FOOTNOTES
[1]. Proofs of the ignorance of authors and authoresses in regard to surnames might be cited to any extent. The novel of Aurora Floyd is a case in point. When we read the account there given of the ancestry of the heroine, her Scotch descent, &c., and then remember that Floyd is but a corruption (through the difficulty of pronunciation) of the Welsh Lloyd, we may well be pardoned a smile. Walter Scott would never have so committed himself.
[2]. The following extract will show how patronymic surnames changed at first with each successive generation:—‘Dispensation for Richard Johnson, son of John Richardson, of Fishlake, and Evott daug: of Robert Palmer, who have married, although related in the fourth degree. Issued from Rome by Francis, Cardinal of St. Susanna, 30th March, 13th Boniface IX. (1402).’ Test. Ebor. vol. iii. p. 318.
[3]. Thus we find in the Manchester Directory for 1861, ‘Napoleon Bonaparte Sutton, tripe-seller,’ and ‘Napoleon Stott, skewer-maker.’ Born, doubtless, during the earlier years of the present century, their parents have thus stamped upon their lives the impress of that fearful interest which the name of Napoleon then excited.
[4]. ‘Ithell,’ though now unknown, was once a familiar Christian name. ‘Evan ap Ithell,’ Z.; Jevan ap Ithell, Z.; Ann Ithell, H.H.; Ithell Wynn, A.A.I. ‘Bethell’ as a surname is still sufficiently common in the Principality to keep up a remembrance of the fact.
[5]. ‘Howel’ or ‘Hoel’ was at one time a favourite Welsh baptismal name. We have a ‘Howel le Waleys,’ that is, ‘Howel the Welshman,’ or, as we should now say, ‘Howell Wallace,’ mentioned in the Parliamentary writs of 1313. As I shall show by-and-by, our ‘Powells’ may in some cases, at least, be of more English origin.
[6]. ‘Ot’ and ‘et’ sometimes became ‘elot’ and ‘elet’—‘Robert Richelot’ (w. 15) (from Richard); Crestolot de Eratis (d. d.) (from Christian); ‘Walter Hughelot’ (A.); ‘John Huelot’ (A.) (from Hugh); Constance Hobelot (A.) (from Hobbe); ‘Hamelet de la Burste’ (Cal. and Inv. of Treasury); ‘Richard son of Hamelot’ (A.A. 2) (from Hamon). ‘Hamlet’ and ‘Hewlett’ are the commonest representatives of this class in our existing nomenclature. As a diminutive suffix ‘let’ is found in such words as ‘leaflet,’ ‘bracelet,’ ‘hamlet,’ or ‘ringlet.’
[7]. The French have, among others of this class, ‘Guyon,’ ‘Philipon,’ ‘Caton’ (Catharine), and ‘Louison.’ Sir Walter Scott, ever most accurate in his nomenclature, makes ‘Marthon’ to be domestic to Hameline de Croye (Quentin Durward). None of these reached England.