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Langham
Recorded in various spellings including Langham, Langam, Lanham, and the dialectals Lankom, Lankon, and Lancum, it is locational from one or perhaps all of the villages called Langham or Laneham in the counties of Suffolk, Dorset, and Norfolk; meaning 'the long farm', although quite why a place should be long as against short, a description that is not knowingly recorded, we are unable to say. Locational surnames were usually given as a means of identification to those who left their original homes to seek work elsewhere. A combination of a lack of education for 97% of the population, and regional dialect differences, produced the variations in the spelling of the surname. The first recorded spelling of the family name is believed to be that of Walter de Langham in 1201.
Copyright: Name Origin Research www.surnamedb.com 1980 - 2011
Low
This has no less that four origins.
Firstly, it can be a topographical name for someone who lived near a hill, deriving from the Olde English pre 7th Century "hlaw", meaning hill or burial mound.
Secondly, it may be a nickname for a short man, deriving from the Middle English "lah", low or short.
Thirdly, it may be from a nickname for a crafty person, deriving from the Anglo-Norman French "lou, leu", meaning "wolf", originally from the Latin "lupus". Finally, it may be a pet form of the personal name "Lawrence", coming from the Middle English and Old French given name "Lorens, Laurence", itself deriving from the Latin Lurentius meaning "man from Laurentum", a town in Italy probably named from it's laurels or bay trees.
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Mapple(s)
According to the famous Victorian etymologist Canon Charles Bardsley, the surname is from Yorkshire, and not in anyway associated with the small town of Marples in Cheshire. He states that the surname describes one who was resident 'at the maples' and as such refers to a wood or copse of maple trees.
Later research does suggest that whilst the majority of the surname holders probably do originate from Yorkshire, we differ from Canon Bardsley in having access to better records, and in our opinion the spelling as Marple or Marples may for some nameholders at least, have originated from the town name.
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Mower
Recorded in the spellings of Mawe, Mow, Mowe, Mower and Mawer, this is an Old English topographical and occupational surname. It is an example of the many and varied modern names that derive from old agricultural methods. It derives from the pre 7th century word "maw", which initially described a piece of grassland. This in turn had to be mowed (mawen), thereby creating the occupation of someone employed (mawer), in mowing the pasture lands to provide hay. Hay was the single most important crop in ancient times and the main or only fodder for all cattle that were over-wintered.
Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was sometimes known as the Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
Copyright: Name Origin Research www.surnamedb.com 1980 - 2011
Murton
This surname is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is a locational name. from any of the numerous places called Murton. They all share the same meaning and derivation, which is "the settlement by the fen, or moor", derived from the Olde English pre 7th Century "mor" meaning marsh, fen, moor, with "tun" a settlement or enclosure.
The first recorded spelling of the family name is dated 1221.
Copyright: Name Origin Research www.surnamedb.com 1980 - 2011
Pierce:
From the personal name Piers, the usual Norman vernacular form of Peter.
Race:
This derives from the Old Welsh personal name "Ris", Welsh "Rhys" meaning ardour. The popularity of the name is borne out by the number of surnames it has generated,
raning from Reace, Reece, Rees, and Reese to Rhys, Rice, Rase, Raise, and Rays.
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Reddish:
Habitational name from Reddish in Lancashire or Redditch in Worcestershire, which are respectively 'reed ditch' (Old English hreod + dic) and 'red ditch' (from Old English read). The surname is now common in Nottinghamshire.
Rose
(Origin Scottish) A topographic name for someone who lived at a place where wild roses grew.
Believed to be a branch of the ancient de Ross clan. The de Ross family were of Norman origin, where the name is locational, from Rots near Caen in Normandy; the place is thought to be named with the Germanic element "rod", clearing.
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Rumbelow
This surname is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is a locational name from any of three minor places named with the Olde English pre 7th Century "threom", a derivative of "threo", three, and "hlawum", the dative plural of "hlaw", barrow, tumulus, burial mound; hence, "at the three tumuli". These places are the Rumbelow in Aston (Warwickshire); Tremelau Hundred, an ancient land division, also in Warwickshire; and Rumbelow in Wednesfield, Staffordshire.
It has also been suggested that Rumbellow originated as a nickname for a sailor, as the word was part of early sailors' "Heave-ho" songs: "Your mariners shall synge arow, Heyhow, and rumbylow"; however, more convincing evidence in favour of the locational source has been produced.
The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard de Thrimelowe, which was dated 1334, in Warwickshire.
Copyright: Name
Origin Research www.surnamedb.com 1980 - 2011