Getting Personal I

by F.E. McConvey

Published 20 January 1988

A person's name is his most personal means of identification, the first item exchanged with new friends. A forgotten name can cause the bruising of an ego. An individual may become provoked if his name is misspelled.

Some names are more common than others. Some are unique. Many have been handed down from generation to generation.

People are named after relatives, famous personages and places. Names have been take from books, soap operas and movies. People have combined names to produce new ones or have initiated originals. Many names rise and all in tides of popularity, but John and Mary continue to head the list.

Surnames came into being during the 1100's when the aristocrats in Venice adapted hereditary family names. This custom spread first to Ireland, France, England, Germany and thence to the other European countries.

Nearly all of these names will fall in the following categories:

1. Place names i.e. HILL

2. Antonyms, names formed by adding a prefix or a suffix to a proper name. i.e. JOHNSON

3. Occupational. i.e. SMITH

4. Descriptive. i.e. LONG

During the 1800's, there were a great many Irish names who came into Charlotte County. A glance at the 1851 census can easily substantiate this face. But, wait a minute. Many of these Irish possess Scottish names.

When is an Irishman a Scotsman? How can a Scotsman be Irish? To discover these answers we must delve into the realms of history. Never let it be said that history and genealogy can be separated.

The death of Queen Elizabeth I saw the end of rule in England by the Tudors. Until this time the powers of royalty had rarely been contested because neither the Church nor the nobles had enough strength to offer any opposition.

But, times were changing and the "middle" classes in England were waxing in strength and importance. Parliament spoke for the middle class and it was this same Parliament that eventually challenged the royal authority. This power struggle began with the reign of the Stuart's.

In 1603, James VI of Scotland became James I of England, Scotland and Ireland. This union of the two thrones forever removed any threat from England's northern enemy.

James, for all his cleverness and knowledge was once called, "the wisest fool in Christendom."

The present bloodshed and strife in Northern Ireland originated from his nefarious act of confiscating most the lands in Ulster from the Irish and planting English settlers upon it. The sole purpose of this deed was to demonstrate his aversion to Catholicism

For the most part, the settlers of the Plantations, as they have been names, were Lowland Scots, Presbyterian in faith. They wore no kilts and possessed no tartans. They were robust, daring, energetic and individualistic. Needless to say, they neither mingled not intermarried with the Irish. For this reason, historians have labeled them the Ulster Scots or the Scots-Irish because they were in reality, Scots living in Ireland.

Many left Ulster and journeyed to the New World. At the time of the American Revolution (the War of Independence, to our American friends) there were a quarter of a million Ulster Scots in the colonies, most of whom were loyal to the crown.

At one time, all surnames had meanings but many have been lost because of spelling corruptions. It has been only during the last two centuries that the study of correct spellings (orthography) has become important.

It is generally fact that the prefix MAC, meaning "son of" is Scottish, while MC is Irish. This is incorrect. MC is only on abbreviated form of MAC which both Scottish and Irish purists claim is an incorrect form. Many North Americans, especially those of Irish ancestry, use the contracted form.

Scottish Surnames
ADAM	man, earthly, red.
AGNEW	named for the town of Agneau in Normandy. Also found in England and Ireland,
ALEXANDER	benefactor. Descended from Alexander Macdonald, a great grandson of Somerled, the Thane of Argyle
ARMSTRONG	during battle, an ancient Scottish king had his horse killed under him. His armour-bearer, Fairbairn came to the rescuse. Grabbing the king by the thigh, he set him upon his saddle. To reward the heroic effort, Fairbairn was given the name Armstrong, presented with a crest and received lands along the border. This family has always been noted for courageous and daring acts.
BAILLIE	bailiff
BAIRD	story
BALLENTINE	from Baalen-teine, the fire of Baal, Bal or Belus was worshiped by the Celts
BARCLAY	after Berkeley, a town in Gloucestershire
BARR	after a parish in Ayrshire
BAXTER	baker
BENNETT	corruption of Benedict, blessed
BIRNEY	after a parish in Elginshire
BLACKWOOD	after lands in Lanarkshire
BOYD	fair complexioned. Descended from Robert Boyd who lived in 1205. Her was the son of Simon, the third son of allan, Lord Stewart of Scotland.
BOYES	orginally Bois.
BROWN	originally Broun and le Brun. Dark complexioned.
BUCHANAN	after a parish in Stirlingshire. Macoum de Boquhanan appeared on the Ragmans Roll in 1296.
BURNETT	a little brook. Of Saxin origin. The Scottish branch is descended from Robert Burnard who lived in 1128
CALDER	from a village in Nairnshire. Descended from Hugh, son of Alexander Calder, 1440.
CALDWELL	from Coldwold, the hazelwood.
CAMERON	crooked nose. The clan legend says their ancestor was the youngest son of one of the Danish kings who helped to restore Fergus II to the throne in 404.

Next week we shall continue with more Scottish names.

QUERIES

17. CARLOW Seek any information on CARLOW families of Bayside, NB, descendants of MARTIN and JOHN CARLOW, Loyalists. Some may have moved to Red Beach, ME.

Note: In-Laws, Outlaws and Kinfolk articles have been published on this site with the permission of the St. Croix Courier. Special thanks goes to the Courier for allowing me to reprint my mother's articles.