Names studies

Over 43,000 entries

‘“What’s in a name?” Juliet asked as she and Romeo tried to puzzle their way around the troubling problem of their warring families. Well, plenty, the most detailed investigation into surnames in the UK and Ireland has found.’

Steven Morris, The Guardian (of The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland)

This new dictionary provides up-to date and authoritative explanations of family names found in Britain. It is an edited version of The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names of Britain and Ireland, published to great acclaim in 2016, which provided evidence for the origins, history, and geographical distribution of tens of thousands of family names current in Britain, many of them never explained before. The Concise Dictionary includes almost all the names originally covered, plus some additional rarer names, in a more concise and accessible format, and will be a key research tool for those investigating their family history.

Each entry includes British frequencies and main locations as evidenced in the 1881 Census, as well as etymological detail and variants of the name. It tells you what type of name it is – perhaps an occupational name such as Taylor, or a nickname such as Short – the name’s original language and culture, and any multiple origins.

This dictionary explores the history, meanings, and origin of place names around the world. It covers continents, countries, regions, islands, bays, capes, cities, towns, deserts, lakes, mountains, and rivers, giving the name in the local language as well as key historical facts associated with many place names.

The sixth edition includes final recognition of the name Myanmar in place of Burma. Some amendments reflect changes in spelling and romanization systems. Furthermore, official recognition is being given to the greater use of indigenous names.

In addition to the entries themselves, the dictionary includes a glossary of foreign word elements which appear in place names and their meaning, as well as a list of personalities and leaders who have influenced the naming of places around the world.

2003 Library Journal Best Reference Source

2003 Booklist Editors' Choice

The Dictionary of American Family Names contains more than 70,000 of the most commonly occurring surnames in the United States, giving their comparative frequencies, linguistic and historical explanations, selected associated forenames, and occasional genealogical notes. The product of a ten-year research project gathering the contributions of thirty linguistic consultants led by Editor in Chief Patrick Hanks, it explains the meanings—some intuitive, some amusing, and some quite surprising—of the family names for more than 90 percent of the U.S. population.

“Another volume for every local historian's bookshelf” - Local Historian

This revised edition of the Dictionary of British Place-Names includes over 17,000 engaging and informative entries, tracing the development of the featured place-names from earliest times to the present day. Included place-names range from the familiar to the obscure, among them 'Beer', 'Findlater', 'Broadbottom', and 'Great Snoring'. The A to Z entries are complemented by a detailed introductory essay discussing the chronology and development of English, Irish, Welsh, and Scottish place-names, as well as an extensive bibliography, maps of Britain showing old and new boundaries, and a glossary of common elements in place-names.

Both accessible and up to date, this dictionary is an ideal companion for anybody travelling around the British Isles, as well as for researchers and students with an interest in toponomy, local history, cartography, and lexicography.

Over 6,000 names

‘I have returned to this dictionary again and again for sheer pleasure?’ — Financial Times

We all have a first name, but how many of us really know its origin and history? This dictionary covers over 6,000 names in common use in English, including the traditional and the very newest. It tells you the age, origin, and meaning of the name, as well as how it has fared in terms of popularity, and who the famous fictional or historical bearers of the name have been. It covers alternative spellings, short forms and pet forms, masculine and feminine forms, as well as help with pronunciation.

Have you ever wondered where the unusual names of Elephant and Castle, Grim's Ditch, Soho, and World's End come from? Find out the linguistic and historical origins of these place-names and discover their significance in recording English cultural heritage. From Abbey Road to Canary Wharf and Piccadilly to Whipps Cross, this authoritative and absorbing dictionary covers the meanings behind over 1,700 names of places, streets, stations, and areas of London.

The book comprises two main parts: a fascinating introduction, located on the Preface tab, discussing the chronology and structure of London place-names following the development of the city from pre-Celtic times to the present day; and an A-Z of the place-names themselves, giving their date of first record, origins, and associations. It also features 9 maps of London, a useful glossary of the elements in London place-names, and a select bibliography.

Now revised and updated to include the latest in names research and to include new place-names, this remains an excellent reference guide for local historians and a captivating read for both Londoners and visitors to the city.

Over 45,000 entries

This huge new dictionary is the ultimate reference work on family names of the UK, covering English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish, Cornish, and immigrant surnames. It includes every surname that currently has more than 100 bearers, and those that had more than 20 bearers in the 1881 census.

Each entry contains lists of variant spellings of the name, an explanation of its origins (including the etymology), lists of early bearers showing evidence for formation and continuity from the date of formation down to the 19th century, geographical distribution, and, where relevant, genealogical and bibliographical notes, making this a fully comprehensive work on family names.

This authoritative guide also includes an introductory essay explaining the historical background, formation, and typology of surnames and a guide to surnames research and family history research. Additional material also includes a list of published and unpublished lists of surnames from the Middle Ages to the present day.

Over 3,800 entries

This unique dictionary covers the majority of family names that are established and current in Ireland, both in the Republic and in Northern Ireland. It establishes reliable and accurate explanations of historical origins (including etymologies), and provides variant spellings and geographical distribution for each name. Additionally, where relevant, it includes genealogical and bibliographical notes for family names that have more than 100 bearers in the 1911 census of Ireland.

An extensive introduction gives the history and formation of Irish family names, of Gaelic and English-language origin, and the research methods and sources used to compile the dictionary. The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names of Ireland will be of the greatest interest not only to those interested in Irish history, students of the Irish language, genealogists, and geneticists, but also to the general public, both in Ireland and in the Irish diaspora in North America, Australia, and elsewhere.