Surname Origins, Their Source and Significations (1875)

'on' or ' in.'Thus we derive our 'Collins,' 'Collin-sons,' and 'Colsons.' The more usual desinence still lives in our 'Collett's' and 'Colets.' This is the form found in one of the 'Coventry Mysteries,'where allusion is made to

Kytt Cakeler, and Colett Crane,

Gylle Fetyse, and Fayr Jane.

Miss Yonge mentions a 'Collette Boilet' who, in the fifteenth century, caused a reformation of the nuns of St. Clara, and Mr. Lower has a 'St. Colette,'whose parents had given him the name out of respect to 'St. Nicholas.' 'Coletta Clarke' is found in Clutterbuck's 'Hertford' (Index). St. Nicholas, it is clear, was not neglected.

The proto-martyr Stephen has left many memorialsin our nomenclature of the popularity which his story obtained among the English peasantry. The name proper is found in such entries as 'Esteven Walays,'or 'Jordan fil. Stephen,' and their descendants now figure amongst us as 'Stephens,' 'Stevens,' ' Stephen-son,' and 'Stevenson.' More curtailed forms are met with in 'Steenson' and 'Stinson,' and the more corrupted 'Stimson' and 'Stimpson.' The Norman diminutive was of course 'Stevenet' or 'Stevenot,'and this still remains with us in our 'Stennets' and

Stennetts: Nor do Paul and Barnabas lack memorials. Traces of the former are found in our 'Poisons,' Pawsons,' 'Powlsons,' and more correct' Paul-

1 I have stated in p. 8o that Poison is nothing more than Paulson. A proof of this is found in the case of ' Pol Withipol,' who was summoned to attend the council to show why the statute passed 27th Henry VIII., for the making of broadcloths and kerseys, should not be repealed. — Proc. and Ord. Privy Council, vii. 156.

PATRONYMIC SURNAMES.

sons.' In one of these, at least, we are reminded of the old pronunciation of this name. Piers Plowman styles it 'Powel,' and even so late as 1562 we find Heywood writing the following epigram:

Rob Peter and pay Poule, thou sayst I do;

But thou robst and poulst Peter and Poule, too.

This at once explains the origin of our more diminutive 'Pauletts,' 'Pouletts,' 'Powletts,' and 'Pollitts.' 1 'Barnabas' has left his impress upon our 'Barnabys,' and when not local, 'Barnbys.' Miss Yonge mentions an epitaph in Durham, dated 1633, commemorative of one of the proctors of the chapter

Under this thorne tree

Lies honest Barnabee.

A century later we find it in one of D'Orsey's ballads:

Davy the drowsy, and Barnaby bowzy,
At breakfast will flout and will jeer, boys;

Sluggards shall chatter, with small beer and water,
Whilst you shall tope off the March beer, boys. — Vol. i. 3II.

This name is now entirely out of fashion.

With five Alexanders in the New Testament it did not need the celebrity of the great commander nor that of more fabulous heroes to make his name common. In Scotland it obtained great favour, both in palace and cottage. The softer form was always used. Chaucer says —

Alisaundre's stone is commune;

and Langland, among other foreign places of interest, speaks of

Armonye and Alisaundre.

Capgrave, in his 'Chronicles,'under date 1394, says: 'Inthis time the Lolardis set up scrowis at Westminster and at Poules.' H