British Baby Names

Finds from 1857

Some finds from the GRO Birth Records for England and Wales in 1857. All are first names and middle names -- the surnames are not included unless indicated by 'sn'-- and have been checked against census records for accuracy.

Abbott Dixon Tenderton Addison John Albray Frederick Aldred Lionel Annesley Valentia Daking Ireland Argos Arthur Micaiah  Athelstan Harold Bartle Bartholomew Bordeaux Hezekiah Cornelius Cypian Cyrus Leander Darius Elijah Dositheus Elimilech Ernest Eusebius John Groom Cooper Grosvenor Kenneth Hercules Septimus Campbell Herbert Irving Jasper Kerrison Lester Marshal Indomitable Samuel Bryer John James Odessa Leicester Adam George Lot James Luther Constantine Manassah Mark Mary Joseph Matthew Thomas Stanislas Aloysius Basilde Moreton Cuthbert Mountain Townsend Neighbour George Nightingale Kyme Octavius James Gabriel Odiarne William Decimus Olcher Player Orlando Isaac Emanuel Oswin Peace Peach Gomer Pentecost William Philip Rainham Orlando Raphael Alexander Antonin Reuben Othello Righteous Nathan Robert Alma Balaklava Inkermann Sebastopol Delhi Royal Reeve  Septimus Filius Soloman Joseph Augustin Solon Lazarus Telemachus George  Theon Edward Wallace Victor Napoleon Leopold William Leviticus  William Semachiah  Willis Jehoiada Rhodes Wiltshire Stanton Bruce  Worthy (sn: Price)

Abigail Bethuel Bernice Cleopatra Adeliza Clarissa Adolphine Sarah Dorothea Adriana Eloisa Marianna Alberta Zenaida Louisa Alice Martyr Elizabeth Alwyna Adelaide Ambersine Benedicta Amelia Charlotte Telesfora Athelia Elizabeth Ann Augustina Sweet Sophia Bathsheba Phoebe Bellamira Maude Blanche Amina Blossom Brittania Priscilla Clara Narcissa Nancy Clementine Adeline Elise Amable Cleopha Sarah Collingwood Sarah Julia Delilah Millicent Elfrida Augustina Elizabeth Eliza Martha Tryphena Kezia Catherine Ella Chryssa Elliot Ann Euphrosyne Eugenia Finetta Emily Frederica Maria Desiree Gertrude Elizabeth Fastrada Harriet Athaliah Harriet Hebe Alma Bertha Harmony Hedwig Clotilde Henrietta Victoria Helen Azubah Henrietta Thusnelda Indiana Marina Isoline Agnes Janet Scotland Rebecca Julia Ruperta Juliet Ottilie Victoria Lillah Theodocia Louise Sophie Hesta Eustatie Lucalia Philomela Luphena Alice Mary Ignatia Josephine Mary Oleana Mary Zeta Meliora Ellen Minetta Annabella Jordare Missa Laurie Louisa Jemima Nehushta Jane Octavia Melanie Adele Persiana Pleasant Elizabeth Primina Letitia Georgiana Prothezer Mary Rhesa Salome Richanna Sarah Rowena Virginetta Silence Sophia Sexagesima Thessalia Adelaide Topsy Minnie Martha Maria Ursula Ann Neptune Hocking Veale Carrington Emmeline Virtue Eleanor Viva Mary Zarina Katherine

Name of the Week

 
 
A solid Welsh favourite that is well known, though not overly used, across Britain.
 When we dig deeper we find that it is currently the third most 
popular "G" name for boys in England and Wales after George and Gabriel.

 

Origin:

From the Welsh adjective cethin meaning "ruddy, dark, swarthy, dusky." In the Middle Ages it was originally used as an epithet (byname) after a personal name, most likely to describe a person as "swarthy" or "ruddy." One of the most famous examples is Rhys Gethin (d.c.1405), the notable captain of the great Welsh prince Owain Glyndwr.

Usage:

From the Middle Ages, Cethin, Gethin and Gething are found as surnames in England and Wales, and, as with many early surnames, we can find its use as a first name in Wales from the 16th century onwards.  From the 15th up until the late 19th century, Wales was heavily anglicised and Welsh names were in the minority. An increasing sense of patriotism in Wales in the late 19th century led to a revival of many indigenous Welsh names that began to spread beyond the country's borders. We can see the effect on the usage of Gethin as a first name.  In the 1851 UK census there were only 13 males listed named Gethin or Gething, all living in Wales. By the 1901 UK census the number had risen to 52; 81% of whom were living in Wales, and by 1911 108 males were listed with 79% living in Wales. Over the last century Gethin has been consistently used in Wales, and it has particularly grown in popularity in the last three decades. In 1998 Gethin ranked #82 (42 births) in Wales and #2338 (4 births) in England. In 2010 Gethin was #49 (91 births) in Wales and #671 (44 births) in England.  If we look at the combined statistics, Gethin has been steadily rising over the past decade. In 2000 the name stood at a combined rank of #616, while in 2010 it had risen to #329. In Scotland the name ranked #490 in 2011 with 4 births.

Famous Bearers:

History: * Rhys Gethin (d. c. 1405) was a captain for Owain Glyndwr, and a principle figure in the Welsh Revolt. * There are a few examples of Welsh poets in the 15th century who were given the byname Gethin, such as: Hywel Gethin, Ieuan Gethin, and Morus Gethin. Contemporary: * Gethin Jones (b.1978) is a well known television presenter. * Gethin Jenkins (b. 1980) is a rugby union player for Cardiff and the Wales International Team. * Gethin Robinson (b.1982) is a rugby union player for Newport and the Wales International Team.

Variants:

Gething, Cethin

Pronunciation:

GETH-in [key]

Sibling Names:

Cerys     Elin     Seren     Delyth     Catrin     Lowri  Lloyd     Owain     Rhys     Lewis     Ioan     Morgan

Name Lists:

Cosy Celtic

 

If you like Gethin you may also like:   Gavin, Gareth, Iestyn, Graham, Griffith, Geraint, Ioan Gwilym, Griffin, Cian

 

Manx Surnames

As a Gaelic language, Manx shares many of the same names as Ireland and Scotland, particularly the patronymic "Mac" surnames for which Gaelic is so well known. But, what makes the Manx names so unique is the way they have been rendered. While Scotland and Ireland have McEwan, the people of Mann had long contracted it to Kewin. McPhilip is Killip and MacShane is Quane. Others, such as Lewin and Gorry, are wholly Manx in origin and offer up a greater variety of Celtic names to add to the pot. 

With their slick C, K, and Q sounds, Manx surnames offer interesting inspiration for first names with a Celtic kick. 

Boyd Brew Caine Calcott Caley Callin Callister Callow Cannell Cannon Carine Carran Cashen Cashin Castell

Caveen Christory Clague Clegg Clucas Collister Colvin Comish  Coole Corkill Corkish Corlett Corteen Corran Corrin

Corris Costain Cotter Cottier Cowell Cowen Cowin Cowley Craine Crebbin Creer Cregeen  Crellin Crennell Curphey

Duggan Faragher Fayle Gell Gelling Gorry Joughin Kaighan Kaighin Karran Kee Kegg Keig  Kennaugh Kennish

Kerruish Kewin Kewish Kewley Killey Killip Kinley Kinnish Kinrade Kinvig Kissack Kneen Lace Leece Lewin

Mylrea Mylroie Mylvorrey Quane Quay Quayle Quilliam Quillin Quine Quinney Quirk Sayle Stowell Teare Vondy

Sibling Spotlight for Seraphina

Below is a selection of British siblings with Seraphina, from the last century to modern times. The year relates to the decade of birth for that set. 

1840s: Seraphina  Mary Elizabeth Lucy Henrietta William Henry Ann Sophia   Mary Jane Henry Samuel Maria Ann William Jasper Seraphina Stanley Jessy Elizabeth Philip Stanley    1850s: Adeline  Seraphina Charles James Ophelia    Eugene  Alphonse Seraphina Amelia    Gabriel  Emmeline Josephine Ellenora Seraphina    1860s: Alexander Henry Mary Rachel Louisa Augusta Seraphina Lydia Clara Henrietta    Mary Elizabeth Jane Stephen Herbert Albert Joseph Edith Faith Seraphina Ann    1870s: Seraphina Adeline  Geraldine Edina Lionel Robert H  Charles Hardiman Norah Blanche    Henrietta Phoebe Melendez (b) Rhoda Elizabeth Seraphina Amelia  Jane Alma    Seraphina  Norman Valentine (b)    1880s: Seraphina Augusta Victor Edward Agatha Mary    Paul Edward Oscar Leonard Ernest James Herbert Charles Cyril Bernard Seraphina Martha Wilfred Urban Frank Thomas Reginald Ignatius Harry George Walter John   1910s: Eugenio V Seraphina A R Elena R    1960s: Henry Thomas Alexander Seraphina Mary Montague John Arabella Fleur   Timothy J Seraphina J Nicholas C Lisa A Scott Michael

1970s: Marcus Doomsday Seraphina Luna Alexei Armageddon   Samatha Dawn Seraphina Melanie   Seraphina Rose Freya Angelika    Seraphina Jane Natalie Marie Tristan Paul    1980s: Jon Gerrard Laura Elizabeth Seraphina Erica Rebecca Kate Carl Micheal Liam Derrick    Antonia Charlotte Thomasina Maria Angelika Mary Seraphina Teresa   1990s: Araminta Honor Seraphina Auriel   Felix Maximilian Y Seraphina Margaret E    Danica Eve Eleanor Grace Seraphina Ianthe R William Harry   Seraphina Chantal Kingsley James    Esther Denise Seraphina Ruth Jared John    Seraphina Gabrielle Barnabas Kester Peregrine Nathaniel    Perez Timothy Joell Jonathan Jemuel Michael Zethan Matthew Seraphina Rebekah Symeon Daniel    Harry George Seraphina Lily    Genevieve Rebecca Seraphina Oriana Zenoushka Leonora   2000s: Alienor Jehanne S Seraphina Olive I    Seraphina Ramita Karita Angelina Savita Gabriella    Arizona Melody Lakota Seraphina Rainbow Nakaia Indi-Ana   Talford John Wild Campbell Arthur Harbottle  Tyrrell Kate Maughan Seraphina Joyce Lacey    Georgina Alice Christopher Edward Charles John  Clementina Grace Cordelia Rose Gabriella Carlotta Montgomery George Angelina Georgette Seraphina Elizabeth Decima Katherine Delphine Octavia Florentina Emilie    Isabella Sophia Allesandra Poppy &  Seraphina Bluebell (twins) Gerrard Balthazar   Christiani Louise Elias Seraphina Hope Simeon Zedekiah

Name of the Week

 

This once received royal distinction in Ancient Greece 
and the Middle Ages. That association is prevalent again 
thanks to the Royal Wedding in 2011.  

  

Origin:

A Latinised feminisation of Philip, an Anglicised form of the Ancient Greek name Philippos. It was made up of the elements φιλος (philos) "love" and ‘ιππος (hippos) "horse." The Ancient Greeks had four words for "love": phileo refers to a friendly, fond and affectionate form of love, which can also be translated as "like", "approve" or "befriend." The second element of "horse" denotes high status in Ancient Greek nomenclature and is found in many aristocratic names. Horses were an extremely important part of Greek society and were represented frequently art and mythology. They were highly prized and cherished animals: representing wealth, as only the rich could afford to keep them, and were essential for many "upper-class" activities such as hunting, chariot riding or horse racing.

Usage:

The name Philip was borne by two major Christian saints (St Philip the Apostle and St Philip the Evangelist) and several Frankish kings from the 11th to 14th century, which accounts for its popularity in the Middle Ages.  Philip is a prime example of a medieval unisex name. It was quite common for men (estimated to be one of the Top 20 masculine names in the 12th century), but it was also used for several women as well. While Philippa was the official Latin form recorded for these women, they were actually called Philip. Queen Philippa of Hainault is recorded as Phelip, Philippe, and Phillip; while a Nottinghamshire will in 1532 refers to "Fillipe my doughter" [sic]. The frequency of the name's usage can be attested by the many surnames it produced, such as Phelps, Phillips, Phillipson, Philkin, Philcox, Phipps and Philson. Philot, and possibly Philipot, appear to have been a specifically feminine diminutive form of Philip.  Philippa, as a name in its own right, came into use in the 18th century and by 1851 the UK census lists 1,963 women with the name. Pippa is the standard short-form of Philippa, frequently used, which was made famous by Robert Browning's Pippa Passes (1841). The name was moderately popular in Britain through the 70s, 80s and 90s. In 1996, in England and Wales, Philippa ranked #150 (289 births), Phillipa #635 (38 births), Phillippa #802 (28 births) and Philipa #3795 (3 births). The name, in all spellings, has been gradually declining over the preceding decade. By 2010 Philippa had fallen to #394 in England and Wales with 113 births, and spellings Phillipa (11 births), Phillippa (3 births) and Filipa (3 births) also declined.  In Scotland, in 2011, six girls were named Philippa, and one Philipa.  However, the short-form Pippa has in recent years, like so many other diminutive names, risen steeply from #874 (25 births) in 1997 to #365 (124 births) in 2010. When the 2011 statistics are released in August, it is expected that both Philippa and Pippa will have seen an increase in usage.

Famous Bearers:

History: * St Philippa (d.220) was martyred alongside her son St Theodore.  * There are three women named Philippa who have been beatified: Blessed Philippa Mareri (1200 — 1236), Blessed Philippa de Chantemilan (1412 — 1451) and Blessed Philippa of Gheldre (1462 — 1547).   * Philippa Roet (c.1346 — c.1387) was the wife of Geoffrey Chaucer and sister of Katherine Swynford. Her father was a knight of Hainault who accompanied Queen Philippa to England.  * Philippa Fawcett (1868 — 1948) was a  British mathematician and first woman to obtain the top score in the Cambridge Mathematical Tripos exams. * Philippa Foot (1920 — 2010) was a British philosopher; one of the founders of virtue ethics. Royalty: * Philippa of Toulouse (c. 1073 — 1118) was Duchess of Aquitaine and Countess of Toulouse. * Philippa of Hainault (1314 — 1369) was queen consort of Edward III.  * Philippa of Clarence (1355 — 1382) was the granddaughter of Edward III and heir presumptive of her cousin Richard II.  * Philippa of Lancaster (1359 — 1415) was also a granddaughter of Edward III, and queen consort of Portugal. Contemporary: * Philippa "Pippa" Middleton (b.1983) is the sister of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.  * Phillipa "Pip" Brown (b.1979) is a New Zealand singer-songwriter known as Ladyhawke.  * Philippa Forrester (b.1968) is radio and television presenter, author and producer. * Philippa Gregory (b.1954) is a well known author of historical novels.

Variants:

Phillipa, Phillippa, Philipa (UK), Filipa (Slavic, Polish, Portuguese), Filippa (Italian, Greek, Russian, Swedish), Felipa (Spanish), Philippine (French), Philippina (German)

Pronunciation:

FIL-i-pə (UK) [key]

Possible  Diminutives:

Fifi, Lia, Pia, Pippa, Pipi, Polly, Poppy

Sibling Names:

Emmeline      Hermione     Joanna     Victoria     Georgina     Helena  Richard     Anthony     Edward     Timothy     Sebastian     Robert

Name Lists:

Vintage   Upright Elegance   Terrifically Tudor   Royal Names   Names from Jane Austen

 

If you like Philippa you may also like:   Constance, Josephine, Eleanor, Henrietta, Imogen, Cassandra, Arabella, Marianne, Harriet, Charlotte

 

Jubilee Names: Modern reinvention of a classic tradition

February 6th 1852 marked the beginning of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. Although the coronation did not take place until June 2nd 1953, 2012 is the official celebratory year of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

Any Diamond Jubilee — sixty years of one monarch on the throne — is a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence, which, if nothing else, will be marked by much merrymaking and partying when official celebrations are held on the 4th and 5th of June.

But, such an auspicious also means a time for a new generation of "jubilee names."

 

Traditional Jubilee Names

"Jubilee" names are a long-standing tradition in Great Britain. For centuries parents have wanted to mark the significance of jubilee occasions in the names of their children who were born around that time. Often the name of the contemporary reigning monarch was also incorporated, hence we find several children named Jubilee George, Jubilee Victoria, Jubilee Victor Albert and the like. Interestingly, there was also an equal mix of masculine and feminine usage in the names. 

The Birth, Marriage and Death Index (which started in 1838) indicates that several Jubilees and Jubilee Georges were registered in 1810, the year of George III's Golden Jubilee. It isn't, however, until Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee, in 1887, that we see a positive flurry of Jubilee inspired names, which reappeared again for her Diamond Jubilee in 1897. 

Even during Queen Elizabeth II's reign there have been children given "Jubilee" names — first for the Silver Jubilee 1977, and later the Golden in 2002. 

Here are just a few examples of jubilee inspired names used in Britain over the past two centuries:

pre-1880 Jubilee Charlotte Jubilee Clotilda Jubilee Eliza Jubilee George Jubilee John Jubilee Sophia Jubilee Waterloo Jubilia Jane

1887 Jubilee Albert Victor Jubilee Alicia Jubilee Etta Jubilee Everard Jubilee George Jubilee Jack Jubilee Julia Jubilee Montague Jubilee Robert Jubilee Victoria  Jubiletta Movina  Victoria Jubilee

1897 Jubilee Bertie Jubilee Bob Jubilee Daisy Jubilee Diamond Jubilee Janetta Jubilee May Jubilee Olive Jubilee Queen Jubilee Victor Jubilee Violet Victor Jubilee Lily Victoria Jubilee

post-1950 Beauford Jubilee Bethany Jubilee Coral Jubilee Daisy Jubilee Honour Jubilee Jubilee Allegra Jubilee Anna  Jubilee George Jubilee Sarah Juliette Jubilee Laura Jubilee Tracy Jubilee

Jubilee

Our word for jubilee comes from the Old French jubile, a term that meant "jubilee, anniversary, celebration, rejoicing," and is related to the word jubilation. It derives from the Late Latin jubilaeus meaning "year of jubilee" and is thought to have deliberately modified the original Greek spelling of iobelaios in association with the Latin jubilare meaning "to sing or shout joyfully." 

The original concept of a jubilee celebration is found in Jewish lore as the observance, every fifty years, of a year of emancipation and restoration. A ram's horn (yōbēl) was used as a trumpet to celebrate a jubilee year, and is one explanation for the ultimate origin of "jubilee." The word can also be found in the biblical name Jubal, and was not uncommon in Britain from the 16th to 18th century. 

Another theory relates the ultimate origin, like jubilation, to the Proto-Indo-European *yu-, an exclamation or shout of joy. For name inspiration we could look to the Hebrew word רֹן (ron) "singing, joyful sounds," which is found in the names Liron, Ran, Rani, Ranit, Renana, Rina, Ron, Rona, Ronel, Ronen, Roni, Ronit, Ronli, Shiran, and Yaron.

We can also look to the many names that have a "joyful" or "rejoicing" meaning for inspiration such as Joy, Chara, Letitia, Allegra, Asher, Sharma and Lowenna. Many more are discussed in the "Joy" advent post.

 

Diamond

According to tradition, a sixty year anniversary is represented by diamonds, and why a Diamond Jubilee is so rare. The name for diamond derives from the Greek adamas meaning “unconquerable, invincible”, and has been used as a unisex name in Britain for centuries. Usage of the name particularly spiked in 1897 when it was used to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.

Some examples include:

Alfred Diamond Jubilee Diamond Claude Diamond Henry Diamond Joseph Diamond Jubilee

Diamond Leonard  Diamond Thomas Edward Diamond Jubilee George Diamond Victor Victor Diamond Jubilee

Diamond Andrewetta  Diamond Daisy Gwendolen Diamond Ivy May Diamond Jubilee May Diamond Lily

Diamond Rose Diamond Ruby Diamond Victoria Victoria Diamond Jubilee Victoria Diamond May

Diamante, Diamantina, Diamantino and Diamando are all variant forms of the name that have been used in Britain. In other languages we can find Almas in Arabic, which is used as a unisex name; Diamanto in Greek, Elmas in Turkish and Intan in Indonesian.

 

Elizabeth

No matter what personal feelings people have towards the concept of monarchy, most people agree that Queen Elizabeth II has performed her duties as queen with great aplomb and dignity. She is poised, professional, and never controversial. Her fans are wide-ranging: Lady Gaga even once commented that "There is no greater lady than the Queen."

Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born in April 1926, sharing the same names as her mother, great-grandmother, and grandmother: all of whom were queen consorts. Early attempts to pronounce her own name led to the nickname Lilibet — a name she was known by widely to her family and friends*.

Elizabeth has been in the Top 50 most popular girls names every year since for the last century. In previous centuries it was extremely popular and, indeed, for most of the 16th and 17th century it was the number one name, producing numerous diminutives such as Bess, Beth, Betsy, Betty, Eliza, Elsa, Elsie, Lylie and Lizzie. Other variants of Elizabeth include:

Alžběta Bethan Betja Betsan Bettina Buffy Bözsi Ealasaid Eilís  Eilish

Elikapeka Elisa Elisabet Elisabeth Elisabetta Elisavet Elisaveta Elise Elisheba Elisheva

Eliška Elixabete Elspeth Elżbieta Erzsébet Ilsa Isabel Isabella Lies Liesbeth

Liese Liesl Lili Lilian Lilias Lisa Lisbeth Lisette Lys Lysod

 

Union Jack

Something a little less tied to monarchy, but equally patriotic, is the name Jack.

During the upcoming Jubilee celebrations in June, the national flag of the United Kingdom will be gaily hung, waved, and plastered on tableware, decorations, and novelty clothing. The technical name for the flag is the Union Flag, but over the centuries the name Union Jack has also been used. It is unclear where the name originally came from. One explanation is that it gets its name from the "jack staff" of naval vessels from which the original Union Flag was flown; another popular theory is that it derives from James I of Great Britain (from whom we get the term Jacobean), who introduced the flag following his accession to the throne.

Not only is the name Jack associated highly with the nation's flag, it was also the most popular boys name in England and Wales from 1996 to 2008, and second most popular in 2009 and 2010. It has enjoyed equal success in both Scotland and Northern Ireland as well, showing that it truly is a quintessentially "British" name. 

The name started life, via several variations, as a diminutive of John. Much like its variant form, John has enjoyed extraordinary success in Britain; so much so that it was, unquestionably, the most popular male name in Britain from the 13th to the mid-20th century. No other name has enjoyed such incomparable success. Many boys were registered as "John" officially, but called "Jack" informally, and, as the common pet-form for such a hugely popular name, it's little wonder that Jack became a vernacular term for, simply, "a man". 

So, whether it is John, or his little brother Jack, it's hard to find a name that is more patriotic. 

 

 

'Twas Ever Thus...

Just when we think modern parents are creating new and unique ideas for naming, it turns out the Victorians have been there, done that, and bought the proverbial (T-)shirt. In this letter to the editor of The Standard in 1892, an unnamed Vicar gives us a wonderful insight into the creative naming process of two Victorian parents. 

 

TO THE EDITOR OF THE STANDARD    SIR — A few weeks ago, at a baptism of a baby, the names "Azile Pauline" were given me. Not knowing or recognising the first name, I asked that it might be spelt. Not being much enlightened, but imagining it might be some French name to go with the second, which was pronounced with the French accent, I baptised the baby with those names. On asking the mother after the service where she had got the name from, she replied, "Neither my husband nor myself likes the name Eliza, so we thought we would spell it backwards!" I am, Sir, your obedient servant, VICAR      April 9.                                          The Standard                                  (London), April 11, 1892

 

 

Name of the Week

 

It feels like a modern firstname-surname, but Ellis has been rocking 
as a personal name for centuries. 

 

Origin:

Ultimately derived from the Biblical name Elijah, a major prophet in the Old Testament. His name in Hebrew was אֱלִיָּהוּ ('Eliyyahu) which translates as "God is Yahweh."  In Greek and Latin translations of the bible, Elijah was rendered as Elias, and several early saints who bore the name were known commonly by this form. Ellis evolved as a Middle English vernacular form of Elias.

Usage:

Elias was a widely used name in the Middle Ages thanks, in part, to the popular use of the prophet Elijah in medieval literature and the three early Christian saints named Elias. Vernacular forms in Britain included Elis, Ellis and Elys. The Old French form, Élie, was also used, with Eliot as a diminutive.  The popular usage of these variant forms is attested by the all the numerous surnames that derived from them: Ellis, Elles, Hellis, Ely, Ealey, Ellison, Eliott, Elliott.  The name maintained its high usage up until the 15th century, after which it became superseded by Elijah: a favourite for the Puritans. Ellis, at this time, was in high usage as a surname, and it is quite likely that when it began picking up in frequency as a first name in the 17th century* it was thanks to its use as a family surname. This would certainly also explain some instances of Ellis as a feminine name from the 17th century onwards. Other examples of Ellis used at this time represent a variant spelling of Alice.  In the 1851 UK census there are 3,518 males and 470 females named Ellis, while in 1901 the gender divide had shifted to 6,574 men and 252 women respectively. Elis and Ellis are very common surnames in Wales that have also long been used as personal names. Some examples may represent the medieval form of Elias, while others are thought to be a form of Elisedd. Early examples from the 13th century show both Elisedd and Elise (the dd having easily been dropped), which eventually became Elis. Elisedd was the name of a King of Powys in the 8th century. The origin of the name is uncertain, but one theory suggests it derives from elus meaning "benevolent, charitable"*. In England and Wales, Ellis ranked in the Top 100 boys names from 1998 to 2009, peaking in 2006 at #77 with 876 births. In 2010 the name had slipped down slightly to the cumulative rank of #102 with 660 births: #64 in Wales, and #104 in England. Elis ranked at #687 with 45 births. For girls, Ellis was at its most popular in the 1990s, peaking in 1998 at #248 with 160 births. Since then the numbers have been rapidly declining to only 23 births (rank #1332) in 2010.  In Scotland the name ranked #135 in 2011 with 42 births, consistant with its #134 rank in 2010.

Famous Bearers:

* Ellis Lloyd was a Welsh politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1614. * Sir Ellis Ellis-Griffith, 1st Baronet of Llanidan (1860–1926) was a British barrister and Liberal politician. * Ellis Loring Dresel (b. 1865–1925) was an American lawyer and diplomat. * Ellis Wackett CBE (1901–1984) was a senior commander in the RAAF. * Sir Ellis Waterhouse (1905–1985) was an art historian and director of the National Galleries of Scotland from 1949 to 52. * Ellis Ferreira (b.1970) is a South African former proffesional tennis player. Literature:  * Ellis Bell was the pen name of Emily Bronte.  * Ellis Peters was the pen name of Edith Pargeter.

Variants:

Elias (Biblical Greek), Elijah (Hebrew), Eliot, Elys (Medieval), Élie (French), Elis (Welsh, Swedish), Ilyas (Arabic), Elia (Dutch), Ilya (Russian)

Pronunciation:

EL-iss (UK) [key]

Sibling Names:

Grace     Esme     Poppy     Zoe     Daisy     Mia  Harry     Oliver     Louis     Austin     Owen     Jack

Name Lists:

Medieval Favourites    Terrrifically Tudor

 

If you like Ellis you may also like:   Elliot, Lewis, Evan, Harris, Ewan, Rhys, Ethan, Bowen, Willis, Tallis

 

The Rollses of Bray

According to the 1911 census, Richard and Mary Ann Rolls of Bray, Berkshire, had been married 43 years and had produced a total of 15 children, 12 of whom were still living by that time. Richard, up to that time, had various jobs, including Builder's Labourer and Chimney Sweep.
. 

The Rolls family on the 1891 census

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The couple were married in 1867, and sadly it seems that the infant listed as "Female", who was born and died in the same quarter of 1868, was their first child. A year later a second daughter was born, surviving well in to adulthood, whom they named Ocean. 

In 1871 they had a son named Benbow — a surname derived from bend bow, a medieval nickname for an archer — and, in 1873, another daughter, named Daisy.

Merging the oceanic and flowery themes of their elder daughters' names together, in 1875 they welcomed a baby girl whom they uniquely named Seaflower. So unique, in fact, that no other person has been given this name in Britain from at least 1838 to 2005. 

1877 and 1878 saw two more florally-named daughters join the family: Bluebell and Snowdrop. Intriguingly, a marriage entry for Snowdrop in 1899, gives her name as "Snowdrop Jessamine". This is the only record of her having a middle name and, as it wasn't unheard of for people to give a slightly altered name on their marriage certificate, it is quite likely she added it in simply because she liked the name. 

Another daughter, May, arrived in 1880. Her birth was registered in the April to June quarter, so she may have been named for the month in which she was born. Two more girls followed: Ivy was born in 1882, and Myrtle in 1883.

After a succession of seven girls in a row, in 1885, a boy, Hercules, was born. He was followed by more sons: Cecil was born in 1887, and Oscar in 1889.

1891 marked the birth of the couple's youngest child — a boy — listed as "Baby" in the 1891 census (above), aged two weeks old. The name they eventually settled on for their final child? Rover Rolls.

I have traced 14 children altogether, and accounted for the three children that died before 1911. (The first baby, Daisy, aged 17, and Hercules, aged 13). So where is the mysterious fifteenth child numbered on the 1911 census? I have a suspicion that the couple's first grandson, Percy Edward Jones, makes up the final number. 

Born in 1889, in the same quarter as Oscar, Percy was Ocean's son from her first marriage. As a one-year old, he was living with Richard and Mary Ann on the 1891 census (above), and was still living with them on both the 1901 and 1911 census. He seems to have been brought up alongside his uncles, so it is highly likely that he was also counted among their brood.

 

Twenty-two years, fourteen children, and one heck of a sibset: Ocean, Benbow, Daisy, Seaflower, Bluebell, Snowdrop, May, Ivy, Myrtle, Hercules, Cecil, Oscar, Percy and Rover. 

 

Metronymic Surnames

The last three lists have looked at patronymic surnames from the British Isles; this week we focus on metronymics.

As with patronymics, metronymic surnames still retain the masculine "son of" element, but the route personal name is derived from a feminine name. It is often thought that metronymics were given when a boy was born illegitimately, or raised by a widowed mother. In some cases this is undoubtedly true, but it would be a mistake to assume this was always the case. Back when family, titles and land were everything, women took their family status and wealth to their marriage. Men would often associate themselves with the most powerful branch of their family — and sometimes that was their mother's. We find Henry II, for example, more often associating himself with his mother, Matilda — daughter of a king and empress by marriage — than his father, Geoffrey — a lower ranking count. One of his bynames was, in fact, FitzEmpress "son of the Empress".

 These men were the sons of their mothers, not the sons of their fathers. 

Alletson Annison Avison Babson Bellson Bethson Betson Bettenson Bettison Bridson

Casson Clarson  Cusson Dyerson Dyson Ebbatson Eddison Edson Elletson Elinson

Emmons Emson Evason Everson Goodison Gunson  Hibberson Hillson Ibbeson Ibotson

Iddison Ideson Ineson Ison Kitson Letson  Mabson Madison Magson Malkinson

Malleson Mallinson  Margetson Margison Maryson Maudson Mawson Meggison Megson Milson

Mollison Molson Moxon Nanson Nelson McBride Sibson Tilson Tillison Tillotson

All the surnames above literally translate as "son of (feminine name)".