Scottish surnames

Many Scottish surnames originate from names that were originally patronyms. Patronyms are derived from the forename of the bearer's father (for example, the full name of a man named John Donaldson indicates that the father's name was Donald). Patronyms change with every successive generation[3] (for example, the patronyms of a grandson, father, and grandfather may be John Donaldson, son of Donald Robertson, son of Robert Williamson).

The earliest patronyms recorded in Scotland are written in several different languages. In early Latin documents, such names were formed by the genitive case of the father's name preceded by forms of filius, meaning "son" (for example Dugaldus filius Nigelli); later the filius was only implied (for example Dugaldus Nigelli).[3][note 1] Other early records show patronyms using forms of the Welsh ap, meaning "son"; and the Gaelic mac, meaning son (for example, the names of Macrath ap Molegan, and Gilmychel Mac Eth appear in the same document).[4][note 2]

There are several prefixes and suffixes that may indicate whether a modern surname originated from a patronym: the English suffixes -son, and -s; and the Gaelic prefix Mac-. In some cases, the -son was dropped from such surnames, and just the forename of an ancestor was used (for example Martin). In some cases, the suffix -s was used, and according to Black, such names appear to have originated in England (for example Adams).[3]

The use of patronyms died out in the Lowlands after the 15th century, as they became solidified as surnames.[6] It was not until the 18th century that they were given up in the Gaelic-speaking Highlands. As late as the first part of the 18th century, some men were distinguished not only by their father's name, but their grandfather's and great-grandfather's (for example, John Roy M'Ean Vc Ewin Vc Dougall Vc Ean, a man from Lismore recorded in 1585).[7][note 3] Patronyms were still common in Shetland in the first half of the 19th century. One of the most common surnames in Scotland is Simpson, which means the son of "Simon", in Gaelic the equivalent names are McSymon, and MacSymon.

Many of the first surnames recorded in Scotland were those of nobles, or great landowners, whose surnames derived from the lands they possessed.[8] These names are sometimes called territorial names,[8] or habitation names.[9] Many of these surnames were brought to Scotland by Anglo-Normans, whose surnames were derived from either lands in Normandy or in England (for example, Bruce is derived from Brix in Manche, France,[10] Crawford is derived from Crawford, South Lanarkshire, in the south of Scotland, Barton is derived from Dumbarton, or the several villages and towns in England, and Graham is derived from Grantham, in Lincolnshire, England).[11] Not all territorial surnames are derived from lands owned by their bearers.[8] In some cases such names were borne by tenants, or followers, of the owners of the lands they lived on. In this way the bearers of these surnames may not have had any kinship with the landowners (the surname Gordon is an historical example of such a name).[8]

Some Scottish surnames are derived from vague geographical locations rather than specific places.[12] These names are sometimes called "topographic names".[9] These names refer to physical features, like forests, streams, and marshes; such names may also refer to man-made structures, such as castles and churches[9] (for example the surnames Wood, Milne, and Shaw).[12] Sometimes names derived from proper names of geographical features can be classified as topographic names rather than habitational names. This is because these names refer to a location rather than a specific settlement.[9]

Many surnames are derived from the occupations, or trades, of their original bearers (for example, Stewart, Shepherd, Mason, Kemp, Webb, and Fletcher).[13] In time, true occupational surnames became hereditary and were passed down through families (for example, in 1525 there is a record of a woman named Agnes Beltmakar, who is described as a kaikbakstar).[12][note 4] Occupational names were rare amongst Gaelic speakers[14] Examples of such surnames derived from Gaelic occupational name is Gow, from the Scottish Gaelic Gobha (smith),[15] and MacIntyre from Mac an t-Saoir ([ˈmaxk ən̪ˠ ˈt̪ʰɯːɾʲ] "son of the carpenter."[15] Macpherson means "son of the parson",[16] from the Gaelic surname Mac a' Phearsain.[15]

Bynames, to-names, or other names,[note 5] were once very common in Scotland.[17] These names were used in areas where there were few names in circulation, and the bynames were added onto the name of person, in order to distinguish them from others who bore the same name. Bynames were particularly prevalent in fishing communities in the northeastern part of Scotland,[17] but were also used in the Borders and the West Highlands.[6] In some cases within fishing communities, the names of fishing boats were tacked onto the names of people in order to differentiate them from others.[13]

Examples of Scottish surnames derived from nicknames are: Little; White; and Meikle (which means "big"). One of the most common Scottish surnames is Campbell, which is derived from the Gaelic Caimbeul, meaning "crooked-mouth".[13] Another common Scottish surname is Armstrong, which means the son of a strong man.

Some Scottish surnames can be classified as either "regional names" or "ethnic names".[9] These names originally referred to the origin of the bearer and tended to have been acquired by people who migrated a considerable distance for their original homes. In other cases, such names were sometimes borne by people who were connected with a foreign place (such as a trader).[9] Examples of ethnic surnames are Fleming, Galbraith, and Scott.

Scottish heraldry operates under the implication that everyone who shares the same surname might be related.[28] The position of the standing court of heraldry in Scotland, the Court of the Lord Lyon, considers that everyone who shares the same surname as a recognised chief, is a member of that chief's clan.[29] In consequence, where a coat of arms already exists for the chief of a clan, or head of a family, when new grants of arms to individuals with the same surname are being discussed with the client, then the suggestions put forward are generally variations of those arms[28] (for example, one of the oldest families of Argyll are the Fergussons of Glensellich; this clan is not related or historically connected in any way to the Fergussons of Kilkerran who the Lord Lyon King of Arms considers to be the Chief of the Name and Arms of Fergusson; consequently, the arms of Fergusson of Glensellich are based upon the arms of Fergusson of Kilkerran).[30][31]

Not all surnames that begin with the prefix Mac- are truly derived from patronyms. Forms of the surnames MacBeth and MacRae are derived from the Gaelic personal names Mac-bethad and Mac-raith. The prefix in such cases means "pupil", "devotee", "disciple".[32] (Other examples can be found under the section Occupational Surnames). Also, not all names beginning with the prefix are derived from Gaelic personal names; in areas along the Lowland border, the prefix was added to the diminutives of non-Gaelic personal names ending with the suffix -ie (for example, McRitchie, MacWillie). Other Lowland, or English, diminutives of personal names ending with the suffixes -on, and -in, were borrowed by Gaelic speakers (for example Rankin to Macrankin, Gibbon to Macgibbon).[33]

In the northern Hebrides, many of the indigenous surnames are derived from Gaelicised Norse personal names (for example, MacAmhlaigh → Macaulay, MacAsgaill → Macaskill, and MacLeòid → Macleod).[15] Such 'Norse' names in these areas are in complete contrast to the indigenous surnames of the adjacent islands and lands to the south.[34] Some surnames brought to Scotland in the Middle Ages by English, or Anglo-Normans, are also derived from Norse personal names.

Nearly all the surnames brought to Britain by the Normans were territorial names derived from lands on the continent. In some families where patronyms were used, once a man acquired lands in Britain he would assume his surname from these lands. Norman patronyms were made up of mainly three types of names: Germanic names derived from Frankish names; other Germanic names derived from Norse names; and Latin and Greek names, many of which were religious names. Many diminutive suffixes were introduced with the Normans (for example, -el, -et, -ett, -ot, -at, -en, -in, -oc, -on, -uc, and -cock). These suffixes were added to pet-forms of names (for example, Adkin diminutive of Adam, and Paton from Patrick).[35]

The name Fraser (Gaelic Friseal) has a unique etymology; it originally derives from the French fraise, meaning strawberry.[36]