De-Anglicisation of Names

[slohairt]

Dia Dhuit!

WALKER one who who waulks or treads cloth in the process known as fulling. Thus, Walker, or rather Waulker, would be a Lowland Scots name. A Gaelic translation would be Mac an tSiúbhail (IRISH) and Mac an t-Siùbhail (SCOTTISH GAELIC).

HENDERSON Yes, you're right. It's Mac Eanruig meaning son of Henry. MacKendrick is the same name. However, one should avoid the temptation to put the Mac prefix together with the root when using the Gaelic form. That in itself is an Anglicisation! It's really a separate word.

[Improv1]

I am a Passmore (the family that lived past the moor) with origins in Devonshire, but my Grandmother was a Muir...

[slohairt]

Ah, more tricky ones!

Three methods are usually taken when performing "de-Anglicisation"

1) Straightforward de-Anglicisation: taking a name and its variants and reverting to its original form: i.e. MacDonald, MacDonnell, MacDaniel, Donaldson = Mac Domhnuill
2)Translation of a name that was not originally Gaelic: i.e. Smith = Mac a' Ghobhainn
3) Transliteration. representing the sound of the name according to Gaelic orthography. i.e. John Brown = Seán de Brún

And now for the names:

OAKLEY To the best of my knowledge, Oakley is an English name which could also mean it was found in Lowland Scotland as well. Ley or Leigh is an Anglo-Saxon word for field. Oak, is of course, oak! So, a Gaelic translation would more or less be Gort na Dara meaning field of the oak. Pronounced much as it looks. Sorry it doesn't look all that great!

BALLARD Norman-French, I'm guessing. In which case, a Gaelic transliteration would be de Ballárd.

PASSMORE I'm not really sure on this one. A translation could be Thar Mhóinteach? Not that great looking, I know.

MUIR The Lowland Scots version of the English word moor. Gaelic translation would be Móinteach (IRISH) and Mòinteach (SCOTTISH GAELIC). If you really like the Mac prefix you could render it Mac an Móintigh (IRISH) or Mac a' Mòintich (SCOTTISH GAELIC) Both mean son of the moors.

[Andrew Breecher]

My name isn't Gaelic, but when Johann Brücher enlisted in the Civil War, the enlisting officer wrote down John Breecher.

Andrew.

[slohairt]

Dia Dhuit, A Aindréis!

That's an interesting story. I'll bet it happened a lot in those days.

Breecher would be transliterated into Gaelic as Bríséir (pronounced BREESH-AIR). "Ch" is a sound that doesn't really occur officially in Gaelic. (Well, actually it does, but only in certain dialects and it's represented by the letter "t" preceded or followed by "i" or "e".) The "sh" sound as represented by "s" preceded or followed by "i" or "e" is often used to fill in for foreign sounds like "ch" or "j"
So, using the "t" variant from above, Breecher could also be rendered Brítéir (BREETCH-AIR)

Hope this wasn't baffling!

[McFarkus]

Ah, more tricky ones!
BALLARD Norman-French, I'm guessing. In which case, a Gaelic transliteration would be de Ballárd.

Yes - I'm told it means "bald-headed" in middle French (which seems appropriate when one looks at Turpin and myself)

[slohairt]

Yes, etymologies are quite funny sometimes. Some complimentary and apt, while others quite bizarre. Mine is 'descended from the martial bear' which I suppose was pretty macho back in the day.

[Deil the Yin]

Dia Dhuit!

Walker: one who who "waulks" or treads cloth in the process known as fulling. Thus, Walker, or rather Waulker, would be a Lowland Scots name. A Gaelic translation would be Mac an tSiúbhail (IRISH) and Mac an t-Siùbhail (SCOTTISH GAELIC).

I must disagree with you strongly that Walker is a lowland name on the pointe that it is an occupational name in which many folk would both highland and lowland would take part. As further evidence I submit the existence of "Waulking Songs" sung at least in the Gaelic Hebridese... In addition I have met Walkers who were native Gaelic speakers (one "Johnny Walker" in fact). Not that there arent Walkers in the Lowlands, as well as England and Ireland, but to say that it is a Lowland name I think is very inaccurate.

I have also come across a story from a local bard to the Clan Gregor about some MacUechters (spelling?) from Balquhidder who changed their name to the closest sounding English one in order to get along with the occupiers... Thus at least one connection of Walker to MacGregor.

Anyway...just wanted to see what you came up with to double check what I've found.

Go raibh math agait (Thanks?).

[caig]

What an interesting thread.

My surname is Caig.