De-Anglicisation of Names

[slohairt]

Dia Dhuit, mo charaí!

MURRAH This is a bit difficult as there can be so many possibilities. The first (and most obvious) would be to connect it with Murray, which in Scottish Gaelic is Mòireach (MORE-yAKH) or Mòireibh (MORE-AVE or MORE-AY). Another possibility is Muireach meaning mariner (MWER-yAKH). An Irish derivation could be Mac Murchadha (modern Irish: Mac Murchú) meaning son of the sea warrior. Pronounced MAC MER-KHY-A and MAC MUR-KHOO respectively. In addition, there is a Scottish name that corresponds to the this Irish name: Mac Murchaidh. It means the same thing, but is usually anglicised as Murchie. So, as you can see, there are many options to go on!

O(A)RD Apparently topographical in origin, coming from the place name An t-Òrd (AN TOARD) meaning the round mount.

HINES Though probably unrelated, you may find it interesting that there is an Irish surname Hines as well. It is Anglicised from Ó hEidhin (OH HY-IN) meaning descended from Eidhin. Eidhin is a personal name meaning little ivy(?)

WHITE White is obviously one of those names which can belong to any group. In Scotland, however, it is a bit easier to narrow down. The Lowland Scots origin would, of course, be the same as the English. The spelling Whyte is much more common among the Scots. White/Whyte is also an Anglicisation of the Gaelic Mac Gille Bhàin (MAC GILL-A VAWN or MAC GILL-A WAUN) meaning son of the white (fair) youth or son of the servant of the white (fair). It could be any of these etymologies, really.

HENRY In the Lowlands, it is Henry, Hendry, or Hendrie. If Gaelic in origin, it would Mac Eanruig (MAC EN-RICK) which is usually Anglicised as MacKendrick or Henderson.

LAMONT (Though it technically wasn't posted!) Mac Laomuinn (MAC LAY-MIN) is an Anglicisation of son of Laomann which means law-giver. The Gaelic name itself is originally from Old Norse.

[freddie]

Thanks for you answer to my question on the name Hume. Yes it could well be from the old Danish word Hulmr, and in fact the first on record was Aldan de Hume (Aldan could well mean 'old Dane'). Although I still like to think that we are descended from the old MacDuff Earls of Fife. Anyway here's another name that was a cadet of the MacDuffs, and is thought to mean 'caves', the name Wemyss (pronounced "Weems").It is also the source of the East Fife names East Weems, West Weems and Pittenweem, and along the coast where all these places are found are caves. It could well be that the MacDuffs were themselves of Danish origin. Danes were powerful in northern England at one time and it is known that they were very close to the old Scottish royal line. The name MacDuff is translated to 'Son of the dark (one)' and Danes were known as 'dark gentiles' at this time. Another curios fact is that in Liecestershire, in the territory of the old Danelaw (the portion of England ruled by the Danes), there is (among others) a place called Wymeswold (I think I've got the spelling right, if not it's very similar) which isn't a million miles away from the name Wemyss !