Ludus Patronymicus/A

AGATE. From at-the-gate, one living at or near a gate.

AGUE. Mr. Ferguson thinks this name is probably the same as the O. G. Aigua, Aguus, Agio, of which the root may be the O. N. aga, exerceo. Mr. Lower derives it from Fr. aigu, corresponding with our Sharpe. It may however be same as Agg (U. S. Agg and Agge). The English names Agg, Aggas are from Agatha.

AIR. Mr. Ferguson thinks this name may be from O. H. G. aro, ar, O. N. ari, an eagle. It is rather from Ayr, cap. of Ayrshire, Scotland.

AIRY. Mr. Ferguson compares the names Airy, Air, Arrah with the O. G. Aro and Ara of the seventh century, and the common Scandinavian name Ari, which he derives from O. H. G. aro, ar, O. N. ari, an eagle. Lower says the Cumberland family of Airey consider the name to have been borrowed from an elevated dwelling among the mountains called an eyrie, such designations for residences not being uncommon; and he says aery also signifies a place for the breeding or training of hawks. The name is more probably the same as Harry, Harrie, for Henry; or it may even be from Harold.

ALABASTER. The same with Arblaster; from O. E. alblastere, a cross-bowman. In the H. R. it is found in Lat. ​Albalestarius. "Several of the distinguished archers at the battle of Hastings became tenants in chief under the Conqueror, and are entered in Domesday with the surname of Arbalistarius, or Balistareus, Balistarius. Hence the names Alabaster, Blast, and others" (Lower).

ALCOCK. See Cock.

ALEFOUNDER. The ale-founders were ale-tasters or ale-conners. In O. Court Rolls they are called "gestatores cervisi," the term commonly used in the records of Court Leet. Lower classes this term with "ale-draper," and justly calls it a ridiculous designation. There is a beer retailer in London of the name of Alefounder. The last part of the name may be from fundo, to pour out.

ALEMAN. From root of Almond, q. v. Aleman is the name of a German general.

ALLCARD. The same as the A. S. personal name Alcheard, Cod. Dip. 520; perhaps the same as the A. S. name Allward, and the modern names Ailward and Aylward.

ALLCOCK. See Cock.

ALLENGAME. See Walkinghame.

ALLPENNY. See Halfpenny.

ALLWATER. From some local name compounded of "water."

ALMOND. The same as Almund, Ellmund, and the Ælmund of Domesday; from G. alf-mund, strong or powerful protector. Ferguson also thinks Almond may be from the A. S. name Alhmund, O. N. Amundr, from mund, protection. From Almond we doubtless have the names Almon, Ellman, Holman, Oldman, Element.

ALOOF. From Alf or Alph, for Alfred.

ALUM, i. q. ALLUM, ALLOM. The same as Hallam; from Hallam, the name of parishes co. Derby and York.

ANGER. Some derive this name from hanger, a wooded declivity; but Ainge, Ainger, Anger, Angier, Augier, Aunger (sometimes pronounced Ainger), and Aungier are rather from Anjou, ​an old prov. of France (now forming dep. Maine-et-Loire, and parts of Sarthe, Mayenne, and Inre-et-Loire), whose cap. was Angers. Aunger and Aungier are in charters found Latinised to Angevinus; and Angevine is found in H. R. with the prefix Le.

ANGUISH, i. q. ANGWISHE. From some local name compounded of wish or wick; as Anwick co. Lincoln; or perhaps rather from Angus, the ancient name of co. Forfar, Scotland.

ANVIL. Doubtless from Anneville, name of several villages in Normandy. "The English family (of Anneville), according to De Gerville, originated from Anneville-en-Saine, a parish in the arrondissement of Valognes" (Lower).

APPLE or APPEL. Ferguson says happel is a word used in Silesia for a horse. The name Apple is more probably a diminutive of Hab or Hap, in Hapsburg a nickname for Herbert. Apfel is however a German name. From Hab or Hap we doubtless have the name Happy.

APPLEJOHN. See Apjohn.

ARM. A name which is also found in local surnames; as in Armfield, Armsby, Armsworth, &c. It may be the same as Orme. See Worm, Ram, Rum. Ferguson gives also the name Arms, which he derives from A. S. arm, poor.

ARMOUR. Lower says this name is a corruption of armourer; and he gives Armourer as a surname.

ARROW. Ferguson says the names Arrah and Arroh might be derived from the weapon, like Shaft and other similar names; but Arrow is the appellation of a parish co. Warwick, and of a township co. Chester.

ASHMAN. Lower says the forms of this name in the H. R. are Asscheman, Aschman, and Ashman; and in Domesday Assemannus; and he thinks the name equivalent to spearman, æsc or ash in A. S. poetry being constantly used in the sense of spear, because the staff of a spear was usually made of that wood. I take it that this name is the same as Asman, Osman, Osmon, ​Osmund (whence doubtless Houseman, Housman), from as, os, which in German names signifies excellent (excellens, præstans, egregius). Watcher renders Osmund, vir præstans; and Oswald, tutor egregius; and he says os is the same as the Welsh od.

AUGER, AUGUR, AUGURS. All three are found in the U. S., and the two first in England. Lower says, "Auger, Aucher, a Norman name, whence Fitz-Aucher; also a corruption of Alsager, a place in Cheshire. Archæologia, vol. xix., p. 17." I should rather derive these names from Algar, Elgar (H. R. Algar, Alger; Domesday, Algar, Ælgar. Algar, name of a bishop of the E. Angles), contracted from the old name Ælfgar, from ælf-gar, which might variously translate, very helping, very strong, a help in war.

AUGUR, AUGURS. See Auger.

AUGUST. From Auguste, the Fr. form of Augustus. From Auguste, the Fr. form of Augustus.