Book Review: Research Your Surname by Dr. Graeme Davis

This book is short and focused ad because of this, it was the perfect first book to learn about surnames. Each chapter is sub-divided so that there is a paragraph or two on each single topic, for instance, surname drift or Norman England.

This is such an accessible book that has made me feel much more confident with my surname studies and given me clear directions on what I should be looking for and where my research should be headed. While I had already realised that I needed to go back as far as possible to get as close as possible to the origin of surnames in my family, I can also use distribution maps when I find that my family lived in certain areas. I also need to spend time looking for place names, occupations, or topographical features in those areas that may have originally provided the origin of individual surnames. The author teaches us to be sceptical of convenient surname definitions, for instance is it likely in a country where brown hair is very common that the surname Brown would be given due to hair colour?

I have some very common surnames, such as Brown, which this book helpfully describes and tells me that the research on this surname doesn't provide a clear definition. I also have surnames that aren't English and aren't common worldwide, never mind in Britain, so there is no definition I'm aware of, only the research I've been conducting - but this book is helpful for that too - as I've written about in the paragraph above.

There are some excellent chapters on surnames of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. A reasonable amount of history described means that the reader can get a real sense of the events of the period that surnames were formed - and why certain surnames occur in certain areas.

If you'd like to begin surname research, or just get a better grasp of what a surname is - then read this book. It's short, so won't take up too much time; but full of very useful information. An added bonus is how readable it is. Give it a go!

Wordless Wednesday: Multigenerational use of cot - Father and Son

Surname: Brown

This surname post will be different to my post on the surname HAVENITH due to BROWN having a much shorter history within my family. The information within the post will be fairly general (due to lack of professional research into the surname) and will focus more on the personal history of the surname in my family.

Origin
The origin of the surname BROWN and its variants is not known. This is due to this being a nickname surname.

Within my family, my grandfather Ernest BROWN is said to have chosen the name. He was part of a traveller family and the story goes that he changed his surname to avoid conscription into the army. Unfortunately, he died when my father and his siblings were children, therefore very little is known. We don't know why is chose BROWN as his replacement surname, but we do know that he settled down for a number of years with my grandmother and had 6 children. His occupation changed over the years, but he was best known as a rag and bone man. His original name was Ernest HARWOOD.

Distribution
This is a wildly common surname and is found throughout Britain and is noted as being the sixth most common surname at the time Graeme Davis published Research your Surname in 2010.

Meaning
This surname is considered to be a nickname surname referring to things such as hair colour or hair colour, or sometimes even the colour of someone's clothes. These ideas - especially relating to hair colour - seem unrealistic, however without further investigation by experts, we are likely to remain with this answer.

Another idea is that it could possibly be a patronymic of the first name 'Brun' or relating to a place name that has brown in the name.

There may well be possible origins for this surname. The further back you can trace this surname in your own family history; the closer you'll be to an answer (hopefully).

Variation
There is no variation of this surname within my family as I was part of the third generation to have the surname.

Conclusion
My interest in the surname BROWN, it's fair to say, is quite superficial. This is due to the surname having such a short history within my family. At the moment, I know as much as I can know about why this surname is in my family. I think that there may still be some people that knew my grandfather, but they are travellers and unfortunately I'm unlikely to ever meet then and find out more about my grandfather's history. 

Sources
Graeme Davis, 2010. Research Your Surname and Your Family Tree: Find Out What Your Surname Means and Trace Your Ancestors Who Share It Too. Edition. How to Books. 

Book Review: Wiltshire Folk Tales by Kirsty Hartsiotis

This book is a collection of retold folk tales from my adopted county of Wiltshire. While I only moved here in 2007, my wife grew up in this county and her father's side of the family have lived in Wiltshire for generations. I'd heard of the folk tale entitled 'Moonrakers' before, but thought that now my child(ren - ever hopeful!) will grow up in Wiltshire; it was time I learned a few more of these stories and the history behind them.

This book contains 30 stories and where the stories mention specific places, these can be found on the map before the introduction. I like the fact that the author has visited the various sources for the stories and has retold them. This means that all of the folk tales in the book have the same feel and narrative to them - which I feel makes for an easier read.

Not only are relevant line drawings present for each of the tales, but after each tale a box explains the documented history of the tale. The author also explains when she has merged two tales or where she's made choices to follow a certain narrative after being confronted with sources detailing different versions. Understanding the history of the tales, such as for the Amesbury Archer, ensures that the reader can build a deeper connection to this ancient county.

I can't wait to retell these tales to my son when he arrives in the (very) near future. I think it's a book that anyone that lives in Wiltshire or has any connection to it should read. My favorites are Moonrakers and Stone Soup as they show the spirit and intelligence of the Wiltshire people.

This series seems to have a book for most (if not all) counties - what can yours tell you? Perhaps your relatives have folk tales that have been passed down to them? If so, now is a good time to ask and get them recorded, either via microphone or on paper.