolm Canmore married Moor motto Norman obtained Originally pale parish peace Perth probably the name Pure received Rich Richard river Robert Bruce Ross scended Scots Scottish branch seated servant settled in Scotland shire signifies Simon Sir John Sir William Steward Stirling stream surname temp Thane Thomas took town twelfth century Vide village Walter whence probably William the Lion wood
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Page 16 - ... a gentleman of the name of Baird, who had followed the king, came up and had the good fortune to slay the object of the monarch's alarm. For this signal service, William conferred upon his deliverer large grants of lands, and assigned him for his coat of arms, a boar passant, and for his motto: "Dominus fecit...
Page 56 - Hay, hay," which word became the surname of his posterity, and the king, as a reward for his signal service, gave him as much land in the Carse of Gowrie, as a falcon should fly over before it settled, and a falcon being accordingly let off, flew over an extent of ground six miles in length, afterwards called Errol, and lighted on a stone, still called...
Page 14 - For this timely assistance the king amply rewarded him with lands on the borders, and to perpetuate the memory of so important a service, as well as the manner in which it was performed (for Fairbairn took the king by the thigh and set him on his saddle...
Page 67 - Leslie, son of Walter de Leslyn, a Hungarian noble, who in the year 1068, came to Scotland in the company of Margaret, wife of Malcolm Canmore. In crossing a river swollen by floods, the queen was thrown from her horse, and in danger of being drowned, when Leslyn plunging into the stream seized hold of her girdle, and as he brought her with difficulty towards the bank, she frequently exclaimed "grip fast," and afterwards desired that he should retain the words as his motto.
Page 56 - Falcon stone ; the king also assigned three shields or escutcheons for the arms of the family, to intimate that the father and his two sons had been the three fortunate shields of Scotland.
Page x - In Scotland, whoever joined a particular clan, no matter what his position or descent, assumed the surname of his chief, and this was accepted as an act of loyalty ; it does not follow, therefore, that all who bear the same surname are descended from a common ancestor.
Page 55 - Loncarty, in Perthshire. The Scots at first gave way, and fled through a narrow pass, where they were stopped by a countryman of great strength and courage, and his two sons, with no other weapons than the yokes of their plows.
Page x - History of the Highlands, and of the Highland Clans, by James Browne, LL.
Page 54 - Hamilton, having expressed himself at the court of Edward II. in admiration of King Robert Bruce, received a blow from John de Spencer, which led the following day to a rencounter, wherein Spencer fell ; subsequently Hamilton fled into Scotland, but being closely pursued, he and his servant changed clothes with two woodcutters, and taking their saws, were in the act of cutting through an oak tree when his pursuers passed by. Perceiving his servant notice them, Sir Gilbert hastily cried out to him,...