Ludus Patronymicus/B

BACCHUS. As an English surname, from Backhouse or Bakehouse.

BACON. In H. R. this name is found Bachun, Bacun, and Bacon, and is said to be derived from Bacon, a seigniory in Normandy. Lower says in some instances Bacon may be a corruption of Beacon, and that, from their connection with Bayeux, the Bacons were sometimes Latinised De Bajocis. I consider the name a French diminutive of Bach, from G. bach, a brook, rivulet. Hence Bacot, another diminutive. Bacon has been corrupted to Buggin.

BADCOCK. See Cock.

BADGER. Ferguson considers this name the same as the O. G. Patager, from beado war, ger spear. It is rather from badger, an old word for a hawker; or from Badger, a parish co. Salop.

​BADMAN. From A. S. bæthman, a bather; perhaps a baptiser. Hence no doubt the names Batman and Bateman, although the two latter may also be from batman, a boatman.

BAKE. From Bake, name of an estate in St. German's, Cornwall.

BAKEWELL. From Bakewell, market town and parish co. Derby. Doubtless compounded of ville.

BALAAM. From Bailham, Suffolk; or Balham, Surrey.

BALCOCK. See Cock.

BALM. A corruption of Balsam, or contracted from Balaam, q. v. respectively.

BALSAM. From Balsham, in Cambridgeshire, which Fuller characterises as "an eminent village," and the only one in England bearing the name.

BANNISTER, BANISTER, BANNESTER. Perhaps originally Bainster, one who kept a bath; from O. Eng. and O. F. bain, a bath.

BARGE. Lower thinks this name may have been derived from an inn sign. It is more probably the same as Burge; from Burgh, name of eleven parishes of England. Hence no doubt the name Purge.

BARKER (H. R. Barcarius and Le Barkere). From the old berkere, a tanner, bark being used in tanning. The word barker now signifies one who strips trees of their bark. Barkary was a law term a tan-house.

BARNACLE. Ferguson under this name gives "Barnakarl, Barnakel, a surname or a nickname given to a celebrated Norwegian pirate, named Olver, who setting his face against the then fashionable amusement of tossing children on spears, was christened by his companions, to show their sense of his odd scruples, Barnakarl, baby's old man." The name is more probably from Barnacle, a hamlet co. Warwick.

​BARNDOLLAR. See Cashdollar.

BARNFATHER. See Pennyfather.

BARRINGDOLLAR. See Cashdollar.

BARROW, BARROWS. From Barrow, name of parishes and places in at least ten counties in England; from barrow, a wood or grove, from A. S. beara, bearewe, a grove; or from barrow, a hillock or mound of earth intended as a repository for the dead, answering to the tumulus of the Latins; from A. S. beorg a hill or hillock, byrgen a tomb.

BARTER. Lower thinks this name to be from O. E. barratour, one who stirs up strife between the king's subjects, either at law or otherwise. Barter, Barters are both found in the U. S. They may be the same as Batter, Batters, in Battersby, so called from an estate and township co. York. They may also be connected with Butter, q. v.

BAT. A nickname for Bartholomew. Hence Batt, Bate, Batts, Bates, Batson, Badkin, Batkin, Badcock, Batcock.

BATCOCK. See Cock.

BATMAN. See Badman.

BEAN. Lower says Bean, Beane are Scotch abbreviations of Benjamin. I should have otherwise derived it from Gael. beag, little, young; W. bechan; Corn. bighan, wigan.

BEDALE. From Bedale, a parish in Yorkshire.

BEDLOCK. See Legg.

BEE. From A. S. by, bye, a dwelling, habitations; Sco. by, a village, hamlet; Dan. by, a city, town, borough. Hence Bradbee, Summerbee, &c.

BEER. Ferguson says Beer is the same as Bear, from A. S. bar, a bear, O. N. bera, O. H. G. bero, D. beer; but this name is more probably from Beer-Alston or Beer-Ferris (Ferrers) in Devon, or Beer-Hacket or Beer-Regis in Dorset.

BELCHAMBER, BELLCHAMBERS. A friend assures me he knows of a William Chambers, who changed his name to Billchambers, of which he says Bellchambers is a corruption.

​BELDAM. From some local name compounded of ham, a dwelling. Kennett renders beldam a "woman who lives to see a sixth generation descended from her."

BELLOWS. See Billows.

BELOVLY. See Legg.

BERRY. Berry-Pomeroy is the name of a parish co. Devon, and Berry or Berri is the appellation of one of the old provinces of France. But see Bury and Borrow.

BICHARD. See Hazard.

BICKERSTAFF. See Wagstaff.

BIDGOOD. This name may mean "good or noble in war," or "a good counsellor" (A. S. beado, beada, counsellor; G. god, good, noble, kind). The A. S. guth-boda would mean "a war messenger." The O. N. bodi is a messenger, and gunn, gunnur, gud, O. H. G. gund, gunt, war.

BIGGIN. A common termination of local names in the northern counties and in Scotland, as Dowbiggin, Newbiggin. It means a house of a large size, as opposed to a cottage, a building; from A. S. byggan, to build. In Scotland biggin is sometimes used to designate small buildings on the banks of rivers, &c., in which night lights are placed to prevent vessels from mistaking their course.

BILKE. Perhaps the same as Bielcke, from Biel, now Bienne, in Switzerland; or a German diminutive of Bill, i. e. Will, for William. Bill and Bile are German names, and Pott gives Bille and Bielke as modern German names.

BILLET. Lower thinks this name a probable corruption of the great baronial name Belet. It would rather seem to be a diminutive of Bill for William. Belet is doubtless a corruption of Bellot, a diminutive of Bel for Isabella.

BILLIARD. See Hazard.

BILLOWS. Ferguson thinks Billows may be the same as an O. G. Bilo, quoted by Förstemann, and that Pill and Pillow, unless connected with Peel, may be H. G. forms of Bill or Bilo. ​Bellew, Pellew, Bellas, Belliss, and Bowles are also surnames. Pellew is said to be of Norman origin, from bel-eau, the beautiful water, the designation of some locality [Belleau is the appellation of a parish co. Lincoln]. Bowles has been derived from Bellovesus, a celebrated name mentioned in Liv., Lib. v., cap. 33, said to mean a leader in war (dux belli), from O. G. vel for veld, war. Bowditch says the writer of Britaine's Remains supposes the name Bellows to be a corruption of Bellhouse, and he mentions a History of the Bellows Family by the Rev. Henry W. Bellows, D.D., of New York.

BLACKLOCK. See Legg.

BLACKMONSTER. "This repulsive name is a corruption of Blanchminster, the White Monastery, the designation of more than one religious house. Blancmuster is an ancient alias for the town of Oswestry. The name was commonly Latinised De Albo Monasterio."—Lower.

BLADE. The name Blade, Blades, Blaides, Blaydes, Bleyds, found written Bursblades, Buresblades, Bursebred, or Bursebleyd, is said to be of Danish origin. Wilkinson says the family assumed the local name of Burse-blades or Purse-blades, from residing at Burs-blade, near Durham.

BLANKET, BLANKETT. For Blanchett, a diminutive of the name Blank or Blanch; from Fr. blanc, white. "Rear-Admiral Blankett was a British officer in the wars against Napoleon" (Bowditch). See also Verba Nominalia, under "Blanket."

BLAST. See Alabaster.

BLAZE. "An ancient personal name borne by St. Blase or Blaise, the patron of the woolcoombers of England," says Lower, quoting Brady's Clavis Calend, 1201. Cf. the Sp. Blas (Gil Blas, Ruy Blas), the It. Biaggio, L. Blasius; probably from Gr. βλαστη, bud, shoot, sprout, blossom; βλαστανω, to sprout, shoot forth, bud.

BLOOD. Ferguson derives this name from O. N. blaudr, ​bashful, timid. It may be the same name as Lloyd, Floyd, from W. llwyd, brown, grey. The name of General Blood appeared in Sporting Life in January, 1867.

BODKIN. Lower says a younger son of the Fitzgeralds of Desmond and Kildare settled in Connaught in the thirteenth century, and obtained, as was not then uncommon, a sobriquet which usurped the place of a surname, and so was handed down. This was Bawdekin, probably from his having affected to dress in the costly material of silk and tissue of gold so popular in that age under the name of baudkin; and he says the Bodkins still use the "Croom-a-boo" motto of the Fitzgeralds, but that the Bodekin of the H. R. is probably from a different source. Ferguson thinks Bodkin may be from the English word bodkin, which in its earliest use signified a dagger; but he is of opinion that the name is more probably a diminutive of A. S. boda, O. N. bodi, a messenger, and he gives a Bodecker corresponding with an O. S. Bodic, and a Mod. G. Bodeck, and also an O. G. Bodeken (A. D. 1020). The name Bodkin may also be from bodykin, a little man; or, if of Cornish origin, from bod-kyn, the head abode or place; or bod-kein, the house on the promontory.

BODY, BODDY. The same as Bodda, Boda (Latinised Bodus), probably from A. S. boda, O. N. bodi, a messenger. See also Bodkin.

BOGIE. See Buggy.

BOILES. Doubtless from the Irish name Boyle. Hence probably the name Bolus. But see Billows

BOLD. See Bottle.

BOLT. See Bottle.

BOLUS. See Boiles.

BONE. Same as Bowne, Boone; and also Bohun, a Norman family that came over with the Conqueror, who derived their name from Bohon, arrond. St. Lo. The Irish name Bohan is found written De Bohn, Bowen, Bone, Boon, Boone.

BONES. See Bonus.

​BONUS. The same as Bowness; from Bowness, a parish co. Cumberland; or Bowness, a village co. Westmoreland. Hence doubtless the name Bones.

BOOT. This name may be the same as Bott (in H. R. De Botte); from root of Body; or the same as the surname Booth; from booth, a house or shed built of boards; from Dan. bod, W. bwth, Ir. boith, both, G. bude.

BOOTY. Lower says there is a præ-Domesday name Boti; and that Gilbert de Boti was a tenant in chief in co. Warwick. The name is probably from root of Body, q. v.

BORROW. From A. S. burh, burcg, dative byrig, a fort, castle, city, town, court, palace, &c., which is liable to take the form of ber, berry, borough, brough, bury, bur, burg. Hence the surnames Berry, Bury.

BOTTLE. From A. S. botl, bold, bolt, an abode, dwelling, hall, mansion, house. Hence Pottle, Bolt, and perhaps sometimes Bold.

BOTTOM. From A. S. botm, a bottom or valley. Hence the names Bottomley, Higginbottom, Longbottom, Oakenbottom, Othenbottom, Owlerbottom, Pitchbottom, Ramsbottom, Rosebottom, Rowbottom, Shoebottom, Shufflebottom, Sidebottom, Tarbottom, Winterbottom.

BOULTER. Originally one who bolted i. e. sifted or separated bran from flour, an occupation formerly distinct from that of miller. To bolt came afterwards to signify, to examine by sifting, to open or separate the parts of a subject, to find the truth and to discuss or argue, as at Gray's Inn, where cases were privately discussed or bolted by the students and barristers.

BOWLES. See Billows.

BOX. From Bock's, i. e. son of Bock, or from a local name, as Box, in Wilts.

BOYS. From Fr. bois, a wood. Hence De Bosco, Dubois, Dubosc, &c.; Littleboys, Warboys, Worboys, which Lower thinks to be from Verbois, near Rouen.

​BRADBEE. From Bradby, a chapelry co. Derby. See Bee.

BRAMBLE. A probable corruption of Brummel or Brummell; perhaps i.q. Broomhall; from Broomhall co. Berks.

BRAND. Brandy.

BRANDY. Ferguson seems to think this name, as well as Brand, may be from the Scan. brandi, one having a sword, and he mentions Brandi as the name of a Northman in the Landnamabok. Brand, G. Brandt, and Brandy are probably from G. brand, famous, renowned (clarus), a word frequently found in German names; as Childebrandus, Hildebrandus, Asprandus, Sigibrandus, Liutprandus.

BREADCAKE and the U. S. names Bredcake and Bridecake are from Bride-kirk, a parish co. Cumberland; and from the inverse, Kirk-bride, we have the name Cakebread.

BRINE. Ferguson cognates this name with Brown, and suggests as a derivation A. S. bryne, a burning, which is absurd. Lower, with more reason, says it is an Irish corruption of O'Brien.

BROADFOOT. Most probably the same as Bradford; from Bradford, name of places in cos. Devon, Dorset, Lancaster, Northumberland, Somerset, Stafford, and York.

BRUISE. One of the many forms of Braose or Bruce, R. G. 16.—Lower.

BUCKLER. This name, found variously written, Bokeler, Buckeler, Buclier, and Bucler, has been identified with Bacheler and Backeler; and is probably derived from the office of the Bachelerii Regis. See Nichol's Topog. and Genealog., Vol. iii., p. 569; Rot. Chart. in Turri Lond., pp. 59 and 102; and Sir Harris Nocholas's Notes to Siege of Carlaverock. The word bachelor (Fr. bachelier) has been variously derived from bas-chevalier, i. e. a knight of a lower order; from L. baccalaureus, from baccâ laureâ, from being invested with a crown made of laurel berries, or baculus, a staff, from the supposition that a staff, by way of distinction, was given into the hands of those who had completed ​their studies; or from the old word batalarius, one who entered into literary battles or disputes.

BUDGET. I. B. Budget has just published a treatise on tobacco, not on finance (Bowditch). A diminutive of the name Budge; or perhaps rather a corruption of Paget, Pagett, Padgett, or Padgedd, a diminutive of the name Page.

BUGG. See Buggy.

BUGGY. Perhaps from Bugey, a small territory of France, in the old prov. of Bourgogne; or from Le Bogue, a comm. and town of France, dep. Dordogne. It may also be the same as one of the A. S., O. G., Dan., and Eng. surnames Bucge, Bega, Boge, Bigo, Buggo, Bogi, Bogie, Bogue, Boag, which Ferguson derives from A. S. begean, bigan, bogan, bugan, O. N. beygia, biga, boga, buga, to bend or stoop.

BUMGARTNER. For Baumgartner, a German name, signifying a tree gardener.

BURDEN. From some local name ending in den (A. S. den, dene, deorn, a plain, vale, dale, valley); or from Burdon, name of two townships co. Durham.

BURLEY. See Legg.

BURLINGAME. A U. S. name; from Burlingham, name of three parishes in Norfolk. But see Walkinghame.

BURY. From Bury, name of parishes, towns, &c., cos. Hants, Lancaster, Suffolk, Sussex. But see Borrow.

BUSS. Lower says that in the south of England this is a common nickname of Barnabas.

BUST. A Mrs. Bust, says Bowditch, is buried in Westminster Abbey. I take it to be the same as Buist, which Lower renders thick and gross, and the German Beust, name of the Austrian statesman.

BUSTARD. See Hazard.

BUTTER. In the U. S. there are both Butter and Butters. Butter Crambe, Butterlaw, Butterleigh, Butterley, Buttermere, Butterton, Butterwick, Butterworth, are local names in England. ​There is also Booterstown (in some documents Ballybotter, Ballyboother, Butterstown, and Boterstone) near Dublin, which some say was originally Freebooterstown, from its being the resort of these picturesque desperadoes. Lower says Boterus and Botorus are found as personal names in Domesday; but the name Butter may be from G. bude, a house, mansion, habitation, &c.; or from A. S. bode, a messenger; or perhaps rather from G. bod-her, a noble or brave leader. Bod is found in several German names; as Bauto, Maroboduus, Merobaudes, Genebaudes.

BUTTON. This is doubtless a local name. The pedigree of the Hampshire family is found written De Button, and Lower says it was sometimes spelt Bitton, and may be derived from the parish of Button co. Gloucester; and that in Sussex Burton is often pronounced Button.

BUZZARD. See Hazard.