Coming to the New Testament, we find the four Evangelists strongly
represented, especially the first and last. Matthew appears not only
in an easily recognizable form, e.g. in Matheson, but also as Mayhew
and Mayo, Old Fr. Mahieu. From the latter form we have the shortened
May and Mee, whence Mayes, Makins, Meakin, Meeson, [Footnote: One
family of Meeson claims descent from Malvoisin.] and sometimes Mason.
Mark is one of the sources of March (p, 90), as Luke is of Luck,
whence Lucock, Luckett, etc, though we more often find the learned
form Lucas.
Of John there is no need to speak. Of the apostles the great
favourites, Simon, or Peter, John, and Bartholomew have already been
mentioned. Almost equally popular was Philip, whence Philp, Phipps,
Phelps, and the dim. Philpot, whence the aphetic Pott, Potts. Andrew
flourished naturally in Scotland, its commonest derivative being
Anderson, while Dendy is for the rimed form Dandy. Paul has of course
had a great influence and is responsible for Pawson or Porson,
Pawling, Polson, Pollett, and most names in Pol-. [Footnote: This does
not of course apply to Cornish names in Pol- (Chapter VI)] It is
also, in the form Powell, assimilated to the Welsh Ap Howel. Paul is
regularly spelt Poule by Chaucer, and St. Paul's Cathedral is often
called Powles in Tudor documents. Paul's companions are poorly
represented, for Barnby is local, while names in Sil- and Sel- come
from shortened form of Cecil, Cecilia, and Silvester. Another great
name from the Acts of the Apostles is that of the protomartyr Stephen,
among the numerous derivatives of which we must include Stennett and
Stimpson.
Many non-biblical saints whose names occur very frequently have
already been mentioned, e.g. Antony, Bernard, Gregory, Martin,
Lawrence, Nicholas, etc To these may be added Augustine, or Austin,
Christopher, or Kit, with the dim. Christie and the patronymic Kitson,
Clement, whence a large family of names in Clem-, Gervase or Jarvis,
Jerome, sometimes represented by Jerram, and Theodore or Tidd (cf.
Tibb fron Theobald), who becomes in Welsh Tudor. Vincent has given
Vince, Vincey and Vincett, and Baseley, Blazey are from Basil and
Blaine. The Anglo-Saxon saints are poorly represented, though
probably most of them survive in a disguised form, e.g. Price is
sometimes for Brice, Cuthbert has sometimes given Cubitt and Cobbett,
and also Cutts. Bottle sometimes represents Botolf, Neate may be for
Neot, and Chad (Ceadda) survives as Chatt and in many local names.
The Cornish Tangye is from the Breton St. Tanneguy. The Archangel
Michael has given one of our commonest names, Mitchell (Chapter IV).
This is through French, but we have also the contracted Miall--
"At Michael's term had many a trial,
Worse than the dragon and St. Michael."
(Hudibras, III. ii. 51.)
[Footnote: Cf. Vialls from Vitalis, also a saint's name.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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