Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland [Hardcover]

E. R. Seary (Author), Seary (Author), William Kirwin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1998

The introduction presents a fascinating discussion of the history and linguistic origins of surnames found in Newfoundland, which come from many different cultures, notably English, Welsh, Irish, Scottish, French, Syrian, Lebanese, and Micmac.The main body of the book comprises a dictionary of surnames in the province based on data collected from provincial voting lists, family records, government documents, and newspaper reports dating back to the seventeenth century. Each entry includes variant spellings and cross-references of the surname, the countries in which the name originated, and its meaning. Newfoundland place names associated with the surname are also given. The bookalso includes a ranking of the most common surnames in Newfoundland and a comparative analysis of the frequency of surnames in Scotland, Ireland, England, and Newfoundland. Originally published in 1977, Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland is a unique reference work, giving Newfoundlanders, both in the province and away, a fascinating look at their roots. This edition incorporates a number of additions and corrections and has been completely reset in a sturdier and more convenient format. It will be of great use to individuals tracing their ancestors and to genealogists researching early settlers in Newfoundland.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"[Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland] is nothing less than a catalogue of Newfoundlanders as a distinct and unique tribe ... It should sell like hot cakes and sit, side by side, with the family Bible." Ray Guy, Newfoundland author "Perusing Seary's comments on the surnames of friends can be as gratifying as backyard gossip, and infinitely less dangerous ... A book that every school in Newfoundland should possess and display." Professor P.A. O'Flaherty "A work of major importance." Dr. Edward MacLysaght, author of Surnames of Ireland, Irish Families "The work itself is entirely and uniquely his own in concept and presentation and bears the mark of his exacting standards of scholarship ... The names themselves have a fascination not only for people in the Province who know them or who bear them but also for anyone interested in the establishment of families and their names in this erstwhile corner of British influence which still maintains a fierce sense of identity and independence. The study of the names and their origins and distribution is in itself a study of the history and settlement of the province and of the relationships between the island and those parts of Europe from which the majority of settlers came." J.D.A. Widdowson, Editor of Lore and Language

About the Author

Product Details

• Hardcover: 573 pages
• Publisher: McGill-Queen's University Press (November 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0773517820
• ISBN-13: 978-0773517820
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.9 x 2.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,823,113 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Invaluable to the casual researcher of NF family history., October 10, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland (Hardcover)

Seary's in-depth study of nearly three thousand family names of Newfoundland, arose from his work on the study of place names of the island. As his study progressed, Seary became fascinated with tracking families as they migrated along the coast or changed their names to avoid detection by Britain and France. His pursuit of the rise of Newfoundland surnames illustrates that relationships, place of origin, occupation, and even nicknames played very important roles.

The core of his research comes from the Official List of Electors 1955 chosen because it was the most comprehensive list of names and the communites to which they were linked before the massive resettlement programs of the 1960's. The sources of his information are vast as he quotes from scholarly works from England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, France and the Channel Islands as well as the many censuses taken in Newfoundland since 1675 in his attempt to get at the origin of the name.

Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland attempts to trace each name to a geographical origin in England, France, Ireland, etc. as well as trace its linguistic origin. This will provide the reader of this text with answers to such questions as; What does the name mean? Where is the name found in Newfoundland? When was the first recorded incidence of it in a particular region? Of course, this information is invaluable to any researcher of family history.

The real value to the student of genealogy, is that as Seary lists the early instances of each name in various places in Newfoundland, he provides us with all kinds of tidbits of information about the person - how they were killed, where they worked, their father, etc. And as expected from a scholar such as Seary, all of this information is referenced back to an original source document!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, November 5, 2007

By 

GEM (Nova Scotia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland (Hardcover)

Excellent source of Genealogical information on family surnames, helps you find the places that you should be looking for your family. Doesn't do your genealogy for you but most certainly helps.
Names are listed in Alphabetical order, no index necessary
There are 4 editions available but the 1988 corrected Edition is the best