Surnames as a Science

by Robert Ferguson

In the names of scholars and men of science the German element is very strongly represented. We find Accolti (O.G. Achiolt for Agiovald[50]), Alamanni (O.G. Alaman), Algarotti (O.G. Algar for Adelgar), Ansaldi (O.G. Ansald for Ansovald), Audifredi (O.G. Audifred), Bertrandi (O.G. Bertrand), Gualdo (O.G. Waldo), Giraldi (O.G. Girald), Gosselini (O.G. Gosselin), Guicciardini (O.G. Wichard), Lanzi (O.G. Lanzi), Lamberti (O.G. Lambert for Landbert), Manfredi (O.G. Manfred), Maraldi (O.G. Marald), Odevico (O.G. Ottwic for Audewic), Orlandi (O.G. Arland for Hariland), Raimondi (O.G. Raimund), Rolandini (O.G. Roland for Rodland), Roberti (O.G. Robert for Rodbert), Sacchi (O.G. Sacco), Quirini (O.G. Guerin, Werin). We may add to the list the name of the historian Sismondi (Sigismund), who, though born at Geneva, must, I apprehend, have been of Italian origin. The name in its uncontracted form, Sigismondi, is also found in Italy.

Among the names of distinguished explorers and discoverers, we have Americus (O.G. Emrich), who gave his name to America, and Belzoni (O.G. Belzo). German are also the names of the Pope Aldobrandini (O.G. Aldebrand), and of the philanthropist Odeschalchi (O.G. Odalschalch), whose name, if translated, would be the appropriate one of "Servant of his country."

The painters are not quite so strongly represented as the men of letters and science, the two principal names being those of Lionardo (O.G. Leonhard) and of Guido. Guido is one of the Frankish forms to which I have before alluded, and is formed by the prefix of g to the name Wido or Wito,—it was not an uncommon name among the Old Franks, and is found at present among the French as Videau, Viteau, and Guidé. The ill-omened name of the assassin Guiteau I take to be from the same origin, and to be of French extraction. So also may be our own name Widow, which corresponds with a Wido of about the twelfth or thirteenth century in the Liber Vitæ. There is another Italian name, Guidubaldi, that of a Duke of Urbino, in the middle ages, formed on the same stem with the addition of bald, bold, and corresponding with a Frankish Guidobald. The word concerned seems to be most probably Goth. vidus, O.H.G. witu, wood, used in a poetical sense for weapon.[51]

Other names of painters are Baldi (O.G. Baldo), Baldovin(etti) (O.G. Baldwin), Anselmi (O.G. Anshelm), Ansuini (O.G. Answin), Aldighiero (O.G. Aldegar), Algardi (O.G. Alagart), Alberti (O.G. Albert for Adalbert), Alloisi (O.G. Alois = Alwis), Ghiberti (O.G. Gibert), Gherardini (O.G. Gerard), Gennari (O.G. Genear), Ghirlandaio (O.G. Gerland), Tibaldi (O.G. Tiebald for Theudobald). Also Guardi, another of the Frankish forms before referred to, representing an O.G. Wardi, and the same name as Eng. Ward, for which we find a corresponding A.S. Weard.

Of those eminent in the sister art of music, we have Castoldi (O.G. Castald for Castwald), and Frescobaldi. This last name does not figure in Foerstemann's list, but we can hardly doubt its German origin, bald being a typical German ending, while Fresc, as a Teutonic name, is found in the Fresc(ingas), early Saxon settlers in England, another instance of the common tie which binds all Teutonic names together. We may add to the list, as the name of a living composer, Guglielmo = Wilhelm or William. Among those who were accessory to music as instrument-makers, we have Stradivarius and Guarnerius (O.G. Guarner for Warinhar) corresponding with our own names Warriner and Warner, and present French names Ouarnier and Guernier. It will not be out of keeping with what we should expect if we find the German element develop itself in the conception rather than in the execution of music, and in the combination of science and patience which led to the success of the old instrument-makers.

But it is in the names of immortal singers that we find the German element most conspicuously represented. Dante himself bears a name which, though not in itself German, may yet have been given to Italy by the Germans, while as to his second title, Alighieri, there seems hardly any doubt of its German origin.[52] Dante is a contraction of Durante, which seems to be derived most naturally from Latin durans, and it might seem something of a paradox to suppose a Latin race to be indebted to the Germans for a Latin name. And yet I think that there are some grounds for supposing it to be a name adopted by the early Frankish converts to Christianity, and by them transmitted to the Italians. For we find Durant, Durand, and Durann as not uncommon German names, apparently Frankish, in the eighth and the ninth centuries. And we find the word moreover made up into a German compound as Durandomar (mar, famous). The French have moreover at present, derived we may presume from their Frankish ancestors, another name, Durandard, similarly formed (hard, fortis). Now this is precisely the same principle as that on which the early Frankish converts, as we find from the Pol. Irm. and the Pol. Rem., used to form many of their names, taking a word of Christian import from the Latin or otherwise, and mixing it up with the Old German compounds to which they had been accustomed. Thus, for an example, we find that a woman called Electa, which we can hardly doubt means "elect," gives to her son the name of Electard, a similar compound to Durandard. There seems then, on the whole, a fair amount of probability for this suggestion, which would moreover sufficiently account for the manner in which the name is common to France, Italy, Germany, and England. The French have it as Durand, Durant, and Durandeau (besides Durandard already noted); the Italians as Durante, Duranto, and Durandi; the Germans as Durand and Dorand; and we ourselves as Durand and Durant. Our names came to us no doubt through the Normans,—there is a Durand in the Roll of Battle Abbey, and it is not till after this period that we find it as an English name.

For the German origin of Tasso a rather stronger case can be made out, Tasso and Taso being found as ancient German names, and the latter in particular being a Lombard leader in Italy. But there was another Lombard called Taso, who, as a man of remarkable sanctity of life, and as the founder of a monastery at Volterra, was eminently likely to leave a name behind him in Italy. Tasso is still a current name in that country, and our surname Tassie, along with the French Tassy, may be taken to be the same name. Both we and the French have also Tassell, formed from it and corresponding with Tassilo, the name of a Bavarian king of the sixth century. The meaning of the word has not been satisfactorily explained, and this may be one of the cases in which the original word has either greatly changed in meaning, or else has perished out of the language.

Another name which we may take pretty certainly to be of German origin is Leopardi, corresponding with the O.G. Leopard, for Liubhard (liub, love, and hard, fortis). There was a Lombard named Leopard who was abbot of Nonantola in Italy in the tenth century. Then we have Amalungi, from the O.G. Amalung, fifth century, a patronymic form, "son of Amal or Amala," the (perhaps mythical) forerunner of the Goths. The French have the name, Hamel and Ameling, and we have Hammill, Hamling, and Hambling. This is another of the cases in which a name has outlived its etymon; we know that amal was a word of honourable meaning, but as to its origin even the patient research of the Germans has failed to find a clue. The name Amalthius may also be taken as certainly German, from amal as above, and the common Old German ending thius, dio, or tio, servant, though we do not find a name to correspond in the Altdeutsches Namenbuch. There was also a painter Amalteo, whose name is a variation of the same. Another name which I take to be German, without finding the ancient name to correspond, is Boiardo, boi (supposed by the Germans to mean Bavarian) being a common prefix in Old German names, and hard one of the most common endings. The French have, among other names derived from their Frankish ancestors, the corresponding names Boyard and Poyard, and we ourselves have Byard, which I take to be from the same origin. Then we have Berni (O.G. Berno), Bernini (O.G. Bernin), and Beroaldus (O.G. Berowald).

There remain yet two distinguished names, Alfieri and Guarini. The former may be from the O.G. Alfheri, alf, elf, and heri, warrior, the sense contained in the former word being perhaps that of occult wisdom. Hence it would correspond with our surnames Albery and Aubery, Alfheri and Albheri being convertible Old German names. Guarini may, with somewhat more of certainty, be taken to be from the Old Frankish name Guarin, formed on the principle already referred to on other Old German names, Warin and Warno. Hence our names Warren and Warne, and the French Guérin. The Wearningas, "sons or descendants of Wearn," are among the early Saxon settlers referred to in Chapter IV., and Warin is found as an early name in the Liber Vitæ. There are some other names which may very possibly be of German origin, but the form of which is not sufficiently distinct to make the connection generally intelligible.

I conclude this chapter with a suggestion as to the possibly German origin of one who but of late occupied a considerable place in European politics, viz. Gambetta. This name is of Italian origin, and I venture to think may be one of those given to Italy by the Germans, and perhaps most probably by the Lombards. There was a Gambad who ruled over Ticino in the ancient duchy of Milan, and was subsequently driven out by Pertharit, who thereupon became the ruler of the whole of Lombardy. Gambad seems to be probably a Lombard form of Ganbad (gan, magic, or fascination, and bad, war), or it might be of Gandbad (gand, wolf), both ancient German stems. This name Gambad would in French take the form of Gambette,[53] and in Italian of Gambetta. It would be curious if this name were one left behind by the Lombards (or possibly even the Franks) in their invasion of Italy, and restored to France to rouse her to a gallant though unavailing attempt to stem the tide of another German invasion. And very suitable too would be the name, in the sense of magic or fascination, to one whose energy and eloquence acted as such a potent spell to revive the drooping courage of his countrymen.