I have G. Pawley White's "A Handbook of Cornish Surnames", third edition (1999). Let me know if anyone would like a description of what your Cornish surnames mean.
Brenda
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Thread: Cornish Surname Meanings
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08-09-2008, 10:41 PM #1racing girlGuest
Cornish Surname Meanings
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09-09-2008, 12:25 AM #2MarkJGuest
Being a Cornish speaker, I can usually work out what the names mean - especially those with Cornish language derivations. My own surname I wouldn't be able to work out, although I do know what it means.
It would be interesting to see what the book says about it - the name is Jose.
Mark
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09-09-2008, 8:11 AM #3BradinAustraliaGuest
SURNAMES
Hi
Great post!!! Lets see if you can with these:
TAPRELL / TAPERELL ETC
COCK
CHEGWIDDEN
RASHLEIGH
Many thanks
Brad
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09-09-2008, 9:16 AM #4DevonmadeGuest
Surnames
My maiden name was Pawley, The family lived around the Tamar Valley area. but were living in Mid Devon in the late 1700's.
Sue
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09-09-2008, 12:35 PM #5racing girlGuest
For Mark:
Jose - Romano-Celtic surname, borrowed from latin Joseus during Roman occupation. Well known during the 14th century.
For Brad:
Tapprell etc - not listed
Cock - Possibly fom cok, a sailing boat; or from cok, meaning empty and vain!
Chegwidden/Chegwin/Chegwyn - From chy gwyn* meaning white house. Placename Chegwidden, Constantine. Mainly found in Mid and West Cornwall
Rashleigh - not listed
*Later in the book is the surname Widden, which is from gwyn, meaning fair. Perhaps this "fair" refers to "pale" as in "white house" above?
For Sue:
Pawley/Pawle/Paulle - The Cornish form of Paul
Brenda
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09-09-2008, 1:04 PM #6racing girlGuest
Brad - From The Surname DB
Surname: Rashleigh
This interesting name is of early medieval English origin, and is a locational surname deriving from the place called "Rashleigh" near Wernworthy in Devonshire. The placename derives from a contraction of the Middle English "atterash", at the ash (tree), with "leye, lye", a clearing in a wood, glade or this wood, a development of the Old English pre 7th Century term "leah". The first recording of the surname, below, shows the original spelling of the placename, before the preposition "atte" was dropped to form "Rashleigh" or "Rashley", the modern surnames. The development of the name in Devonshire includes: John Rastheley (1539), Baldwyn Rasheley (1553), John Rashlye (1583), and Gyles Rayshley (1589). Alice Rashleigh was christened in West Down, Devon, on January 4th 1634, and the marriage of William Rashleigh and Agnes Gaunt was recorded at Teignmouth, Devon, on February 9th 1666. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John atte Rashlegh, which was dated 1292, Calendar of Inquisitions, Devonshire, during the reign of King Edward 1, "The Hammer of the Scots", 1272 - 1307. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
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09-09-2008, 1:05 PM #7DevonmadeGuest
Hi Brenda
Thank you, for the explanation for the surname "Pawley" perhaps it originated as the Son of Paul.
I have another name found in Corwall in the Launceston area. It is "Gynn" some of us pronouce it with a hard G others pronounce so that it sounds like "Gin"
Regards and many thanks
Sue
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09-09-2008, 2:09 PM #8MarkJGuest
Hi Brenda Yep - spot on for my name
Brad - Do you have Chegwiddens in your tree? I have some in my ancestors and live just down the lane from a Chegwidden family. I would agree with the derivation given by Brenda - Chy, meaning house and Gwynn meaning white. In a lot of early records, the name is Chegwyn or other variations which are closer to the original words.
Mark
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09-09-2008, 3:21 PM #9
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Thanks for that, as I have RASHLEIGH's (not the posh/rich side - the Menabilly ones! ) and JOSE in my lot from Cornwall, not to mention the BOWDEN, KEVERN and MOYLE lot!
Good luck with your research everybody!
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09-09-2008, 3:59 PM #10racing girlGuest
For Sue - No Gynn or any variants. Closest I can come is GWYNN, meaning bright, white or fair and found in all parishes in small scattered groups.
For Diane-
BOWDEN/BAWDEN - Cornish form of Baudouin. Place name. Bowden appears in St Neot and Stratton parishes. It doesn't explain what Baudouin is though!
KEVERNE - Parish name St Keverne. Found in Mid West Cornwall
MOYLE - From Mol: Bald/bare. Found mostly in Mid Cornwall
Brenda
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