Coming to names apparently from fishes, I question very much whether Fiske and Fish are from A.S. fisc, pisces, though Foerstemann, in default of a better, gives that meaning in an ancient name, Fisculf. I think it is one of the cases in which a meaning is to be got from the Celtic, and take it that the Welsh ffysg, impetuous, supplies the sense that is required, of which also some slight traces are to be found in Teutonic dialects. Shark and Sharkey I take to be the same name as Sere in the Liber Vitæ, from A.S. serc, Sco. "sark," shirt, in the sense of a shirt of mail. It is formed, according to Diefenbach, upon a stem sar or ser, signifying armatura, p. [62]; whence an O.G. Saracho, corresponding with the above. The Sercings are a tribe or family mentioned in the "Traveller's Song," and in connection with the Serings:
"With the Sercings I was, and with the Serings."
The connection between the two, however, is here probably only for the sake of the alliteration. Dolphin is the Danish name Dolgfinnr, p. [48]. There was a Dolfin, presumably of Scandinavian origin, governor of Carlisle in the time of Rufus. Herring and Whiting are both from the Anglo-Saxon patronymic, p. [28], and Haddock, with the M.G. Hädicke, is a diminutive from the stem had, war, p. [54]. Tunny, along with Tunn and Tunno (Tunna, Lib. Vit.), is another form of Dunn, a common Anglo-Saxon name. Spratt I class along with Sprout and Sprott, comparing them with an O.G. Sprutho, as from Goth, sprauto, nimble, active. And Minnow, along with Minn and Minney, corresponding with an O.G. Minna, may be taken to be from A.S. myn, love, affection. Salmon is the same as an O.G. Salaman, from, as supposed, salo, dark; and Trout may be the same as an O.G. Truto, probably signifying beloved. Smelt may be taken to be from A.S. smelt, gentle; it occurs once as the name of an Anglo-Saxon, but does not seem to be a word entering into the Teutonic system, and may have been originally a sobriquet. Lamprey I have already referred to, p. [115], as a probable corruption of Landfred.
Of names apparently from insects, Moth and Mote (Mote, Hund. Rolls) are probably the same as an O.G. Moata, from môd, môt, courage, German muth. Fly and Flea are included in a stem, p. [159]; and Emmet may be taken to be from A.S. emita, quies, found in several ancient names. Earwig I have taken, p. [49], to be a contraction of Evorwig, as Earheart of Everhard, and Earwaker of Evorwacer.[57] Many other names of the same sort might be adduced, but those I have given will I think be sufficient for the purpose.
Names apparently from Office or Occupation:
LORD, EARL, ABBOTT, NUNN, BISHOP, PRIEST, ALDERMAN, PRENTICE, PRINCE, HAYWARD, HOWARD, ANGLER, ARCHER, AUTHER, FARRIER, HURLER, PLAYER, MARINER, WARNER, WALKER, PLOWMAN, ARKWRIGHT, HARTWRIGHT, SIEVEWRIGHT, GOODWRIGHT.
Lord, as noted at p. [158], can hardly be from A.S. hlaford, Eng. lord. Earl, however, along with Early, seems to be the same word as Eng. "earl," though as a name entering into the Teutonic system it is only a word of general honorific meaning, and may not represent any man who ever bore the title. Abbott I take to be the same as an A.S. Abbod, p. [96], the stem being, as supposed, from Goth. aba, man. Nunn, along with Nunney and Noon, compares with Nun, the name of a kinsman of Ina, king of Wessex, and with O.G. Nunno and Nunni, the meaning of which seems somewhat obscure. Bishop, at least in its origin, can hardly have been from the office, for there is a Biscop in the genealogy of the kings of the Lindisfari, who must of course have been a heathen. The name in this case may be a compound of bis (closely allied to bas, p. [5]) and A.S. côf, strenuous, which we find as the ending of some other A.S. names. But after the advent of Christianity, a man, though inheriting the old name, would no doubt wear it with a difference. Priest must, I think, be what it seems, there is a witness to a charter (Thorpe, p. 69) whose name is Preost, and whose description is "presbyter"; his original name, whatever it was, must have been so completely superseded by that of his office that at last he accepted it himself, and signed accordingly. Alderman I have taken, p. [116], to be, even in Anglo-Saxon times, a corruption. Such a name, as derived from office, could hardly be borne by an Anglo-Saxon, unless, indeed, as a sobriquet, superseding his original name. So also Prentice, from an A.S. Prentsa, I take to be due to a corruption in Anglo-Saxon times. I am not sure that Prince may not be from the same name, Prentsa, dropping the vowel-ending and becoming Prents. A name which has been mistakenly supposed to be from some office of agricultural oversight is Hayward; it is however an ancient name, more properly Agward or Egward. Howard, which has been sometimes confounded with it, is an entirely different name, the O.N. Hâvardr (hâ, high), introduced I think by the Danes or Northmen.
Some names formed with wright, as Arkwright, Hartwright, Sievewright, and Goodwright, will be found in their places in Chapter III. as, according to my view, ancient compounds. I might perhaps add Boatwright, from an O.G. Buotrit, and also Cheesewright, for which we have the stem, p. [155], though no ancient form to represent this particular compound. The Wrihtingas, in Kemble's list of early settlers, I take to be properly Ritingas, from a stem rit, supposed to be the same as Eng. "ride," though perhaps in an older and more general sense of rapid motion. Many names ending in er, as Ambler, Angler, Archer, Auther, &c., are in reality from an ancient ending in har, signifying warrior. Ambler represents an O.G. Amalher, p. [42], Angler an O.G. Angilher, p. [42], Archer an O.G. Erchear, p. [42], and Auther an O.G. Authar, p. [42]. Farrier, along with Ferrier, may represent an O.G. Feriher, p. [49], and Hurler an O.G. Erlehar, from the stem erl already referred to. Gambler represents an O.G. Gamalher, and Player is the same as an A.S. Plegher, from pleg, play, probably the play of battle. Then we have Mariner and Marner, which, with French Marinier and Marnier, may be referred to an O.G. Marnehar (mar, famous), and in a similar manner Warrener and Warner may be taken to be from an O.G. Warnehar (Warin = Wern). Among names of this class we may also include Walker, of which there is abundant instance as an ancient name. Kemble has Wealceringas among the early settlers, as well as also Wealcingas representing the stem on which it is formed, probably A.S. wealh, stranger. There was in after Anglo-Saxon times a Walchere, bishop of Lindisfarne, and Ualcar is found in a runic inscription in Stevens; while, as O.G. names, we have Walachar and Walchar, and as a present German name we have Walcher. However, in view of the commonness of this name, it is perhaps only reasonable to suppose an admixture from A.S. wealcere, a fuller.
I may here observe that this same ending, har, so common in ancient names, give us many names which have the appearance of a comparative, such as Harder, Paler, Richer, &c., and in its other form, hari, many names such as Armory, Buttery, Gunnery, Flattery, which we have also in the other form as Armor, Butter, Gunner, and Flatter (flat, formosus).
Names apparently from Times and Seasons.