Origin and Curious Evolution of Some English Surnames

ETYMOLOGY MADE INTERESTING.

The Origin and Curious Evolution of Some English Surnames.
Baltimore Sun.

A recent magazine article by Sir Herbert Maxwell presents in a very readable form the derivation of a number of common names. it will be news, for example, to many readers that Snooks was once known as Sevenoakes.

Some persons are not aware that Elizabeth is to be accounted an uncouth form of Isabel, which was formed from Isabeau on a false supposition that Isabeau was masculine. Eliza, it is stated, is not a shortened form of Elizabeth, but is the equivalent of Alice.

Marion, we know, is in line with Marie, Mary and Maria.

Patronymics have been much multiplied through pet names. The Saxons formed pet names by adding to the original name — often abreviated — kin and cock, and the Normans introduced et and ot, en and on.

From William we have the pet names Will, Wilcock, Wilkin, Wilett, Willey, Willemot, Bill and Guili (Latin). From these we get, in order, Williams, MacWilliams, Williamson, Wills, Wilson, Wilcox, Wilkins, Wilkison, Wilkinson, Willett, Willetson, Wilmot, Willing, Wilson, Gill, Gilson, Gilkins, Gillon and Gillott.

Robert — through Robin, Dobb, Hob, Rob and Hobkin — gives us Roberts, Robertson, Robins, Robinson, Robison, Probyn, Dobbs, Dobson, Hobbs, Hobson, Robbs, Robson, Hopkins and Hopkinson.

Phillip gives us Phipps, Philpot and Philpots.

Richard has been distorted by affection into the pet names Rich, Richie, Dick, Diccon, Hitchin and Hitchcock.

From these in turn we have Richards, Richardson, Rickards, Pritchard, Rixon, Ritchie, Richison, Dick, Dixie, Dixson, Dickens, Dickenson, Hitchins, Hitchison, Hitchcock and Hithcox.

David has given us Davidson, Dodson, Dodds, Davy, Davison, Daw, Dawson, Dawkins and O’Dowd.

We have from Henry the derivations Hal, Hallet, Harry, Harriet and Hawkins.

From John we get Jack and Jenkins; from Simeon, Simkins. Thackeray’s ancestor was a thatcher.

Malthus got his name from malthouse, and the common family name of Bacchus would be more correctly spelled bakehouse.

Macpherson means parson’s son. Vickers was the vicar’s son.

Wallace means a Welshman, and Bruce is a Norman name. Sinclair, Montgomery, Hay and Vance are, like Bruce, names derived from lands in Normandy.

Many English surnames end in ford (house), lea, ton (farm), and by (dwelling), from the old practice of naming persons after their native place. Aylesford, Grimston, Habersham and Ormsby are examples.

Winslow is from words that mean Wine’s Hill.

From Lea we get Lee, Leigh and Legh.

The Welsh Ap son, with Robert, has become Probert, Ap Rhys has become Price, Ap Owen has become Bowen, and Ap Hugh has become Pugh.

A prosperous Dublin snuff dealer, name Halfpenny, has had his appellation shortened, it is narrated, to Halpen, and then enlarged to an imposing McAlpin.

It is interesting in this connection to know that Finn and Finley are Celtic surnames, equivalent to our White.

Duff, Macduff and Dow are for Black.

Glass is for Gray.

Roy, Corkran and Cochrane all mean read.

Our Mr. Brown is the Celtic Mr. Dunn or Mr. Donnan.

Moore and Moran answer to our Bigg. On the other hand Beggs is good Celtic for Little or Small.

Oliphant (elegant) is a name derived from a shop sign.

The reader will perceive that many of our christian names and surnames have had curious histories.

Galveston Daily News (Galveston, Texas) Jul 31, 1892

*I put in all the breaks to maker it easier to follow.

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Back in Ye Olden Days

BACK IN YE OLDEN DAYS.

Slaves and Distilleries Are on the Tax books of 1805.

The Commissioners have been busy during the past week, hauling down tax books used just after the organization of the county and which have laid away for years untouched. Grim age has stained the pages, yet here and there one can find some items not found on the assessor’s books today.

The tax book of Armstrong township in 1805, is perhaps the oldest book in the Commissioner’s office giving a detailed account of each man’s property. On its dusty, stained pages are still visible all the items assessed to each property holder and in this book the assessor has made note of two slaves owned then by Wm. Brady and Wm. Fulton and assessed for ten dollars.

Liquor in those good old days was then a household article and from the number of distilleries assessed, one would think that every person in the township used that which tickled the inner man. The assessor found twenty distillers during that year. Their assessed value of each was thirty dollars. The following were the proprietors and many of the names are likely familiar to some living in that neighborhood:

James Brown, 1;
John Cummins, 1;
Chas. Campbell, 1;
Patrick Daugherty, 1;
James Even, 1;
John Harrold, 2;
Thomas Jones, 1;
Randles Laughlin, 1; [see below]
John Lydick, 2;
Wm. Farland, 2;
Samuel McCartney, 1;
Patrick McGee, 2;
James Montgomery, 2.

Conemaugh township had its share of still too, and in the assessor’s book of the same year is found mention of eighteen distilleries in use. Some of the taxpayers must have devoted their time to distilling, as two men are assessed with three each and several with two. The following are those who paid taxes on the distilleries and were actively engaged in the business:

Wm. Crawford, 2;
John Hindman, 1;
James Hutchinson, 2;
Jos. Henderson, 1;
Christian J. Muller, 2;
John Nesbit and David Elder, 1;
Wm. Thompson, 1;
Moses Thompson, 3;
Adam Thompson, 3;
Jos. Yeates, 2.

The Mahoning which then comprised the four townships were assessed in 1808, with only six distillers. They were owned by the following persons:

Peter Crotzer, 2;
James Ewing, 1;
Robt. Hamilton, 1;
John Leasure, 1;
Frederick Clingenberger, 1.

The same year Washington township was assessed with six distillers. The following persons paid taxes on these properties:

Jacob Shallaberger, 1;
James Armstrong, 1;
James Simpson, 1;
Wm. Armstrong, 1;
Jos. Lydick, 1.

In those days, each man raised a quantity of rye, simply for the purpose of stilling liquor, and a large number of these distilleries perhaps were kept busy doing “custom work.” In an old tax book of Green township, was found the return sheet of an election in that township, held in the fall of 1821. Green township now polls the largest vote in the county, but in that year there were only eighteen votes polled at the fall election.

Indiana Progress (Indiana, Pennsylvania) Apr 17, 1895

More about Randall Laughlin:

And more from the following book:

Title: Report of the Commission to Locate the Site of the Frontier Forts of Pennsylvania: The frontier forts of western Pennsylvania
Volume 2
Authors: Commission to Locate the Site of the Frontier Forts of Pennsylvania, Henry Melchior Muhlenberg Richards, John M. Buckalew, Sheldon Reynolds, Jay Gilfillan Weiser, George Dallas Albert
Editor: Thomas Lynch Montgomery
Publisher: W.S. Ray, state printer, 1916 (Google book LINK)

*****

If you click on the Google book linked above, you can read more about him being captured by the Indians.

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Rev. John Hindman – Times Three

Rev. John Hindman #1

Born in Londonderry, Ireland, came to America in 1739 and settled in Chester Co., PA. Sent by the Donegal Presbytery to the valley (VA?) in 1742.  In 1746, he went to London, England and was ordained as a priest of the Established Church.  April 5, 1747, accepted  as the first rector of the Augusta parish. Died at the home of John Stevenson in  Oct of 1748.

Notice the spelling above, and also this (Hynman/Hindman) one:

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Rev John Hindman #2

Born in 1795 in Saltsburg, Indiana Co., PA,the son of Thomas Hindman and Susan McMasters (according to ancestry.com tree.) Died in 1860 in Dayton, Armstrong Co., Pa.

There was another John Hindman, who was the cousin of this Rev. Hindman. They were born within a year of each other. The Rev. Hindman, son of Thomas, was known as John Sr., while the son of James, probably Thomas’ brother, was known as John Jr., in order to limit the confusion:

According to a family tree on ancestry, John Jr. was the son of James Hindman (1763 IRE – 28 Apr 1846 West Franklin, Armstrong Co., PA)  and Mary McClatchey McClelland (1765-1856) although another wife is also listed with children that have conflicting birth dates, unless they were divorced. According to Chesbro’ Genealogy @ rootsweb, there probably was a divorce.

This Rev. John Hindman (son of Thomas) was married to Rachel Stevenson (1807 OH – 1866 East Mahoning, Indiana Co., PA) the daughter of James Stevenson and Elizabeth Unknown. She moved with her family to Allegheny Co., PA at age 4 until age 16, then moved to Cannonsburgh, Washington Co., PA. Married John Hindman in 1829 and in 1831 they moved to Indiana Co., PA, then later to Armstrong Co., PA  a few years later. (This info is from her obituary.)

Interesting NOTE: It mentions that Rachel Stevenson‘s family was in Cannonsburgh, Washington Co., PA.  There was a (our?) McConnell family was also in Cannonsburg:

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Rev. John Hindman #3

This  Rev. John Hindman was born in 1817 in Armstrong Co., PA, the son of Samuel Hindman (1776-1831) and Sarah (possibly Manning) (1788-1881). About 1828, his family moved to Trumbull Co., Ohio. In 1844, he moved to Linn Co., Iowa and Cedar Co., Iowa at some point, before moving to Johnson Co., Iowa.  He was married twice, first to Emily Weeks, then to Mrs. Aris McKinsey. John died in 1901, in Chester, Nebraska, obituary in The Nebraska State Journal 11 May 1901.

The daughter Mrs. Ada Pickering, is listed as Elizabeth on the census records. Husbands name is George Pickering. They are in Johnson Co., IA in 1880, then Lancaster Co., NE in 1900.

NOTE: This Samuel Hindman, father of Rev. John Hindman, is one I had looked at awhile ago and ruled out as my Samuel Hineman (was also in Trumbull/Portage OH) father of my John Hineman,  who went to Wisconsin.

From a tree on ancestry.com, Samuel Hindman‘s father:

ID: I636249830
Name: David HINDMAN
Birth: Abt 1735 in possibly Donegal, Ireland
Death: 1802 in Allegheny Twp., Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, USA
Notes:
Judge of Court in Franklin Co. Penn. Settled in Franklin Co. Penn.
Private in the Revolutionary War from Cumberland County, PA

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Interesting tidbits on the Hindman surname:

Posted by “thewoodpecker” on Ancestry.com Hindman message board:

All the Hindman/Hyndmans in Northern Ireland are descended form three brothers who came from Scotland circa 1600. The spelling of the surname depended on who was recording it and how he could spell.

And this from JWHindman:

The name seems to derive from the great red deer in Scotland. The Hind was th femail and the Hart was the male. So if thessssse people were the keepers of deer or hunters the name Hindman and Hartman are similar and have the same crest in early Scotish history.
In early Scotland the forman or overseer of the lands of the nobelmen was known as the Hind so the name may have originated there at the t9me when people assumed names by their jobs or their localities The name quite often is spelt Hyndman n scotland, Hindman in Ireland and Hineman in England
Most migration of the Hindman name cane be traced back to Scotland that is if you can trace it.

And this, which is very interesting,  from Mick Hynman:

The person who drove cattle to the market from the back was called a Hyndman. My family came from Inverness some time in the early 19th. My grandfather was Hynman but his sister was Hyndman, through the ages the family have spelt the name anyway they fancied at any given time. A lot Hyndmans or Hindmans went to Ireland in the 18th century due to some kind of religous persecution. The names Hunman and Innman are supposed to derive from the name. All of this was told to me by my father who said his father had told him exactly the same. I have some other info written down somewhere but it could be anywhere amongst the jumble we call a spare room.
Mick Hynman ( Newcastle Upon Tyne England)

More from Mick:

There are several possible explanations for the origin of the Scottish surname Hyndman. In the first instance, it may be of nickname origin, being one of those names derived from a personal or physical characteristic of the original bearer. The source of the name can be traced to the Middle English word “HENDE” which simply meant “courteous” and the nickname was applied as an additional name to a person with good manners in order to distinguish him from others who bore the same personal name,
Alternatively the name may be of occupational origin, being one of those names derived from the type of work a man once did or the profession he once pursued. In this case it sim[ply indicates the person who tended the hinds or deer.
The surname is recorded in Scottish documents during the sixteenth century when a family of this name possessed lands in Cunderstown in Renfrewshire. In 1662 John Hyndman was a resident in Bute, while John Hyndman was a merchant in Cargos in 1749. In that same year one Annie Heyman was at a meeting of witches in Bute and this entry is believed to be a mis-spelling of the name
BLAZON OF ARMS Azure, a saltire or
The saltire is indicative of the cross of St Andrew It signifies suffering for a faith and Perseverance. Azure (blue) denotes truth and loyalty Or (gold) is symbolic of generosity
CREST A sundial and the sun shining thereon all proper
ORIGIN Scotland
This info came from the Historical Research Center in Britain
Mick

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