McGrath
There are two distinct septs which make up this popular Irish name. The first is that from County Clare, who migrated South to County Waterford, circa 1400, and who were the hereditary poets to the O'Briens, Kings of All Ireland. The second sept were from County Donegal, where they were claimants to the ancient monastery lands of the area. In County Down the name has been transposed to MacGraw, and in Donegal it often appears as MacGragh. The original derivation is from the Gaelic "MacGraith", meaning "the son of Graith". Archbishop Miler McGrath, 1523 -1622, the former Franciscan friar, having become a Protestant, rose to be a Archbishop of Cashel, and in 1604 was twice married and held over seventy livings. One John Magrath took part in the 1798 Rising and was captured, but later escaped to America. His son, Andrew Condon Magrath (1813 - 1893), rose to become a distinguished judge, a Governor of Carolina, and a prominent Confederate in the American Civil War. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John McGraith, which was dated circa 1391, Author of "Caithreim Toirdhealbhaigh", during the reign of King Richard 11 of England, known as "Richard of Bordeaux", 1378 - Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.1399
Plunkett
This is a surname which is most famous in Ireland, came from England, but is ultimately of French origins. Spelt as Plunkett and sometimes Plunket, it is believed to be a dialectal distortion of 'blanchet', meaning white, and hence a nickname surname. Introduced into Ireland after the Anglo-Norman Invasion of the country in 1170, and according to the Ireland's most prominent etymologist, the late Edward MacLysaght, (quote) 'the name is not found anywhere except in the case of exiles of Irish stock'. We have some doubts about this statement as the surname is recorded in London church registers at least as far back as the 16th century, which may be rather early for 'imported' names. On the other hand from the 12th century the nameholders were prominent in Irish affairs, in 1316 for instance Thomas Plunkett of County Louth was the Chief Justice. However the main fame for the family was that unlike perhaps the majority of Anglo-Irish families, from the earliest days they showed themselves to place the future of Ireland before any English asperations. Mostly they retained the old religion, one of the greatest Irishmen of all time being St Oliver Plunkett, (1629- 1681) the Archbishop of Armagh, who paid for his endevours on a scaffold in London. Later nameholders of distinction include Sir Horace Plunkett, (1854 - 1932) the first baron Plunkett, Chancellor of Ireland, and founder of the cooperative moverment in Ireland, whilst Joseph Plunkett, signed the Republican proclamation of 1916 and paid for this with his life.
Plunkett, a surname originating in Ireland, and of Norse or Norman origin, may be spelled Plunkett, Plunket, Plunkit, Plunkitt, Plonkit, Plonkitt, Plonket, Plonkett, or Plunceid,
Thompson Surname
Thompson is a surname of English origin, with a variety of spellings meaning "son of Tom (or Thomas)". It is the 14th-most common surname in the United Kingdom.
This famous surname is regarded as being of "Crusader" origins, and found in every European country. That is to say it is a name associated with the Christian Faith, and one whose popularity followed the twelve Crusades by the knights of St John, under the command of various European kings in particular Richard, Coeur de Lyon, of England, to free the Holy Land from the Muslim. All the Crusades were unusuccessful, but it was not for want of gallantry, on either side. Returning knights, as a reminder of their efforts, gave their children names associated with the Bible. Prior to the Crusades the name Thomas was found only as a priest name, but thereafter became one of the most popular male personal names, generating a wide variety of surnames. The patronymic forms from diminutives, such as Thomson (the Scottish form) and Thompson, found mainly in England and Northern Ireland, appear firstly in the 14th Century, the first recording being from Scotland. The intrusive "p" of the English and Irish forms was for easier pronunciation, and the wild fable about "p" meaning prisoner, is total rubbish. If "p" did imply prisoner, every name would have one! One of the earliest recordings is that of John Thompson in the charters of the Abbey of Whitby, Yorkshire, in 1349, whilst amongst the early church recordings is the marriage of David Thompson and Mary Clarke on May 29th 1664 at St. Giles Cripplegate, in the city of London. The first recorded spelling of the family name in any spelling is believed to be that of John Thomson, which was dated 1318, in the Annals of Scotland. This was during the reign of King Robert 1st of Scotland, known as "The Bruce", 1306 - 1329. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop", often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
Gleeson
Gleeson is an Irish surname. It is an anglicisation of the Gaelic name Ó Glasáin or Ó Gliasáin. The name is most common in County Tipperary but originates in East County Cork, in the once powerful Uí Liatháin kingdom, where the Gleesons were great lords and sometimes kings. This is an anglicized form of the Olde Gaelic O' Glasain or O' Gliasain. The Gaelic prefix "O" indicates "male descendant of", plus the personal byname Glasain, from "glas" literally meaning "green", but used here in the sense of inexperienced. This sept belonged to the ancient territory of Mac Ui Bhriain Aradh's country, that is the area between Nenagh and Lough Derg on the border of North County Tipperary. The Gleesons were of the same stock as the O'Donegans, whose name derives from the Gaelic 'donn' meaning brown or dark. The O' Donegans originally belonged to Muskerry, (north-west and central Cork) and in the 1659 census of Ireland the Gleeson name, under the variant spellings Glisane, Glison, Gleasane, O' Glassane etc., is well recorded in conjunction with O' Donegan in Counties Tipperary, Clare and Limerick. On April 11th 1846 Michael Gleeson, aged twenty two years, embarked from the part of Cork on the ship "Adirondack" bound for New York. He was a famine immigrant into America. Father William Gleeson of Irish stock was called the "founder of the church in California". The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of O' Glissane, which was dated circa 1600, in the "Records of Extensive Landowners in County Tipperary", during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, known as "Good Queen Bess", 1558 - 1603. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
Coates
There are two sources for this English name, the first being a locational name from any of the numerous places in England e.g., Coates in Cambridgeshire and Cotes in Leicestershire. A locational name was usually given to the lord of the manor at that place or to someone who moved from there to another village. The second source is topographical and would have denoted someone who lived in a relatively humble dwelling, a hut or cottage. The derivation is from the Old English pre 7th century "cot" or "cote" meaning cottage or shelter. The surname was common in medieval England and since it was used especially of a sheepcote, could mean a shepherd. The "s" is patronymic meaning "son of". The surname was first recorded in the late 12th Century (see below). On July 7th 1630, John Cottis married Agnes Pawmer at St. Dunstan's, Stepney, and Miles, son of John and Ann Cottis, was christened at St. Botolph without Aldgate, in July 1631. In the modern idiom, the name has ten spelling variations, e.g., Cotes, Coates, Cottis, Dallicott etc.. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of William de Cotes, which was dated 1190, in the "Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire", during the reign of King Richard 1, known as "The Lionheart", 1189 - 1199 Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
Coates (or alternative spelling, "Coats") is also a prominent family of Scottish origin.
United KingdomCoates, Cambridgeshire
Coates, Gloucestershire
Coates, Nottinghamshire
Coates, West Sussex
Coates by Stow, in LincolnshireCoates Castle, a Grade II listed manor in West Sussex
Jackson
Jackson is a common surname of English and Scottish origin. It literally means "son of Jack".
The name as a personal name was first introduced by returning Crusaders from the Holy Land in the 12th century, and grew rapidly in popularity. Early recordings include such examples as William Jagge and Robert Jacke in the Pipe Rolls of the counties of Huntingdonshire and Staffordshire in 1251 and 1302 respectively. Medieval examples of the slightly later patronymics include: Adam Jakson, a witness in the Assize Court of Staffordshire in 1351, Willelmus Jacson or Jackson, was listed in the Poll Tax returns of the county of Yorkshire in 1379, whilst Andrew Jacson was admitted to the rank of burgess of the city of Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1409. An early settler in the New World colonies was Henry Jackson, aged 29. He embarked from the port of London on the ship "Elizabeth and Ann", bound for Virginia on April 1635. Amongst the many interesting namebearers was Andrew (Stonewall) Jackson (1767 - 1845). He was the seventh president of the United States of America, from 1828 - 1836, but earlier he became a national hero when he successfully defended New Orleans against the British in 1815. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Adam Jackessone. This was dated 1327, in the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk, during the reign of King Edward 111rd of England, 1327 - 1377. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
In 1980 Jackson was the 24th most popular surname in England and Wales.
No comments:
Post a Comment