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The nobility and wealthy land owners first began using surnames. Merchants and townspeople adopted the custom, as eventually did the rural population. This process took several centuries. Surnames developed from several sources and include the following types: | The nobility and wealthy land owners first began using surnames. Merchants and townspeople adopted the custom, as eventually did the rural population. This process took several centuries. Surnames developed from several sources and include the following types: | ||
* Occupational | * Occupational: based on a person’s trade, such as - | ||
* Geographic | ** Soutar (a shoemaker), Carter (also derived from MacArthur), Stewart (a steward) or Smith. | ||
* Patronymic | ** MacGowan/Gow (Mac a' Ghobhainn, son of the Smith), Neillie (Mac an Fhilidh, son of the poet), MacNab (Mac-an-Aba, son of the abbot) | ||
* Descriptive or nickname ( | * Geographic: based on a person’s residence | ||
** Aberdein (i.e. Aberdeen), Dalziel, Dunbar, Sutherland or Glasgow. | |||
** Murray (Moireach, someone from Moray), Boyd (Boideach, someone from the Isle of Bute), Ross (someone living on a headland) | |||
* Patronymic, based on a person’s father’s name - | |||
** Dickson/Ritchie (Richard), Thomson, Williamson/Wilson, Duncan | |||
** MacConnochie (MacDhonnchaidh, son of Duncan), MacWilliam (MacUilleim), Quayle (MacPhail, son of Paul) | |||
* Descriptive or nickname - | |||
** Braidfute or Fairbairn | |||
** Dow (Dubh, dark haired), Keir (ciar, swarthy, or cearr, left handed), Breck (freckled), Douglas (Dughlas from Dubh-ghlas, dark-grey haired) | |||
* Ethnic origins | |||
** Wallace (Wealys, a Brython or Welshman), Bremner (Brabant), Inglis (English), Scott, Fleming | |||
** Galbraith (Mac a' Bhreatannaich, son of the Brython or Welsh speaker), MacDougall (MacDhùghaill -> MacDhubhghaill, son of a Dubhghall, a certain type of Norseman) | |||
* Ecclesiastical, many beginning with (Mac)gil (MacGhille-) | |||
** Kirk (church) | |||
** MacLean (MacGhill-Eain, son of the servant of St John), Gilchrist (MacGhilleChriosd, son of the servant of Christ), MacNab (Mac-an-Aba, son of the abbot), MacPherson (Mac a' Phearsain, son of the ecclesiastic) | |||
=== For More Information === | === For More Information === | ||