De-Anglicisation of Names

[gilmore]

Dia Dhuit!
Boyer: Probably English, and likely derived from Bowyer=bowmaker. A Gaelic translation would be Mac an Boghaire (MAC AN BOY-ER-EE) "son of the bowmaker."

It is a French occupational name, literally means "archer," they served as something like policemen in medieval and Renaissance France.

[Bill]

Thanks very much for your previous answers and the hard work you are putting in here on our behalf.

I have one more for you it is my wife's maiden name which is Holland. It is known that the Hollands came from Ireland but it is not known from what part. I thought that if the entomology were known that the information might give us some clue as to where.

A tremendously BIG THANK-YOU!

Bill

[slohairt]

If pronounced BOY-YAY, and of French/Norman-French origin, than yes I would say this is the etymology. If looking at an English source I would still say Bowyer "bowmaker." The French word for archer IS archer, though pronounced ARR-SHAY.

And now, a note on what I actually meant by De-Anglicisation of names.

The first nations the English/Normans/Anglo-Normans (whatever you choose to call them) decided to conquer were the Celtic nations. At first, the invaders were generally assimilated into the native population. This was particularly true in Ireland which lead to the phrase "More Irish than the Irish themselves" regarding the Normans who lived there. This was not quite the case in Scotland. While Gaelic was, for a time, the primary language of Scotland, it quickly gave way to Anglic languages and was pushed northwest to the Highland line. The Lowlanders and Highlanders largely regarded each other as separate people. This did not mean that they didn't influence each other. It does, however, mean that Scottish Gaelic was under pressure and in decline before Scotland was even part of the U.K.

In time, these Celtic lands were eventually conquered completely. (Scotland, many would say, technically wasn't. It joined England/Wales through the Act of Union in 1707. I won't bother debating this point as it will inevitably open a HUGE can of worms!) Naturally, the conquerors demanded that the conquered learn their language and adopt their customs. Such is almost always the case in human history. For the natives, there was also a practical need to learn English. Thus, some chose to anglicise their names to assimilate, while others had their name forcibly changed. This was a systematic attempt to destroy a culture. I'm not blaming anyone today, nor am I deliberately trying to make a politically charged statement. It's a simple fact of history, I'm afraid.

So, when I meant De-Anglicisation, I meant taking a name that had its roots based in the Gaelic language (whether Irish or Scottish, or even Manx) and reverting it to its original form, bypassing the myriad of anglicisations and mispellings that later occurred. This would also include names which, although not originally Gaelic in origin, were well established (and assimilated) during the Gaelic period of these nations. The Gaelic badge was cultural not ethnic, and once someone was assimilated into their culture he or she was considered one of them. This was especially true of the Norse and Normans.

To a lesser extent, I studied the effect of Anglicisation on Cornish and Welsh naming practices, as well as the Gallicisation(?) of Breton names. Unfortunately, there is much less written about this than there is on the Gaelic languages.

I'm happy with the response I've gotten from this thread and I'm glad that what I have learned has been of use to others. Whatever one may think, wearing the kilt is a promotion of Gaelic culture to some extent, and it would benefit us all to learn something of that culture in case it disappears forever.

So, enough with the soapbox. Bring on more names!

[slohairt]

Dia Dhuit, A Bill!

Holland: Yes, Holland is Irish. It also has nothing to do with the Netherlands!
It is an anglicisation of Ó hAoláin (OH HAIL-AWN) meaning "descended from Aolán." Aolán is a corruption of Faolán which means "little wolf" and would denote someone who is cunning. Occasionally it was anglicised as (O')Whelan, though this particular anglicisation usually refers to the name Ó Faoláin.

Other anglicisations include: O'He(a)lane, O'Hayllane, O'Hil(l)ane, O'Hylane, O'Heolane, O'Hoolan, O'Holane, O'Hollan(d), Heelan, Helen, Hillan(e), Holan, H(e)yland, Hiland, and Holand.

[gilmore]

If pronounced BOY-YAY, and of French/Norman-French origin, than yes I would say this is the etymology. If looking at an English source I would still say Bowyer "bowmaker." The French word for archer IS archer, though pronounced ARR-SHAY.

Pronunciation has nothing to do with it at this point in time. I have Boyer cousins who pronounce it 3 different ways within just one small middle Georgia county.

According to Surname Profiler, if it is found in the UK it is most likely to be of French origin:http://www.spatial-literacy.org/UCLn...y=GB&type=name

If found in the US, it is likely to be either that or a variant of Bayer/Bauer/Baier from Germany.

Surnames origins may provide some general clues, but if you want to know who your ancestors were, there really is no substitute for methodically documenting them going backward generation by generation, via a solid paper trail. DNA testing can help, but its use is more often for exclusionary purposes than inclusionary ones.

If one decides that one's patrilineal ancestors were Gaelic speakers despite all evidence to the contrary, there certainly is an abundance of those who will assist one in that fantasy. Purveyor of Scots and Irish dress, music, alcohol, travel agents, hoteliers, others in the hospitality industry, etc. have been making a living off those with more money than discernment for well over a century.

[pdcorlis]

Even though we struck out on Corliss - this has been one of the most interesting threads I've read here in quite some time. THANK YOU for eight pages of sheer enjoyment!

[Belegnole]

Whatever discord may have appeared in this thread I would like to give my thanks for the assistance that has been offered.

Guess I'm from a Sept of Clan Ferguson

[creativeaccents]

Re the mention of the Walkers in post 56 in this thread, I found this interesting quote, "The Gaelic form MACNUCATOR derives from "Mac an fhucadair" (son of the fuller (of the cloth)), of which the old Scots equivalent is 'Waulker', derived from 'Walker', a middle English form which comes from the Old English 'wealcere'. The form 'Walker' is also found in England, Ireland and elsewhere, and although amongst the 30 most common names in Scotland, such ancestry should not be assumed without genealogical or geographical evidence. Many of todays Walkers were originally MacNucators, but as the name prospered in many parts of Scotland devoid of Highland association, and given the widespread distribution of the occupation, it seems most unlikely that many were related, other than by continuation of the tradition of that trade within their own family. Such trade names were not patronymics, but were used for the sake of distinction within the particular clan or community in which they dwelt. In 1613 - 14, persons of this name in Balquidder, Perthshire were fined for reset (sheltering) of members of the proscribed Clan Gregor. Some MacNucators followed the Stewarts of Appin in the Rising of 1745. Undoubtedly, many Walkers and MacNucators will be able to trace an ancestry to areas dominated by other clans, and if such association be established it is quite appropriate to adopt their tartans etc. As far as I can trace there are two tartans to which the name Walker can be associated. MacGregor Red & Stewart of Appin - this is a blue/green tartan."

[jordanjm]

How about Butler

[Ozman1944]

Mine is Harris (Welsh/Cornish) but also rendered as 'Harry' 'Perry', 'Parry'. ?