"John Carter, for cariage away of a grete loode of robeux that was left in the strete. "To a laborer called Rychard Gardyner working in the gardyne. "To Alice Shapster for making and washing of xxiiii. sherts, and xxiiii. stomachers." Shapster is a feminine form of Shapper or Shaper--one who shaped or cut out cloths for garments. All these several individuals, having no particular surname, took or received one from the occupation they temporarily followed.--"Privy Purse Expenses, Eliz. of York," p. 122. [2] Any number of such instances might be recorded. Mr. W. C. Leighton, in _Notes and Queries_, February 23, 1861, notices a deed dated 1347, wherein two John de Leightons, brothers, occur. Mr. Waters, in his interesting pamphlet, "Parish Registers" (p. 30), says that Protector Somerset had three sons christened Edward, born respectively 1529, 1539, and 1548. All were _living_ at the same time. He adds that John Leland, the antiquary, had a brother John, and that John White, Bishop of Winchester 1556-1560, was brother to Sir John White, Knight, Lord Mayor in 1563. [3] "I also give to the said Robert ... that land which Hobbekin de Bothum held of me."--Ext. deed of Sir Robert de Stokeport, Knight, 1189-1199: Earwaker's "East Cheshire," p. 334. [4] I have seen Stepkin as a surname but once. Lieutenant Charles Stepkin served under the Duke of Northumberland, in 1640.--Peacock's "Army List of Roundheads and Cavaliers," p. 78. [5] _Adekyn_ was the simple and only title of the harper to Prince Edward in 1306, who attended the _cour pleniere_ held by King Edward at the feast of Whitsuntide at Westminster.--Chappell, "Popular Music of ye Olden Time," p. 29. [6] Sill was the nick form of Sybil and Silas till the seventeenth century, when the Puritan Silence seized it. I have only seen one instance of the surname, "John Silkin" being set down as dwelling in Tattenhall, Cheshire, in 1531 (Earwaker's "East Cheshire," p. 56). [7] Nevertheless the surname did exist in Yorkshire in Richard II.'s reign: "Willelmus Malkynson, and Dionisia uxor ejus, iiii{d}."--W. D. S. [8] I need not quote, in proof of the popularity of _kin_, our surnames of Simpkinson, Hopkins, Dickens, Dickenson, Watkins, Hawkins, Jenkinson, Atkinson, and the rest. I merely mention that the patronymics ending in _kins_ got abbreviated into _kiss_, and _kes_, and _ks_. Hence the origin of our Perkes, Purkiss, Hawkes, and Hawks, Dawks, Jenks, Juckes, and Jukes (Judkins). [9] In this class we must assuredly place Figgins. In the Hundred Rolls appears "Ralph, son of Fulchon." Here, of course, is the diminutive of the once common Fulke. Fick and Figg were the nick forms: "1 Henry VIII. To Fygge the taborer, 6{d}."--Churchwarden's Books of Kingston-on-Thames, Brand's "Pop. Ant.," i. 147. The London Directory has all the forms and corruptions as surnames, including Fick, Ficken, Figg, Figgs, Figgess, and Figgins.