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Topic: Torquil - English version (Read 712 times)
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MonicaLesl
RootsChat Marquessate
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Posts: 5041
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Hi Robyn
I think Torquil was already the anglicized version of the Scottish name TORCUIL 
Monica
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MacIsaac, MacDonald, MacPherson, MacVarish, MacMaster: Moidart - Inverness-shire. Gillies: pre-1850 Knoydart, Inverness-shire /post 1850s Fort William area - Argyll. Tully, Tulley, Moran, Murphy: Lanarkshire. Durnan, Durnin, Kelly, Tully, McPhillips: Co Monaghan. McIntyre, McMahon, Tully: Co Cavan (?) Ireland. Moran: Co Mayo (?) Ireland. ..........and lots of Spanish name interests........ Census information Crown Copyright, www.nationalarchives.gov.uk |
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fionnghal
RootsChat Member
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Posts: 154
"Cuimnich na daoine on tąinig thu."
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hi Robyn, my brother is called Torquil, a Scot as you can imagine. Torquil is a Gaelic-Norse name that came over with the Vikings 1000 years ago. The Gaels, in particular the MacLeods - a Norse-Gaelic clan, adopted it and made it their own and it got handed down through the centuries mostly within the Highland/Island areas. The Gaels spell it Torchull or Torcull [i've seen it with one or two l's at the end]. There is no letter Q in the Gaelic alphabet, so the Torquil spelling is the Anglicisation.
As a matter of interest, I've found the name in the Domesday Book spelt Thorkil and can only imagine it was taken to England by the Danish Vikings pre 1086 when the record was written. The Domesday book only refers to the bottom half of England bye and large. It'd be interesting to know how far north the name had spread from that end as opposed to the Norwegian Viking's introduction of it via the outer isles. There were a number of Thor... type names, Thorfridh, Thorger, Thorgis &c presumably relating to Thor, the god of thunder wasn't he? Maybe the dads named their sons such in the hope of imbuing them with Thor's fearsome qualities 
le durachd
Fionnghal
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LOOK-UPS Carrbridge cem.
RESEARCH:
SW SCT Mc*Linden McSevney Riddick Martin McTeague Blackwood Hamilton
IRE Mc[A]Linden McSevney McTeague Fitzmaurice McGrael
ARL McShannon McShenoig Murray McNachtane McMath McQuarrie
ANS Buik/ck Patrick
ABD Robertson Jackson Norrie Strath Ligertwood
FIF Lumsden Braid
ROX Davidson Lech/k
NBL Lumsden Davidson
SRY MDX deLaRoche McGreal/Grail Beavis Clarke Fitzmaurice Keens
DEV Jutsum Salter Northcott
YKS Appleyard Tyas Chester
NTH CAM Stokes
HAM Piper LIN Flint
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fionnghal
RootsChat Member
Offline
Posts: 154
"Cuimnich na daoine on tąinig thu."
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hi Roby, Torquil > Norman? mm, haven't come on it. The Gaelic version of Norman is another Thor name, Tormod. But many and varied are the reasons why names change or become corrupted. My brother prefers Tork, and i know of another who was Torry.
We have a funny, to us, story in the family supporting why my brother was named Torquil rather than Tormod. My grandfather's name was Norman, least ways, that was his middle name. He was named for a much loved uncle, Norman Davidson, who died as a 14yo sailor on his first voyage in 1875. Family folklore has it that a witch was out to destroy the family. No one told us why she was so upset at us but, for some reason, it was connected with his name; that all Norman Davidsons would die at sea till the family line was extinct It has to be said that she succeeded spectacularly well! Not a male member of that line survived to marry and have kids 
His sister wanted to remember him, so, rather fearfully she agreed to her first son being called Ernest Norman. She was assured by her new husband, James, that the witch wouldn't find Norman because there was no Davidson label. However, James died in New Zealand a couple of years later - perhaps killed by an angry and frustrated witch! Elizth returned home with her two tots and sought refuge in Surrey where she met and married a minister. That appears to have done the trick, the kids reappear in censuses under the guise of their stepfather's surname - no more deaths. However, when my father was making up his mind as to what he and mum should call my brother, my mum said, shouldn't he be called Norman after his grandfather, whereupon the story came out.
Although my father, David, maintained that he didn't believe in witches, he was a little anxious that to call my brother Norman, son of David [which is was Norman Davidson represents] was perhaps a temptation too far. So they thought about Tormod, the Gaelic version then, to be on the safest possible side, went for the anglicised Torquil. That, as far as i know, is the only positive substitution of the name Torquil for Norman.
Have you proof positive that your Torquil survived? Did he produce descendants and it's a case of trying to fill in the gap? Some folk didn't survive long after arriving in Australia.
all the best with your researches
le durachd
Fionnghal
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LOOK-UPS Carrbridge cem.
RESEARCH:
SW SCT Mc*Linden McSevney Riddick Martin McTeague Blackwood Hamilton
IRE Mc[A]Linden McSevney McTeague Fitzmaurice McGrael
ARL McShannon McShenoig Murray McNachtane McMath McQuarrie
ANS Buik/ck Patrick
ABD Robertson Jackson Norrie Strath Ligertwood
FIF Lumsden Braid
ROX Davidson Lech/k
NBL Lumsden Davidson
SRY MDX deLaRoche McGreal/Grail Beavis Clarke Fitzmaurice Keens
DEV Jutsum Salter Northcott
YKS Appleyard Tyas Chester
NTH CAM Stokes
HAM Piper LIN Flint
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Thrall
RootsChat Extra
Offline
Posts: 77
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Hi all, here in Iceland, the name Žorkell (Thorkell) lives a good life - I know several, young and old. About one in two thousand males has the name today. Also Torkjell in Norway and Torkel in Sweden.
The name appears in the Sagas and is thought to be made up from Žór (Thor), god of thunder and Ketill a kettle or pot, thus a helmet, etymology from Latin "catillus", a small bowl.
This however does not help in finding other possibilities in English I“m afraid....... 
Guid hunting,
Thrall
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mac7777
RootsChat Extra
Offline
Posts: 2
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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The chiefly line of Macleod of Raasay was a cadet of Macleod of Lewis. In modern times the chiefly line of Macleod of Raasay has been granted chiefship of Clan Macleod of Lewis.
Macleod lore has it that Macleod of Lewis descended from a Torquil, and Macleod of Harris descend from a Tormod. According to the same lore these two were to have been brothers.
Good luck with searching for your Torquil. I wouldn't rule out the pos that he took up the name Norman.
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