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Author Topic: Unfortunate Surnames  (Read 14470 times)

Offline Redroger

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Re: Unfortunate Surnames
« Reply #18 on: Monday 12 September 11 16:28 BST (UK) »
Quote from: davidft on Sunday 11 September 11 19:54 BST (UK)
Last name: Daft
 

This is an English surname which is mostly associated with the Midland counties of the country. It derives from the Olde English word of the pre 7th century "gedaeft" meaning meek or mild, and as such it was a pre Medieval personal name of some popularity.

Read more: http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/daft#ixzz1XfhV8jyx

A possible connection occurs between the term meek and daft in it's modern meaning of simple. I had thought it probably suggested descent from a simple person in the medieval period.
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Offline goff153

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Re: Unfortunate Surnames
« Reply #19 on: Friday 21 October 11 12:27 BST (UK) »
I think it's French.  There's a "Famille Bastard" tomb in Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris.  I have a photo of it if anyone wants a copy.

Offline Redroger

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Re: Unfortunate Surnames
« Reply #20 on: Friday 21 October 11 17:27 BST (UK) »
The Bastard brothers were heavily involved in the rebuilding of Blandford Forum after the devastating fire of 1731, obviously this surname is widely travelled, or I think more likely, originated in several places. A surname which originally had no connotations is Crapper which acquired its repute after the developer of Water closets Thomas Crapper.
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Offline Wilkinson

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Re: Unfortunate Surnames
« Reply #21 on: Friday 28 October 11 16:24 BST (UK) »
Had a family with the surname "Freak" in our village !!!

Offline Redroger

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Re: Unfortunate Surnames
« Reply #22 on: Friday 28 October 11 16:41 BST (UK) »
I once worked with a so named person many years ago. Strangely the entire office found him a bit odd, so possibly there was something ancestral about his name.
Ayres Brignell Cornwell Harvey Shipp  Stimpson Stubbings (all Cambs) Baumber Baxter Burton Ethards Proctor Stanton (all Lincs) Luffman (all counties)

Offline 12thKnight

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Re: Unfortunate Surnames
« Reply #23 on: Monday 31 October 11 03:51 GMT (UK) »
My wife's tree contains one Frances Scaling (known as Fanny) who married Joseph Dick. They had a son named John Thomas, so he was John Thomas Dick, son of Fanny Dick.

Offline Deb D

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Re: Unfortunate Surnames
« Reply #24 on: Monday 31 October 11 05:15 GMT (UK) »
I believe "Dick" is the real surname of the comedian Tim Allen.  Can't imagine why he felt a need to change  ::)
I live in Sydney, Australia, and I'm researching: Powell, Tatham, Dunbar, Dixon, Mackwood, Kinnear, Mitchell, Morgan, Delves, & Anderson

Offline Redroger

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Re: Unfortunate Surnames
« Reply #25 on: Monday 31 October 11 09:53 GMT (UK) »
Quote from: 12thKnight on Monday 31 October 11 03:51 GMT (UK)
My wife's tree contains one Frances Scaling (known as Fanny) who married Joseph Dick. They had a son named John Thomas, so he was John Thomas Dick, son of Fanny Dick.

I think the most unfortunate yet! Except that had Mr. Allen (Dick) acquired a partner surnamed Head would they have hyphenated their surnames?
Ayres Brignell Cornwell Harvey Shipp  Stimpson Stubbings (all Cambs) Baumber Baxter Burton Ethards Proctor Stanton (all Lincs) Luffman (all counties)

Offline cire

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Re: Unfortunate Surnames
« Reply #26 on: Saturday 05 November 11 18:02 GMT (UK) »
I did some look-ups for a lady a week or two ago, which resulted in finding a man with the wonderful name --- John Twopenny Fright.
He came from Kent and looking at the area on Family Search showed a large number of people with that surname.

It must have been a "Fright full" place to live ;D ;D ;D    SORRY
Eric
Beeston, Whithead & Towle
Allesley, Bloxham from c. 1815
Foleshill, Gee (Jee) Adams Millerchip
Burton Dassett, Bloxham to c. 1815
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