George Campbell or Dow

[Lauren Campbell]

29 August 1749 twins George and Donald were born in Reay, Caithness. The birth certificate says their father is George Campbell or Dow, what does this mean?

[Skoosh]

Dow means dark haired or swarthy, given him to distinguish him from other Campbell's of the same name, the folk had little cause to use their names then.

Skoosh.

[Forfarian]

There could be all sorts of reasons why he had two surnames.

He may have been orphaned and been known by the names of both his father and of the family who took him in and brought him up.

He might have been illegitimate and known by the names of both of his parents.

He could have been involved in the Jacobite rising in 1745-1746 and adopted another name to evade retribution.

Perhaps, as Skoosh says, he was given a nickname because he was very dark.

I have also heard somewhere, though I don't recall where, that sometimes an opposite nickname is given, for example a very tall man may be nicknamed 'small' or a very dark person may be nicknamed 'fair'.

He may have adopted an 'alias' for some other reason.