Surname Origins, Their Source and Significations (1875)

by the Normans, and certainly have made an impregnable position for themselves in our English nomenclature. In our dictionaries they are found in such diminutives as 'pocket' (little poke), 'ballot,' 'chariot,' 'target,' 'latchet,' 'lancet;' in our directories in such names as 'Emmett,'or 'Emmot'(Emma), 'Tillotson'(Matilda), 'Elliot'(Elias), 'Marriot' (Mary), 'Will-mot ' (Willamot), and 'Hewet,'or 'Hewetson'(Hugh).'
4. On or en. — These terminations became very popular with the French, and their directories teem with the evidences they display of former favour. They are all but unknown to our English dictionary, but many traces of their presence may be found in our nomenclature. Thus 'Robert' became 'Robin,' 'Nicol' 'Colin,' 'Pierre' 'Perrin,' 'Richard'' Diccon,' 'Mary' 'Marion,' 'Alice' 'Alison,' 'Beatrice'' Beton,' 'Hugh' 'Huon,' or 'Huguon'; and hence such sur-names as 'Colinson,' 'Perrin,' 'Dicconson,' 'Allison'(insome cases), Betonson,' 'Huggins,' and 'Hugginson.' 2

I have already said that the Norman invasion revolutionised our system of personal names. Certainly it is in this the antagonism between Norman

Ot' and 'et' sometimes became ' elot' and 'clet' — 'Robert Richelot' (w. 15) (from Richard); Crestolot de Eratis (d. d.) (from Christian); 'Walter Hughelot' (A.); 'John Huelot' (A.) (from Hugh); Constance Hobelot (A.) (from Hobbe); 'Hamelet de la Burste' (Cal. and Inv. of Treasury); 'Richard son of Hamelot' (A.A. 2) (from Hamon). 'Hamlet ' and 'Hewlett ' are the commonest representativesof this class in our existing nomenclature. As a diminutive suffix 'let' is found in such words as 'leaflet,' 'bracelet,' ' hamlet,' or ' ringlet.'

2 The French have, among others of this-class, 'Guyon,' 'Philipon,' 'Caton' (Catharine), and 'Louison.' Sir Walter Scott, ever most accurate in his nomenclature, makes 'Marthon' to be domestic to Hameline de Croye (Qucntin Durward). None of these reached England.

PATRONYMIC SURNAMES.

and Saxon is especially manifest. Occasionally, in looking over the records of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, we may light upon a 'Godwin,' or 'Guthlac,' or 'Goddard,' but they are of the most exceptional occurrence. Were the local part of these entries foreign, explanation would be unneeded. But while the personal element is foreign, the local denotes settlement from the up-country. Look at the London population of this period from such records as we possess. There is scarcely a hamlet, however small, that does not contribute to swell the sum of the metropolitan mass, and while 'London' itself is of comparatively great rarity in our nomenclature, an insignificant village like, say Debenham, in Suffolk, will have its score of representatives — so great was the flow, so small the ebb. It is this large accession from the interior which is the stronghold of Saxon nomenclature. It is this removal from one village to another, and from one town to another, which has originated that distich quoted by old Vestigan

In 'ford,' in ' ham,'in ' ley,'in ' ton,'
The most of English surnames run.

And yet, strange as it may seem, it is very doubtful whether for a lengthened period, at least, the owners of these names were of Saxon origin. The position of the Saxon peasantry forbade that they should be in any but a small degree accessory to this increase. The very villenage they lived under, the very manner in which they were attached to the glebe, rendered any such roving tendencies as these impossible. These country adventurers, then, whose names I