Surnames and their meanings

[Julieduke]

Duke(English)1. Nickname for someone who gave himself airs and graces, or else on occuptaional name for a servant employed in a ducal household.

Davenport(English)Habitation name from aplace in Ches. so called from a but. river name.( also a another name for a couch).

Hogg- (English)(Northumb) and Scotts. Metonymic occaptional name for a swineherd, it may also occasionally, have been a nickname- for a person resembling a pig in apperance rather than a dirty person, since in the middle ages were not felt to be especially unclean, a Scotts and Irish: Translation of Gael . Mac on Blanbh "son of the hog".

Knight(English) status name for Me Knight. Knight, or cnuchrt boy, Youth, serving lad.

Smith(English) occuptaional name for a worker in metal.

Harper(English and Scots) occupational name for a player of the harp.

Schneider(German and Jewish) occupational name for a tailor.

Bach (German and English) Topographic name for someone who lived by a stream. 2. (German and Low German) occuptianal name for a Baker.

Beuregard(French) 1. Habitation name for any of various places, 2, nickname for a someone of pleasant apperance.

If anybody has any other names to add go write ahead.

P.S. My last name is Szenger but the close's my dad found in the surmane dictionary was Zenger and it mean and quick and lively and person(And it's German).

[daisydukeXenosstrait]

my last name is Wall (german) meaning that its and object that your dresser is leaning against and that gets me teased

[HossC]

my last name is Wall (german) meaning that its and object that your dresser is leaning against and that gets me teased

Wall is a reasonably common surname in Ireland. There's even a book tracing the history of the family from 1170 to 1970:

www.thewallfamilyinireland.com

'Their name which is in all probability derived from that of a district in Normandy, was originally du Val or de Valle'.

[Meadowmufn]

My 13th great grandmother was a Davenport, Jane Davenport from Bramhall, Cheshire, England. There are Hoggs in our tree, but I don't think they're blood relations.

[waikiki23]

My last name is Keller - German: from Middle High German kellaere ‘cellarman’, ‘cellar master’ (Latin cellarius, denoting the keeper of the cella ‘store chamber’, ‘pantry’). Hence an occupational name for the overseer of the stores, accounts, or household in general in, for example, a monastery or castle. Kellers were important as trusted stewards in a great household, and in some cases were promoted to ministerial rank.

[texasdaisy09]

My last name gets mispronounced all the time and is a source of teasing to no end. It's a German-Mennonite name and VERY common. It's spelled Friesen. Pronounced as in I'm Freeezin'! Lol If anyone has any history on it please let me know I'd love to learn more about it. I have hit brick walls when it comes to researching our last name. Thanks for any help ya'll.

[HossC]

I have hit brick walls when it comes to researching our last name.

Just so long as the walls you're hitting are brick ones, and not members of daisydukeXenosstrait's family .

Looks like Friesen comes from the same root as Fries, and is either someone from Friesland, or an occupational name for a builder of dams and dikes - see more here:

http://www.ancestry.com/facts/Fries-name-meaning.ashx

I used to know someone who worked for a guy named Mr. Fries (pronounced 'freeze'). He didn't like people pronouncing his name like the potato snack, but one of his clients named Mr Berger took great delight in announcing his arrival by saying 'Berger to see Fries'. The same person then went on to work for a guy named Mr. Beveridge (pronounced the same as 'beverage') - you can't make this stuff up.

[waikiki23]

That is hilarious!

[Meadowmufn]

Speaking of surnames, how many of you are into genealogy? I've been researching my family tree for almost a decade now. It's a big hobby of mine. I've actually done some research on Jimmie's tree too. Our families used to hob knob quite a bit together and I'm pretty sure we're distant cousins, but there are a few small missing pieces in the puzzle yet. I mean, what are the chances we both have ancestors in the same county, in the same state, with a very uncommon last name, and they're NOT related somehow. LOL. I just need to find that one generational link, but info is kind of spotty that far back (late 1500s/early 1600s).

Anybody else researching their family trees??

Btw, HossC, one of my paternal great, great grandfathers (surname name of Reid) was born in Ireland, moved to Scotland, married a Scottish woman, and ultimately made it to the US with wife and kids in tow in 1885. One day I'd like to make it over to the UK to see where my ancestors lived.

[waikiki23]

I've thought of doing our family tree, just never have gotten around to it. I believe someone in our family traced us to Lady Godiva, you know, the one who ran around town naked! Wonderful! (I'm being sarcastic!)

[GeneralLeeGirl]

Well I'm not much into geneology, but I got a cousin that has our family traced back to I think 1375-ish. He's dedicated! lol.

But I do know, that my ancestors in Scotland changed the spelling of the name from "McLaughlin" to "McLachlan". Apparently, the story goes, some relative married into royalty and became kind of a stuck-up snobbish person, and my great-great-great granddad didn't take to kindly to having the same last name as said person, so he changed it. It's kinda a family trait to have a stubborn streak a mile-wide! lol

The definition I found:

Irish and Scottish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Lochlainn ‘son of the Scandinavian’

[texasdaisy09]

Hoss I can't thank you enough for finding that info! I was never sure where to start looking. I've considered changing it but convincing my husband would be a pretty big chore. Oh well. thanks again Hoss I owe you one. Let me know if there's any way I can help.

[HossC]

I believe someone in our family traced us to Lady Godiva, you know, the one who ran around town naked! Wonderful! (I'm being sarcastic!)

Lady Godiva was a English noblewoman who lived between 1040 and 1080. She tried repeatedly to persuade her husband to reduce the high taxes he imposed on the people in the City of Coventry. He said that he would if she rode through the streets naked. After instructing everyone to stay indoors with their windows shut, she performed her infamous naked ride. Only one person disobeyed the request not to look - a tailor who has forever after been known as 'Peeping Tom'. (Vaguely remembered from history lessons, details filled in by Wikipedia )

Following my previous post I found this (apologies to texasdaisy):

[texasdaisy09]

No apologies necessary Hoss! I got a laugh I needed very much out of that pic!

[Meadowmufn]

Hmmm.. Bacon or Fries. Tough decision.

[RogerDuke]

Our Supreme Superior Commander is related to the original Supreme Superior Commander?!?!

Somehow I'm not surprised.

I'm related to "Gone With the Wind's" Clark Gable (AKA The King). His mother's last name was Hershelman and so was my grandmothers. He was born 20 miles away from me and his mother is buried 10 miles from me.

He also has ties to the Dukes. Bo quoted his famous "Frankly my dear...." line on "Robot P. Coltrane."

[Meadowmufn]

Our Supreme Superior Commander is related to the original Supreme Superior Commander?!?!

Somehow I'm not surprised.

I'm related to "Gone With the Wind's" Clark Gable (AKA The King). His mother's last name was Hershelman and so was my grandmothers. He was born 20 miles away from me and his mother is buried 10 miles from me.

He also has ties to the Dukes. Bo quoted his famous "Frankly my dear...." line on "Robot P. Coltrane."

That's pretty cool, Roger. We should start a Hazzard Family Tree or something. LOL.

[RogerDuke]

......just in time for Halloween...

I mean what if I find out I'm related to Brian or Garrett or MaryAnne......that would be cool because it's always fun to be scared on Halloween but then I'd have to go over to their houses on Thanksgiving and I wouldn't have anything to be thankful for anymore.

[Garrett Duke]

......just in time for Halloween...

I mean what if I find out I'm related to Brian or Garrett or MaryAnne......that would be cool because it's always fun to be scared on Halloween but then I'd have to go over to their houses on Thanksgiving and I wouldn't have anything to be thankful for anymore.

Well Roger, when you come over for Thanksgiving, I will gladly welcome you into my home, but I hope you enjoy watching others eat turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes with gravy, and pumpkin pie with ice cream and cool whip...the whole nine yards, because I don't know if I'd feel up to sharing with someone who is unthankful and finds me scary. Yum...I guess that'll save more for me to eat!

[Elly May Duke]

Well just to say here's a few in my family

Bauswell- German- bringing the cow to the well

Outlaw- hmm

Gwautney

Russell

Marvin

Those are a few last names in my family

[Ina]

Bach (German and English) Topographic name for someone who lived by a stream. 2. (German and Low German) occuptianal name for a Baker.

P.S. My last name is Szenger but the close's my dad found in the surmane dictionary was Zenger and it mean and quick and lively and person(And it's German).

Really? I've never heard of that one, that Bach means Baker. I only know the name Bäcker (the name is pronounced like Becker, you also can write the ä as ae). But, you'll never stop learning... ^^

I've also never heard of the name Zenger. Maybe Szenger could be a variation of Sänger (Saenger), this would be pronounced like Szenger. It means Vocalist.

my last name is Wall (german) meaning that its and object that your dresser is leaning against and that gets me teased

What object does your dresser lean against? I'm a bit confused at the moment. My dresser leans against a wall (in german Wand). Or do you mean an embankment? That's what Wall means in german.

[RebelDukeSwaim]

My last name is Udell pronounced just as its spelled... U dell, and I ain't got a clue where that came from.

[HossC]

My last name is Udell pronounced just as its spelled... U dell, and I ain't got a clue where that came from.

After a quick Google I can tell you that you are named after the town of Yewdale in Lancashire (northern England). You can read the full history of your name here.

[K-Duke15]

My surname is Bolin: Swedish: ornamental name composed of the elements bo ‘farm’ + -lin, suffix of Swedish family names. OV, LP

Then my mom's is Rupp: German: from a short form of Rupprecht. EG

I found these on Ansestory.com

[RebelDukeSwaim]

After a quick Google I can tell you that you are named after the town of Yewdale in Lancashire (northern England). You can read the full history of your name here.

Thanks Hoss!