Surname Origins, Their Source and Significations (1875)

Hall.' 'But even with this we have not completed our list. One more pet form, and one still common amongst us, that of 'Bell,' left its mark in 'Bellot,' 'Bellet,' and 'Bellson,' all of which are still to be found in our directories.

The preceding pages will be sufficient proof that ourmetronymics are a considerable class. Many have not hesitated to affirm them to be wholly of illegitimate descent. We cannot doubt that in some instances this is the case. Nevertheless, we must not be led astray.

Poison ' is Paul's son, 'Nelson' is Neil's son, Neil or Nigel being at one time a familiar name with us. And even when the name is unquestionably feminine, as in Mollison, Margerison, Marriot, Emmett, or Annotson, illegitimacy is anything but established as a matter of fact. Adoption of children by women, posthumous birth, and other peculiar circumstances would often cause a boy or girl to be known in the community by a metronymic. Especially, too, would a child be thus styled in a family where the mother was notoriously, and in an emphatic sense, the better half, in a family where the husband was content to sit inthe chimney nook, and let the bustling Margery, or Siss, or Emmot take, whether in or out of doors, the lead in all that concerned the domestic relationship. Thus, I doubt not, a large mass of them have arisen.

VII. Names Derived from Holy Scripture.

We have incidentally referred to several Bible names, such as John, Mary, or Elizabeth. We shall find a certain characteristic appertaining to these. It

1 'George Hall et Ezota uxor ejus.' York Guild (W. II).

PATRONYMIC SURNAMES.

is only those personages who prominently figured in the Scripture narrative who made any mark upon our nomenclature. The others, I doubt not, were unknown. It is even uncertain whether the clergy themselves had any but the faintest knowledge of the Bible. Indeed, such names even as were in use bear no testimony to the fact that they were given as the direct result of familiarity with the sacred pages. If from the New Testament, they were names that figuredin the calendar as saints and martyrs, names to whom shrines and chapels had been dedicated. If from the Old, they were just those like 'Adam,' or 'Isaac,' or 'Joseph,' or 'Samson,' or 'Daniel,' or 'Absolom,' whose stories, told in the monkish performances or miracle-plays, were thus forced into the acquaintance of the popular mind. In a word, there is not a trace of anything beyond a mere superficial knowledge of the very outlines of the sacred narrative. Thus was it with 'Adam,' already mentioned. That he and Eve should be remembered at the font was inevitable. The Hundred Rolls give us an 'Adam fil. Eve.' Mr. Lower has been tempted to refer our 'Atkins' and Atkinsons' to Arthur, but there can be little doubt, I imagine, that these are but sharper forms of 'Adkins 'and 'Adkinson.' The record alluded to above registers the same person twice as 'Adam le Fullere ' and 'Adekin le Fuller.' With them therefore we must ally our 'Addisons,' 'Adcocks,' 'and 'Adamsons.' Eve left us 'Eveson' as a metronymic, and 'Evetts' and 'Evitts,' as the diminutives, are firmly set amongst us.2'Abel'

1 'Hamne, son of Adecok, held 29 acres.' (De Lacy Inquis. p. 19, Ch. Soc.)

2 A proof that this origination is correct is found in a York will dated 1391. William de Kyrkby bequeaths articles to 'Evae uxori Johannes Parvying,' and to 'Willielmo de Rowlay,' and then at the close he speaks of them as the aforementioned 'Evotam et dictum Willielmum Rowlay.' (Test. Ebor., vol. i. p. 145-6. Surt. Soc.) An old London record, dated 1379, contains amongst other names those of 'Custance Busshe' and 'Evota de Durham.' The owner would be familiarly known among her acquaintances as 'Evote' or 'Evette.' (Memorials of London, p. 435.)