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Surname List A - D
showing derivation or meanings according to the 2009 edition of the Penguin Dictionary of British Surnames;
or alternative sources where shown.

A

Adams From the first name popular in medieval England
Addington ancestry.co.uk supplies the information shown on an extra page
Alderton Surname Database provides the information shown on an extra page
Alice No derivation found: but see the entry for Allott below.
Allen Ancient Celtic first name, especially popular in Lincolnshire.
Possible from Germanic tribal "all men"
Allott From the Middle English first name Alis
Allport Derbyshire place-name; O.E. "old market town"
Allum See note on an extra page
Andersen Son of Andrew; especially in Scotland and North of England
Anderson Son of Andrew; especially in Scotland and North of England
Andrews
      (Hulbert family)
      (Whiskin family)
From the patron saint for Scotland.
Ansell From Germanic St.Anselm
Arbuckle Information provided by Surname Database - see an extra page
Armitage Information provided by www.britishsurnames.co.uk; the same as Hermitage - see an extra page
Arnold From Norman personal-name; or place-name in Yorkshire
Aston-Jones Aston Either from a dweller near a large stone or from a place-name in Shropshire and some other English counties. Jones From the Welsh form of the first-name John.
Atkins (Kate or Marie) Derived from "Ad", meaning "red earth", with reference to the substance from which the first man was formed, plus the Olde English pre 7th Century diminutive suffix "-kin".
Aust See notes on an extra page
Austen From M.E. first-name Austin, vernacular form of Latin Augustinus
Aylward From Old English Aethelweard.

B

Baker
      (Harbott family)
      (Leaford family)
Occupational name,
Ball A fat or a bald person; or one dwelling by a bulbous-looking hill.   Principally in Lancashire
Ballard As for Ball above, but mostly found in S.E. England or South Midlands
Balls Possibly from a fat or a bald person, or one who lived near a bulbous hill; or from Old Norman first-name Balle.
Barker Occupational name for one who stripped bark from trees and tanned leather with it; or from Anglo-Norman French for shepherd.
Barnes Possibly a worker at a (Middle English) barley house; or servant of a medieval person of high status; or from Barnes in Surrey.
Barrett
      Sophia Dorling ;
      Worin in Leaford family; and
      Blanche Osborn
From a Germanic first-name; or (Middle English) an untrustworthy person; or from Old French for cap.
Barrow OE dweller by a grove or hill; or from related place-names
Barton Surname Database provides the information shown on an extra page
Bassett Surname Database provides the information shown on an extra page
Bather (Bathe = dweller at a bathing place)
Bawden Probably from place-name in various counties
Beal Possibly a handsome/beautiful person; or (Old English)from a hill with bees, or a nook by loops of the River Aire.
Beckett Diminutive of Beck - person with a small nose; or place-name (Old English) meaning shelter.
Beer From a place-name in S.W. England connected with a grove.
Beever Information provided by www.britishsurnames.co.uk;   English (Yorkshire): variant spelling of Beaver.
Benefield No entry discovered.
Bennet From St. Benedict, founder of the order of monks.
Bennett From St. Benedict, founder of the order of monks.
Benney Not defined; but Benn and Bennet derived from St. Benedict, see above.
Bentley From Old English meaning a clearing covered with bent-grass.
Benton Same derivation as Bentley, particularly common in Staffordshire.
Berryman Surname Database provides the information shown on an extra page
Bevan Welsh - son of Evan
Biggs Surname Database provides the information shown on an extra page
Bird Occupational term for a bird-catcher; or resembling a bird.
Black From Old English blœc or blac: the first (a short vowel) meant dark-haired, the second (a long vowel) meant fair-haired!
Blacker No Penguin dictionary entry: but Oxford Dictionary of English Surnames (1997) gives derivation to OE/ME to bleach.
Bohea See the note on an extra page
Bolam OE place-names in County Durham & Northumberland - "at the tree-trunks/planks"
Boxall See the note on an extra page
Bowers Dweller in a small cottage or bur; or a house-servant
Bragg A brisk, brave or proud person.
Braybrooke OE "broad brook";   place-name in Northants
Brazendale No dictionary entry.
Brazier English: occupational name for a worker in brass, from Old English bræsian "to cast in brass".
Brett A native of Brittany (with a reputation for being stupid).
Bridges Dweller by, or keeper of, a bridge.
Briggs a variant of the more common name Bridges - see above.
Bright Surname Database provides the information shown on an extra page
Brightis No information found
Britten Same derivation as Brett above.
Bromwell Habitational name from Broomwell in Herefordshire named in Old English with brom 'broom' + wella 'spring', 'stream'.
Brook Dweller by a stream.
Brooks
      George (Hill family) or
      Caroline Leaford
Dweller by a stream.
Brown
      Amelia or Katherine Harbott
      or James in the Harbott family;
      or Jennifer Leaford
      or Joseph and Michael (Leaford family)
      and Jessie West
Person with brown hair.
Browne Person with brown hair.
Bruce Scottish name from an uncertain place in Normandy
Buckerfield See note on an extra page
Bunker English nickname, of Norman origin, for a reliable or good-hearted person, from Old French bon "good" + cuer "heart"
Burgoyne A person from Burgundy.
Burton Connected with a fort or manor-house enclosure.
Butler Occupational term.

C

Cacket See note for Cackett on an extra page
Cain (a husband in the Leaford family) ancestry.co.uk supplies the information shown on an extra page
Callicott (likely to derive from Caldicott = a locality: e.g. the neck of the wood in Welsh; the inclosure of the Scot; a village in Hertfordshire.)
Calpus No entry in dictionary.
Campbell Scottish nickname from Gaelic cam "crooked", "bent" + beul "mouth". The surname was often represented in Latin documents as de bello campo "of the fair field", which led to the name sometimes being "translated" into Anglo-Norman French as Beauchamp.
Cannon (possibly derivation from Canon = church dignitary)
Carpenter one who worked with wood
Carter
(an unmarried father) ; and Mary
a trade name
Cattell Derived from Catlin, from Anglo-Norman Catherine
Cave A bald man; or a place-name "swift river" in Yorkshire; popular in Lancashire
Cazaly Note on Cazalet on an extra page
Chambers A servant within private rooms. Less grand than a Chamberlain.
Chamberlain A private attendant of a king or lord.
Charter No Penguin dictionary entry: but Oxford Dictionary of English Surnames (1997) gives derivation possibly relating to OE dweller on rough ground; or to Old French charioteer; or to do with carts.
Chenoweth No information found
Cherrill No information found
Chessen No information found
Chisman No dictionary entry; but Cheeseman was a maker or seller of cheese
Clark
      Sarah Dorling or
      Sarah Tourell or
      John (Whiskin family)
Occupational term for a clerk, especially a cleric in minor orders.
Clarke
      Esther West or Emma Ewins or
      Sarah or Susanna Dorling or
      Florence Harbott
Same as for Clark above
Claydon Place-name in three counties.
Clements
      Rachel Dorling or
      Winifred Harbott or
a male in the Leaford family
From an Old French first name meaning merciful
Clifford Place-name: OE "ford at a cliff".
Clifton See entry on an extra page
Coe Resembling a jackdaw; or an odd old fellow.
Colbourne Place-name from Old English cool stream; most common in Staffordshire.
Cole
      Owen and Donald in Leaford family; and
      George in the Osborn family
A pet-form of the Middle English Nicolas.
Collins
      Fanny Ewins or
      Jane Hiscock
((Origin Gaelic) From Cuilein, darling, a term of endearment applied to young animals, as Catulus, in Latin. In the Welsh, Collen signifies hazel--a hazel-grove.)
Connor
      Michael in Harwood family; and
      Thomas in Whiskin family.
Anglicised version of Gaelic Conchobhair literally `dog or `desiring`.
Cook
      Charlotte Harbott or
      Ernest and Richard (Harbott family);
      Thomas and Graham (Leaford family);
      or Ann Osborn; or Phyllis Whiskin
      or Joseph in the Whiskin family
Occupational term.
Cooper
      George and Grace in the Harbott family;
      and Alice Harwood
Occupational term for a maker or repairer of wooden tubs.
Cornwell Place-name with various derivations.
Coshell No dictionary entry.
Cottis No Penguin dictionary entry: but Oxford Dictionary of English Surnames (1997) gives derivation from OE cottage; or from ME shepherd.
Couves See extra notes
Cowley Place-name, often meaning pasture.
Cox See extra notes
Cranton Note on an extra page
Crask No Penguin dictionary entry: but Oxford Dictionary of English Surnames (1997) gives derivation for Craske as fat or lusty.
Crawley A locational from any of the various place so called in England, derived from the Olde English pre 7th Century "crawe", crow, and "leah", wood, clearing.
Crockford Place-name in Surrey.
Cross Locality. A place where a cross was erected, or where two ways, roads, or streets intersected each other.
Croxen No Penguin dictionary entry: but Oxford Dictionary of English Surnames (1997) gives derivation of Croxon from place-names Croxton.
Cudby No entry in dictionary; but Cuddy & Cudbird from ME first-name Cuthbert - OE "famous-bright".
Cullington Note on an extra page
Custance A form of the female name Constance.

D

Davies From first-name David (patron saint of Wales; and two Scottish kings); predominantly Welsh.
Dean A dweller in a valley; or a man who worked for a cathedral dean.
Degen No entry in dictionary.
Denovan No entry in dictionary.
Desailey No entry in dictionary.
Desbrough Surname Database provides the information about Desborough which may be relevant. See the note
Devonshire ancestry.co.uk gives this information: Regional name for someone from the county of Devon.
Die No entry in dictionary.
Diver A tight-rope walker: alternatively see a note in an extra page
Docking
      Mary and Sophia Dorling
No entry in dictionary.
Doncaster A place-name
Donovan Equal to O'Donovan, Irish "dark brown".
Dorling,(also in the Leaford trees). No Penguin dictionary entry: but Oxford Dictionary of English Surnames (1997) gives derivation as the same as Darling, one dearly loved. A variation on this is to be found in Mrs.Hemmingham`s website.
Dorton A place-name in Berkshire
Driscoll a thicket of briars, the place of wild roses.
Duggan possibly derived from Dugan (of dark complexion)
Dunn:
      Harriet and Mildred Whiskin.
A person with dark hair.
Dunnage No Penguin dictionary entry: but Oxford Dictionary of English Surnames (1997) gives derivation from place-name Dunwich in Suffolk.
Dunstall OE "homestead"; place-name in Lincs & Staffs; surname chiefly Kent & Sussex.
Durand See a note in an extra page
Dutton
      Thomas (Harbott family)
      or Martha Osborn
ancestry.co.uk supplies the information shown in an extra page.
Dyer Means "one who dyes", as in a cloth dyer.   (behindthename.com)