Surname Origins, Their Source and Significations (1875)

Ere the morn the east has crimsoned,
When the stars are twinkling there,

(As they did in Watts's Hymns, and
Made him wonder what they were.)

This, too, it will be seen, as well as 'Water,' still abides with us in its own or an extended guise, for our 'Watts' and 'Waters,' 'Watsons ' and 'Water-sons,' 'Watkins' and 'Watkinsons,' would muster strongly if in conclave assembled. Our 'Waltrots,'though not so numerous, are but the ancient 'Waite-rot.' As a Christian name Walter stands low nowadays. 'Tonkin,' 'Tonson,' and 'Townson'(found in such an entry as 'Jane Tounson') remind us of 'Anthony,' 'a name previous to the Reformation popular as that possessed by the great ascetic of the fourth century. A curious phrase got connected with St. Anthony, that of 'tantony-pig.' It is said that monks attached to monasteries dedicated to this saint had the privilege of allowing their swine to feed in the streets. These habitually following those who were wont to offer greens to them, gave rise to the expression, 'To follow like a Tantony-pig.'Thus, in 'The good wyfe wold a pylgremage,' it is said

When I am out of the towne,
Look that thou be wyse,

And run thou not from hous to hous,
Like a nantyny grice.

The connection between St. Anthony and swine, which gave the good monks this benefit, seems, in spite of many wild guesses, to have arisen from the

1 Agnes Antonison is found in the 'Proc. in Chancery.'(Elizabeth.)

PATRONYMIC SURNAMES.

mere fact of his dwelling so long in the woodlands. As Barnabe Googe has it —

The bristled hogges doth Antonie
Preserve and cherish well,

Who in his lifetime always did
In woodes and forestes dwell.'

It must have been this connexion which made 'Tony' the common sobriquet for a simpleton or a country clown. It lived in this sense till Dryden's day, and certainly had become such so early as the thirteenth century, if we may judge by the occurrence of such names as 'Ida le Tony,' or 'Roger le Tony,' found in the Rolls of that period.' If, however, St. Anthony was thus doomed to be an example, how great may be the drawbacks to saintly distinction: 'St. Cuthbert,' who, in the odour of sanctity, dwelt at Lindisfarne, may even be more pitied, for, owing to the familiarity of his name in every rustic household of Northumbria and Durham, he became as 'Cuddle,' a sobriquet for the donkey, and is thus known and associated to the present moment. Our 'Cuthberts,' Cuthbertsons,' and 'Cutbeards,' however, need trouble

1 Fuller, in his Book of Worthies, writes: — 'St. Anthony is universally known for the patron of hogs, having a pig for his page in all pictures, though for what reason is unknown, except, because being a hermit, and having a well or hole digged in the earth, and having his general repast on roots, he and hogs did in some sort enter common both in their diet and lodging.'

'Thus in the comedy of the 'Western Lass' (circa 1720) the heroine sings:

'Is Love finer than money,

Or can it be sweeter than honey ?

I'm, poor girl, such a Toney,
Evads, that I cannot guess.'