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Product Description
Did you know that Batts, may have had stout ancestors? That Dennes could be descended from swineherds? That Herons might come from thin men with long legs? How much do you know about the origin of your own surname? This fascinating dictionary covers the origin and meaning of over 16,000 surnames, giving detailed information on early name-forms and how names have changed over the centuries. Alternative forms of names are cross-referenced to make it easy to find variants. Popular names such as Brown, Clark and Smith are all covered, alongside rarer names from Clapper to Cutterbuck, Stocking to Twitchen. An authoritative introduction sets in context the popular topic of name-studies, and guides the reader through the history of English surnames. The dictionary also includes an appendix in which the distinguished family historian, Professor David Hey (author of the Oxford Companion to Local and Family History) gives advice on how to locate the home of a family name. He explains, with examples, how to discover the current distribution of a name in the UK, and how to trace its origins. Quirky and interesting, informative and accessible, this is an excellent guide for anyone with an interest in English family names.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
71 of 73 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This paperback is brilliant value at 18 names per penny, and my heavily used copy is dog-eared, battered and always within reach like favourite books should be. It lists surnames and variants, dates and sources of first mentions, origins and meanings. The Introduction about types of names, their historical roots and how and why they vary is a book in itself. There are 10 pages of obscure reference sources which take me into another world. An Appendix tells how to plot the distribution of surnames and locate their home. I run a very large genealogical website for Derbyshire and get many hundreds of e-mail enquiries about strange names. Looking the surnames up in this book is always rather exciting and the information often surprising. The book has been a pleasure to use. Sometimes when I can't find a name I wish I had a larger book, but I haven't come across a better reference work yet. The sheer volume of detail and the effort spent collecting it is amazing. If there were six stars this paperback would get them.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
A Dictionary of English Surnames (Oxford Paperback Reference)
A lovely book to own. Does what it says on the tin, and well laid out. I use it for family history studies and reference for different spellings of the same name. Well priced and a fascinating 'dip in' book for a bit of interesting entertainment.
A lovely book to own. Does what it says on the tin, and well laid out. I use it for family history studies and reference for different spellings of the same name. Well priced and a fascinating 'dip in' book for a bit of interesting entertainment.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Bought this book after attending a talk about the origins of surnames. Packed with information and found it absolutely fascinating finding out the origins of surnames within our families.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
surname dictionary disappointing
I find this dictionary rather clumsy to use. It could do with a redesign: Better paper, typography, and structure. The reference abbreviations are fussy. Read more
Published 3 months ago by John Benn
A Great Help- in Certain Areas!
I bought this book in conjunction with dictionary on old professions,trades and occupations,A Dictionary of Old Trades, Titles and Occupations in relation to my genealogy... Read more
Published 8 months ago by D. J. Bird
A brilliant resource
I bought this book along with a couple of other surname books for a little project I have been doing on the names that appear in my family tree. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Mr. N. Walmsley
Helpfulness
The book has enabled me to go ahead with some family research, many thanks
RJC
RJC
Published on 1 Dec 2009 by Mr. R. J. Capner
Fabtastic
I bought this as I'm an amateur genealogist. It's fascinating to look up the surnames in my family tree and also makes a good talking point with friends too! Read more
Published on 2 Sep 2007 by Scooby Doo
A Dictionary of English Surnames
I have been writing a book on a certain Cornish names using references which thanks to this little book have been proven to be unreliable. Read more
Published on 13 Dec 2006 by Mr. D. Reeves
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