De-Anglicisation of Names

[slohairt]

robert shawn rowland

Robert = Roibeárd (IRISH) Raibeart (SCOTTISH GAELIC)
Shawn = Seán (IRISH) Seathan (SCOTTISH GAELIC)

Rowland: Usually English, from the Norman-French personal name, Rollant/Roland. Rarely, it is an Anglicised form of the Irish Ó Rothláin meaning 'descendant of Rothlán. (Pronounced O RAW-LAWN.) Unrelated, but the Irish form of the personal name Roland is Rólann. (Pronoucned ROLE-AN.)

[David H]

Slohairt,

I have done a lot of research on my wifes and my surnames. My father was adopted at birth. HIs surname was Gibbs. I may have traced his direct line to the Devon/Cornwall area. Do you know the history of that name?
My mother's maiden name was Harrell. I have traced her paternal line to Newcastle in Northumberland. Do you know how that name came about?
My wife's father was a Waring. Do you know anything about that name? We think he came from Canada. He left her family when she was young.

Thanks for your help.

[GlassMan]

Here is an interesting link to a surname profiler that shows the geographical distribution of surnames in two censuses of England, Scotland and Wales in the years 1881 and 1998. http://www.spatial-literacy.org/UCLnames/Surnames.aspx

I ran Wage but found nothing. There must have been at least 100 individuals with a surname in the 1998 Electoral Register for results. The profiler gave the name Wager instead. In 1881 it was most common in southeast England, near the Welsh border and in the Midlands (I think. My British geography isn't the best.)

"Latta" is shown to have been most common in 1881 a bit north of the border, around Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Of course, the only way to really know the origin of a name is through genealogical research, one generation at a time, starting with one's parents and working backward.

What a fascinating website. I pumped in the spelling my family name had when we first arrived in the United States and saw that in 1881 we'd almost all stayed in the traditional lands at the northernost extreme of Scotland.

However, by 1998 most of those with my name had marched southwards as apparently most other Scots have done. However, I noticed that we seem to not wander quite as far afield. Now one had managed to pass far past Hadrian's Wall!!!! And the vast majority were still right where their ancestors had been.

Glad to know my personal hatred of moving is a very strong familial trait. Who would have thought that a hatred of moving vans was congenital.

[gilmore]

What a fascinating website. I pumped in the spelling my family name had when we first arrived in the United States and saw that in 1881 we'd almost all stayed in the traditional lands at the northernost extreme of Scotland.

However, by 1998 most of those with my name had marched southwards as apparently most other Scots have done. However, I noticed that we seem to not wander quite as far afield. Now one had managed to pass far past Hadrian's Wall!!!! And the vast majority were still right where their ancestors had been. ...

Yes, it is interesting that the British do not move about the coutry nearly as much as we Americans do. Most of us have families who are scattered all over the country.

[long_hand]

Thanks Slohairt,

The interesting thing about my surname is that it is thought that the Rowland spelling(my spelling) is an older Lowlander spelling possibly coming from one of Strathclyde Briton families and used to distinguish them from Norman/English families who typically used the Roland/Rolland/Rollant spelling. At some point the names became fairly interchangeable though. On the bright side, my Rowland line came from Surrey County which was one of the area that the Stratchlyde border clans were "persuaded" to move to and the oldest relative I can find goes back to just before 1600 which would be the right time for the move. As for Seàn, I actually prefer Séan which means "lucky omen"...I know...it's a noun...but hey, maybe it'll catch on. ;-)

[slohairt]

Slohairt,

I have done a lot of research on my wifes and my surnames. My father was adopted at birth. HIs surname was Gibbs. I may have traced his direct line to the Devon/Cornwall area. Do you know the history of that name?
My mother's maiden name was Harrell. I have traced her paternal line to Newcastle in Northumberland. Do you know how that name came about?
My wife's father was a Waring. Do you know anything about that name? We think he came from Canada. He left her family when she was young.

Thanks for your help.

GIBBS Usually, this is English, from the Norman Gibb or Gibbon, which was a pet form of Gilbert.

HARRELL English topographical or patronymic from the personal name Harold?

WARING English topographical? Perhaps related to Warren?

Sorry, I couldn't be more help. English surnames aren't really my forté!

[ForresterModern]

Here is one for a friend of mine who is trying to trace his roots. His last name is Keown but is pronounced "Cowan" now where he grew up in Kentucky. He thought it was remotely related to MacEwan but had no documentation of that.

[slohairt]

Here is one for a friend of mine who is trying to trace his roots. His last name is Keown but is pronounced "Cowan" now where he grew up in Kentucky. He thought it was remotely related to MacEwan but had no documentation of that.

On the right track, more or less. Keown or McKeown is usually Anglicised from Mac Eoin (son of John) or Mac Eoghain (son of Eoghan).

[jhockin]

Slohairt said:
"De-Anglicisation of Names"
"I'm good at taking modern-day anglicised Celtic names & surnames and reverting them to their original form......
So, if anyone wants to know the original form of their name, post it, and I'll give it a try for fun"

So, Slohairt,
I've been looking at this thread for some time, and finally thought I'd take advantage of your generous offer, so, how about these: Gerald Douglas Bruce?
thanks, in advance

[slohairt]

Slohairt said:
"De-Anglicisation of Names"
"I'm good at taking modern-day anglicised Celtic names & surnames and reverting them to their original form......
So, if anyone wants to know the original form of their name, post it, and I'll give it a try for fun"

So, Slohairt,
I've been looking at this thread for some time, and finally thought I'd take advantage of your generous offer, so, how about these: Gerald Douglas Bruce?
thanks, in advance

Here ye be:

Gerald: Gearalt (IRISH or SCOTTISH GAELIC) Pronounced GER-ALT. (hard 'G')
Douglas: Dubhghlas (IRISH or SCOTTISH GAELIC) Dhooglass (MANX) Both pronounced DOO-GLASS.
Bruce: Though of Norman origin, Bruce is usually rendered in Scottish Gaelic as de Brùs, Brùs, or Brùiseach. Pronounced DE BROOS, BROOS, and BROOSH-AKH respectively.