De-Anglicisation of Names

[slohairt]

Slohairt,

I don't know how I missed this thread until today. I just finished reading the whole thing and am amazed at all of the information that you have shared! This has been a great read, and of course I have some names to ask about too....

Martin
Kilgore
Boyle
Diggs

These are mine, my late wife and my wife's family names.

Thanks in advance.

Cheers,

Marshal Moroni

MARTIN The Irish form of Martin is Máirtín and the Scottish Gaelic form is Martann. There are a large number of surnames which are based on this name: Mac Giolla Máirtín or Mac Gille Martainn, Mac Maolmháirtín, Ó Máirtín, Mac Martainn, the list goes on. Martin can be an Anglicised and abbreviated form of any of these names. Most of the time, however, Martin is usually of English or French origin.

KILGORE Here's a handy rule which usually works with Gaelic names beginning with Kil: If a patronymic name, it will be from Giolla/Gille, meaning 'servant' or 'youth'. If it is a topographical name, it will be derived from Cill, meaning 'church'. Kilgore (also Kilgour) is derived from Cill Gobhair (church of the goat?).

BOYLE Occasionally, this is a topographical name of Norman origin, from Bieville. Most of the time, it is an Anglicisation of the Irish name Ó Baoighill (Modern Irish spelling: Ó Baoill). The name means 'descended from Baoigheall', a personal name meaning pledge-holder (?)

DIGGS Unsure about this one. English, maybe?

[ForresterModern]

I have a large contribution of the family Knight into my heritage, but am not sure if it is of scottish origin (MacKnight of the MacNaughtons). Is or was Knight a derivation of the Scottish MacKnight or more commonly of English or other origin? Thanks.

[Santa Kona]

As a newbe here are my two names Gant and Hawn I would be very intersted in what you come up with.

[slohairt]

I have a large contribution of the family Knight into my heritage, but am not sure if it is of scottish origin (MacKnight of the MacNaughtons). Is or was Knight a derivation of the Scottish MacKnight or more commonly of English or other origin? Thanks.

It can be from three unrelated origins: 1) English occupational or nickname from Anglo-Saxon Cniht, 2) Anglicised from Mac Neachdainn (SCOTTISH GAELIC) or Mac Neachtain (IRISH). Both mean 'son of Neachdann', a personal apparently common among the Picts and the name of a Celtic water divinity. I'm not sure of the meaning, but some have suggested it means 'snow-white'. 3) Anglicised from Irish Mac an Ridire meaning 'son of the Knight'. This was a name adopted by some first generation Hiberno-Normans.

[slohairt]

As a newbe here are my two names Gant and Hawn I would be very intersted in what you come up with.

GANT Not much I can tell you really. (Sorry ) Gant seems to be found in England and the Border region and could be derived from Flemish town of Ghent. Many Flemish weavers moved to the east coast of Great Britain during the mediaeval period. It could also be a descriptive name implying gaunt (?)

HAWN Dutch? German? Stumped, I'm afraid.

[BroosterB1]

My family name is Byers; best I have been able to do is Birse from Aberdenshire; We think it is Norman from Byern (Herdsman) what say you?ith:

[ForresterModern]

Is this guy awesome or what? Thanks. You are a tremendous asset to this forum.

Jeff

:ootd:

It can be from three unrelated origins: 1) English occupational or nickname from Anglo-Saxon Cniht, 2) Anglicised from Mac Neachdainn (SCOTTISH GAELIC) or Mac Neachtain (IRISH). Both mean 'son of Neachdann', a personal apparently common among the Picts and the name of a Celtic water divinity. I'm not sure of the meaning, but some have suggested it means 'snow-white'. 3) Anglicised from Irish Mac an Ridire meaning 'son of the Knight'. This was a name adopted by some first generation Hiberno-Normans.

[slohairt]

My family name is Byers; best I have been able to do is Birse from Aberdenshire; We think it is Norman from Byern (Herdsman) what say you?ith:

There is an area called Birse in Aberdeenshire and many probably have their name derived from it as a topographical surname. Strangely enough, it seems to be most common in Galloway! It is referred to in early documents as Bras (?). Other sources claim that Byers is derived from Byre, which was Anglo-Saxon fro cattle-shed, so it could be occupational as well.

[slohairt]

Is this guy awesome or what? Thanks. You are a tremendous asset to this forum.

Jeff

:ootd:

Go raibh maith agat! (Thanks!)

[Santa Kona]

Thanks a lot that is what I have come up with also. I just wanted someone else to look at it.