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===Clan Names=== | ===Clan Names=== | ||
Many Scottish surnames are the names of Scottish clans that were once powerful families dominating large swaths of territory. However, it is a common misconception that every person who bears a clan's name is a lineal descendant of the chiefs of that particular clan. There are several reasons for this. In many cases, the families that originally lived on the lands acquired by powerful clans (such as the Campbells, Gordons, Macdonalds, and Mackenzies) adopted the names of their new lords. In some cases, the name of a clan may be identical to the surname of another family, yet there is no historical connection between the different families. A surname derived from a patronym, such as MacDonald may be used by numerous unconnected families descended from different men named Donald. | |||
Some surnames were also directly translated into English, e.g. Mac a' Bhrataich and MacGhilledhuinn could be rendered into Bannerman and Brown/Broun, and sometimes unrelated names were used to translate each other, e.g. Mac na Ceardaich (son of the tinsmith) is rendered Sinclair in some places, MacDhonnchaidh (son of Duncan) as Robertson. | After the Battle of Culloden in 1746, many people changed their surnames from clan names to less Gaelic names to avoid being punished by the British government. | ||
Some surnames were also directly translated into English, e.g. Mac a' Bhrataich and MacGhilledhuinn could be rendered into Bannerman and Brown/Broun, and sometimes unrelated names were used to translate each other, e.g. Mac na Ceardaich (son of the tinsmith) is rendered Sinclair in some places, MacDhonnchaidh (son of Duncan) as Robertson. | |||
===Bynames=== | |||
'''Bynames, to-names, or other names''', were once very common in Scotland. These names were used in areas where there were few names in circulation, and '''the bynames were added onto the name of person, in order to distinguish them from others who bore the same name'''. Bynames were particularly prevalent in fishing communities in the '''northeastern part of Scotland, but were also used in the Borders and the West Highlands'''. In some cases within fishing communities, the names of fishing boats were tacked onto the names of people in order to differentiate them from others.<ref>"Scottish surnames", in Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_surnames, accessed 19 February 2021.</ref> | |||
== Given Names == | == Given Names == | ||