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Pam Sorry nothing listed for COWDELL Jean

Roy MACPHERSON - 'son of the parson' In the Book of the Dean of Lismore the name is spelt M'apharsone. A small sept of Campbells in the neighbourhood of Glassary, Argyllshire in the 14th & 15th centuries, bore the name Macpherson. It is known that a number of families of the Badenoch Macphersons settled in the Hebrides; and it is a modern mistake to suppose that nearly all who bear the name in those parts are really Murdochsons. Jean

Jeannie What can you make of McPherson? I'm sure son of Pherson but what else do you make of it? I visited the Macpherson museum in Newtonmore last year. Regards

Heather INGRAM - from the OE. personal name Ingelram, later Ingeram. Sir William Ingelram was chaplain of Stirling 1476. As a forename it appears as Imgrie, Engram and Ingrm. Jean

Sam KNOX - The Renfrewshire family of Knox is derived from Crawfurd who, in the reign of Alexander ii received from Walter the Steward the lands of Knock in the barony of Renfrew. The lands were named from the remarkable prominence there called 'The Knock'. There was another family of KNOWS,KNOX or KNOLLIS in the parish of Deer, Aberdeenshire, quite distinct from the Knoxs of Renfrew. BLYTH,BLYTHE - of territorial origin from the old barony of the same name in Lauderdale. The place name still exists as that of an extensive farm. Blyth was a common name among Border Gypsies, a late 'queen' being Esther Faa Blyth d 12/7/1883. Other old forms of the name are Blyth and Blyithe. Jean

Tracy BURNET,BURNETT - A variant of Burnard from the personal name Beornheard. About 1250 Patrick Burnard held lands near Gordon, Berwickshire. William de Farningdon of Roxburgh, probably one of the family, rendered homage 1296. His seal bears a cross of 4 pine branches, a cone in dexter base point. The Burnets of Barns who gave name to Burnetland in the parish of Broughton, claimed descent from Robertus de Burneville. HARDIE,HARDY - bold,daring. Hardy is a common French name. Several Hardies are recorded in the Commissariot Record of Dunblane in the 16th & 17th centuries. The Hardies of Crathie and Crathienard, originally Machardies, were a wild and extravagant race. Jean

Thank you very much Jeannie, I found that very interesting. Especially as the majority of those names I have traced back to the exact places you mention. regards, Siobhan

Thanks Jeannie. Hilary.

Hi Jeanie, I wonder is INGRAM on your list ? Thanks ...Heather

Hilary SWAINSON,SWANSON - 'son of swan'. Swanson occurs mainly in Caithness. AULD - as a personal name Ealda is found in a charter 765 A.D. Auld was not uncommon in Ayrshire from early times. Auld is also used as one of the Anglicized forms of MacCathail, a name with which it has no connection in root or meaning. Latinized Aldius in Bute 1507 and in Ireland it appears as Ould. Jean

Hi Jeannie. Nice offer. I`ve got two queries- SWANSON OAL/AULD. Thanks. H.

Thankyou very much Jeannie. Its lovely to have some background information. Sue

Thanks Jeannie LOL. I can expect problems with my research when (IF) I get back to 1606 with my MacGregors. Thanks again Debbie

Sue SHERIFF,SHERRIFF - from the office of shire-reeve. The forms with -s may be genitive = Sheriffs son. MUNRO,MUNROE,MONRO,MONROE - 'a man of Ro' or from Ro. According to tradition, the ancestors of the Munroes came from Ireland, from the foot of the river Roe in Derry. In the 14th & 15th century the name appears as de Monro. The family were at first, the vassals of the earls of Ross. Jean

Debbie IMRAY,IMRIE,- shortened forms of the old personal name Amalric. The 1st recorded name is Emeric, a Lombard of Flanders 1329. SUTHERLAN,SUTHERLAND - from the name of the shire. Several persons of this name had remissions for thei share in taking and holding the Castle of Akirgill, Caithness 1547. Forbes Sutherland, an Aberdeenshire sailor, was the first Briton buried in Australian soil May 1770. MACGREGOR,MACGRIEGOR,MACGRIGOR- son of Gregory. Gregory, the name of several popes, was a favourite in the middle ages. 'The Macgregors' says R.H.Bruce,'had the redeeming merit of picturesqueness and for that reason they occupy a larger place in Scottish literature than any other Highland clan. Many of the clan in 1606 in obedience to an Act of the Privy Council renounced the name and adopted the surnames of Stewart, Grant, Dougall, Ramsay and Cunnighame. Jean

Isobel HOGG - usually derived from the name of the animal - used as a surname in 11th century - Ailmer Hogg 1043-79........... Whilst the surname is derived from the animal, there are other instances pointing to different origins - in year 1280 Andrew Fraser gave to the Abbey of Kelso a bondsman, Adam the son of Henry del Hoga....................... The spelling of the name Hoga, the earliest records of its occurence, points to OE hoga - 'careful' 'prudent'. Henry Hogg of Roxburghshire, John Hog of Edinburgh 1296. There seems to have been a family of great prominence in Edinburgh in 14th century............ The Hoges and Hoggs of Virginia USA are descended from 3 brothers who emigrated from Edinburgh. WARD - John de Warde was a tenant of the earl of Douglas in the barony of Kilbucho 1376. Robert Waird was burgess of Stirling 1601. POLLAND - no entry. Jean

Christine SINCLAIR - the Caithness surname is territorial from St Clare in the arrondissement of Pont d'Eveque, Normandy. The 1st Sinclairs of Scotland appear to have been vassals of the great territorial magnates, de Morville. Their first possession in Scotland was the barony of Roslin near Edinburgh 1124. An early offshoot of the family became all powerful in Caithness and held the earldom 1379-1542. The frequency of the name in Caithness and Orkneys is due to the tenants who possessed no surname, adopting the name of their overlord. The Sinclairs cannot be called a clan, they were a powerful territorial family whose relationship to their dependants was entirely feudal. LOCKIE - a writer in the Edinburgh Weekly Scotsman, says ther are 2 tribes of this name, one hailing from Peebles who derive their name from Loch, and the 2nd is from Luckie,Lucas of Maclucas. The name is recorded in Melrose 1942. Jean

Christine BLACK - great difficulty deciding whether the etymon is 'black',bright,white,pale'. Blaecca is a well known personal name - Blaecca, prefect of the city of Lincoln A.D.624. In early Scots Latin charters the name is rendered Niger. The surname was common in St.Andrews and in Prestwick in 15th&16th centuries and very common in Edinburgh in 17th century. The Clan Lamont Society claims that Blacks were originally Lamonts who changed their name.William Black,the novelist,traced his pedigree to a branch of Clan Lamont. The surname is also used as an Englishing of Macilduy & Macildowie. In Argyllshire it is a translation of Huie from Mac Gille dhuibh. Family of Black of Wateridgemuir, Logie-Buchan, have been burgessess of Aberdeen for at least 450years. KIRKWOOD - there are places named Kirkwood in the shires of Ayr,Dumfries and Lanark. James Pugh Kirkwood 1807-77, hydraulic engineer,builder of one of the largest waterworks in U.S. was born in Edinburgh. Jean contd....

Siobhan RUNCIEMAN,RUNCIMAN - this name denoted an individual who had charge of the 'rouncies' or hackney-horses. Patrick Runsyman, indweller Roxburghshire 1488. Alexander Runchiman,weaver Bassiden 1666. RUTHERFORD - the name of an ancient and once most powerful Border family. Of territorial origin from the lands of Rutherford in the parish of Maxton,Roxburghshire. Among the Scots settlers in Prussia in 1644 the name appears as Ritterfart,Routherfurd,Rudderfoord etc. Daniel Rutherford 1749-1819,scientist, discoverer of nitrogen, was born in Edinburgh. No entry for CATLEUGH Jean

Siobhan MARR - 1) local origin from the district in Aberdeenshire. 2)probably also from Marr in Yorkshire. In the Yorkshire dialect mar is used of 'marshy land,sodden or reedy ground'. Earliest recorded 1235 William de Mar. George Marr was late keeper of the city bells in Edinburgh 1734. SHIEL,SHIELL,SHIELS,SHIELLS,SHEIL,SHEILS,SHIELDS - originally a border name of local origin. Alexander Shields 1660-1700, the Covenanter wrote his name Sheils. NEWLANDS,NIELANDS - There was an old barony of Newlands in the sheriffdom of Kincardine and a parish of the name in Peeblesshire, from either which the name may have derived. The name was common in Glasgow in 16th century and common in the parish of Dalswinton till recent times. AUCHTERLONIE,AUCHTERLONY,OCHTERLONIE,OCHTERLONY,OUCHTERLONY - surnames of old families in Angus derived from the lands of Auchterlonie near Forfar. Jean contd......