235
edits
→Surnames
| Line 16: | Line 16: | ||
* Descriptive or nickname, often referring to hair colour or complexion - | * Descriptive or nickname, often referring to hair colour or complexion - | ||
** Braidfute (Broad footed), Fairbairn (Beautiful child), Reid (red), Black | ** Braidfute (Broad footed), Fairbairn (Beautiful child), Reid (red), Black | ||
** Dow (Dubh, dark haired), Keir (ciar, swarthy, or cearr, left handed), Breck (freckled), Douglas (Dughlas from Dubh-ghlas, dark-grey haired), Gilroy (MacGhilleruaidh, son of the red headed person) | ** Dow (Dubh, dark haired), Keir (ciar, swarthy, or cearr, left handed), Breck (Breac, freckled), Douglas (Dughlas from Dubh-ghlas, dark-grey haired), Gilroy (MacGhilleruaidh, son of the red headed person) | ||
* Ethnic origins | * Ethnic origins | ||
** Wallace (Wealys, a Brython or Welshman), Bremner (Brabant), Inglis (English), Scott, Fleming | ** Wallace (Wealys, a Brython or Welshman), Bremner (Brabant), Inglis (English), Scott, Fleming | ||
| Line 22: | Line 22: | ||
* Ecclesiastical, many beginning with (Mac)gil (MacGhille-) | * Ecclesiastical, many beginning with (Mac)gil (MacGhille-) | ||
** Kirk (church), Bell | ** Kirk (church), Bell | ||
** MacLean (MacGhill-Eain, son of the servant of St John), Gilchrist (MacGhilleChriosd, son of the servant of Christ), MacPherson (Mac a' Phearsain, son of the ecclesiastic), MacMillan (MacMhaolain, son of the tonsured one, i.e. a monk) | ** MacLean (MacGhill-Eain, son of the servant of St John), Gilchrist (MacGhilleChriosd, son of the servant of Christ), MacPherson (Mac a' Phearsain, son of the ecclesiastic), MacMillan (MacMhaolain, son of the tonsured one, i.e. a monk), Dewar (Mac-an-Deoir) | ||
It should be noted that in the Celtic Church until surprisingly late, that churchmen and monks could marry, hence the proliferation of names such as MacNab (Mac-an-Aba, son of the abbot). | It should be noted that in the Celtic Church until surprisingly late, that churchmen and monks could marry, hence the proliferation of names such as MacNab (Mac-an-Aba, son of the abbot). | ||