Historian and author David Ross explores the many layers of meaning embedded in Scottish surnames in this compact and readable 160-page paperback volume. Your last name might have indicated what sort of work your ancestors did, who their father was, or what village they came from, or the color of their hair, or what activities they excelled at.
As many know, the Gaelic word “Mac” simply indicated who someone’s father was. Sometimes a Mac- name indicates a trade, “as in “MacIntyre (‘son of the carpenter,’)” writes Ross. This portable and entertaining paperwork is organized alphabetically, like a research index, with over 400 Scottish names listed. “In each case,” as Ross writes in the introduction, “the original meaning of the name is given, along with the original location, where known, and its first recorded appearance. Historical details and individuals of particular interest are also noted.”
Most entries are 50 to 100-words in length. As an example of the style and depth of the information, here is the listing for the name Gifford: “Sir Hugh Gifford or Gifard obtained a charter for lands in East Lothian in 1186. He was an incomer from Normandy and origin of his name is Norman French gifard, “rosy-cheeked.’ The village of Gifford (formerly Ystrad, then Yester) is named after the family.”
Who doesn’t want to know about their ancestors? It’s a basic need, to understand where we came from, who we came from! Many of us don’t have access to detailed family histories, photos, birth records or written accounts, but we want to know what life was like for our great-great-great-great grandparents. Our names, like our genes, tell some of the story. But names – family names, last names, sur names – are a strand of the tale that can get confusing fast, as anyone who’s explored old family trees can attest. Spellings change, over generations and through emigration or any number of factors.
As Ross points out, this is a book about names, not about genealogy. Read in snippets, this book paints a picture of the deep history, migrations, conquests, alliances and changes that have shaped Scotland and the people took their names from the place.
