DITTO.....

[wini]

Although I am not getting a lot more information from the OPR's I find them quite fascinating.
In a Birth Record in Eddrachillis in 1809 on the first entry the child is Baptised by Mr. Findlater on the next 3 entries it says Baptised by Ditto
I thought that was a bit lazy.

The other thing I didn't know that on these Sutherland records the English name is given first and the Gaelic name is given as their Alias.

What do you call the nick name given in the highlands?

wini

[DavidWW]

.......snipped.............
What do you call the nick name given in the highlands?

wini

Byname.

David

As Ruairidh Og MacRae (aka Ruairidh [MacRae] the younger) comments in a recent edition of the The Highlander magazine “It might happen that five interrelated Duncan MacRaes might be living in the same glen at the same time. What utter confusion might result if some further distinction were not used?”.

In other words, in many areas of the Highlands there was the same situation as in the Moray coast fishing villages, - a potentially confusing number of people with the same name.

Highland by-names were commonly given for physical characteristics, - hair color, stature, age, particular physical characteristic, etc., but sometimes the by-name would derive from an event or location, thus, quoted by Ruairidh Og MacRae, - Ian nam Casteil (John of the Castle), or Eddy Loupinour (Eddy from the barley field at the loop in the river).

Gaelic by-names can also be incorporated in patronymics, - thus Donnachaidh mhor MhicGillechroisd glas Vhic Alaister bain, - Big Duncan, the son of grey Christopher, the son of fair Alexander.

Ruairidh Og MacRae quotes the following more common by-names (pronunciation in brackets) –

Donnachaidh Bain (“bahn”): Fair Duncan; probably light complexion or hair, perhaps disposition;

Alister Ruadh (“roy”): Red Alexander; prominent red hair;

Cailen Dubh (“doo”): Black Colin; probably hair or complexion or, rarely, temperament;

Seamus Mhor (“more”): Big James; usually stature but can also mean the elder;

Foinlaidh Beag (“beg”): Little Finlay; smaller of stature or the younger;

Ruairidh Og (“oich”): Young Roderick; either age or family order;

Ian Breac (“breck”): Freckled John; breac denotes dappled or broken; also used for tartan and places;

Dubhglas Cuil (“cool”): Thin Douglas.

Coinnich Buidhe (“booey”): Yellow Kenneth; almost certainly Nordic blond hair;

Domhnuil Glas (“glas”); Gray Donald; most probably hair colour.

In Scottish history and literature by-names often become an apparent Scottish Lowland style middle name. Thus, there was never a person by the name of Rob Roy McGregor, - he was Rob Ruadh McGregor; and Robert Louis Stevenson’s hero Alan Breck Stewart was actually named Alan Breac Stewart because of his freckles!!

Note that a t-name or a by-name is different from a nickname. A nickname is a substitution for the person’s name, while a t-name or by-name adds to the person’s name. In other words, a nickname is used in place of, while a t-name or by-name modifies. Thus, “Butch” might be substituted for “James”, while a Moray coast fishing village t-name might be as shown below, - these are the t-name surnames that occur in 1881 in the Yardie area of the parish of Ruthven, -


Cowie-Gullie
Cowie-Carrott
Cowie-Bullen
Cowie-Coolen
Cowie-Coup
Cowie Dosie
Cowie-Dowie
Cowie-Goolie
Cowie-Pum
Cowie-Codlin
Cowie-Diddle
Cowie-Upple
Cowie-Spurrel
Cowie-Steiner
Cowie-Sanak
Murray-Smacker
Murray-George
Murray-Prince
Murray-Dotie
Murray-Costie
Murray-Lockie
Murray-Gouk
Murray-Farmer
Murray-Drainie
Murray-Diddle
Murray-Geyke
Jappy-Lad
Jappy-Shake
Jappy-Buf
Jappy-Shak
Jappy-John
Thompson-Suple
Thompson-Cackie
Thompson-Bo

[SarahND]

- these are the t-name surnames that occur in 1881 in the Yardie area of the parish of Ruthven

Fascinating! Good thing the SP search is Surname: * and automatically gives you instances with the surname + whatever! And reminds us to leave the Return all forenames that begin with these characters box checked, in case!

Regards,
Sarah

[wini]

David,

Thanks for the explanation.
I have a Barbara Mackintosh whose father is given as Niel Bayn or Bahn.
Would he always be called that or would his "proper" surname be recorded anywhere?

wini

[DavidWW]

David,

Thanks for the explanation.
I have a Barbara Mackintosh whose father is given as Niel Bayn or Bahn.
Would he always be called that or would his "proper" surname be recorded anywhere?

wini

"Bahn" in the list means "fair". Probable not certain that his original surname will be recorded somewhere.

David

[wini]

Thanks David,,

Another one on the backburner for a while

wini