For anyone interested in tracing a family name or family history in England, this is the standard guide. It provides the origin and meaning of 16,000 English names, including 5,000 added for the current 1990s edition. Variant name forms are fully cross-referenced, and the book contains a wealth of information on early name forms, including dates and sources. A 46-page introduction on English surnames puts the work in context.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
R. M. Wilson is Emeritus Professor of English Language at the University of Sheffield.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The standard work on the subject,
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This review is from: A Dictionary of English Surnames (Hardcover)
The introduction alone outstanding through its clear explanations of the four main groups of surnames: local surnames; surnames of relationships; occupational surnames; and nicknames. Brief pages about regional surname patterns are also enlightening.The meat of the book is the alphabetical listing of some 16,000 English surnames, their variations, probable origins, and notes on early occurrences in the written records. The cross-referencing between variant spellings is excellent and makes for easy navigation between variants. A first rate resource for English genealogy and local history.
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Goes far beyond Smith!,
By A Customer
This review is from: A Dictionary of English Surnames (Paperback)
This book is so detailed in the origion of English Surnames, I never feel lost when I'm trying to place a character in a certain time period. Also, to call it only English Surnames is a bit misleading since England is made of of those who conquered and invaded it or that they conquered themselves. There are Surnames that decend from Norway (Vikings), Germany, France, not to mention Ireland, Wales, Scotland and the Isle of Man.
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating and well-documented,
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This review is from: A Dictionary of English Surnames (Paperback)
The Dictionary of English Surnames is wonderful -- tons of information about surnames both common and rare, with many dated examples of early spellings. Sources are always given. This is an excellent resource for anyone interested in the origin of English surnames, especially re-enactors and others interested in names that would have existed in the late medieval/Renaissance period. Since the examples are dated, it is easy to find names from a particular time.
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Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs):
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unrecorded personal name, common medieval name, double diminutive, metathesized form, original nickname, pageant name, rare surname, aphetic form, wood frequented, modern surname, voiced form, dialectal pronunciation, shortened vowel, unidentified place, common christian name, occupational name, rare name Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Middle Ages, East Lothian, Also Huguenot, West Riding, Piers Plowman, Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, West Lothian, The Manx, Isle of Wight, East Anglian, Gael Mac, East Worlington, West Saxon, West Dean, Cursor Mundi, Isle of Man, East Grinstead, Chaddesley Corbett, Bratton Clovelly, Middle Moor, John Fanwryghte, Roger Arundel, York Plays, Bishop of Ely, John Petijohan Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
unrecorded personal name, common medieval name, double diminutive, metathesized form, original nickname, pageant name, rare surname, aphetic form, wood frequented, modern surname, voiced form, dialectal pronunciation, shortened vowel, unidentified place, common christian name, occupational name, rare name Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Middle Ages, East Lothian, Also Huguenot, West Riding, Piers Plowman, Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, West Lothian, The Manx, Isle of Wight, East Anglian, Gael Mac, East Worlington, West Saxon, West Dean, Cursor Mundi, Isle of Man, East Grinstead, Chaddesley Corbett, Bratton Clovelly, Middle Moor, John Fanwryghte, Roger Arundel, York Plays, Bishop of Ely, John Petijohan Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
8
books
cite this book:
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- Becoming Old Stock: The Paradox of German-American Identity by Russell A. Kazal on 4 pages
- Welsh Family History A Guide to Research Second Edition by John Rowlands on page 74, and Back Matter
- Journeys in Family History: The National Archives' Guide to Exploring Your Past & Finding Your Ancestors by David Hey on page 254
- There Is Someone Out There! by Yisrayl Hawkins on page 177
- Family Life in Early Modern Times, 1500-1789 (The History of the European Family, Volume 1) by Professor David I. Kertzer in Back Matter
See all 8 books citing this book
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