Surnames as a Science Part 24

FOOTNOTES:

[47] This name may be, not improbably, one of those that were brought over after the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes.

[48] We also find the other form, Hlud, in Hludes beorh, Hlud's barrow, or grave.

[49] Some further remarks on this Frankish prefix will be found in the succeeding chapter on Italian names.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE GERMAN ORIGIN OF GREAT ITALIANS AS EVIDENCED IN THEIR NAMES.

The successive waves of German invasion that swept over Italy, leaving their record in the name of one of its fairest provinces, while they added a few German words to the language, left a much larger number of German patronymics in the names of its families. The Christian names borne by well-known Italians, such as _Alberto, Arnolfo, Bernardo, Carlo, Enrico, Federigo_ (Frederic), _Francesco, Leonardo, Luigi, Ludovico, Mainardo, Odoardo_ (Edward), _Ridolphi, Sinibaldo, Ugo_ (Hugo or Hugh), _Onofrio_ (Humphrey), all of German origin, sufficiently attest this to have been the case. And I think we shall be warranted in a.s.suming, as in the case of France, that if this be the case with Christian names, it cannot be essentially different with regard to surnames.

But inasmuch as I have not had the same opportunity of collating and examining the ma.s.s of Italian surnames that I have had in the case of those of France, I propose to shape the comparison into a rather different form, and, without departing from its etymological purpose, to endeavour to give it something of an ethnical interest as well. This admixture of German blood could not fail to have an influence--and, we can hardly doubt, an invigorating influence--upon the character of the softer and more receptive Italian race. It may not then be without interest--though we need not attach more importance to the result than it deserves--to endeavour to trace the result of that admixture in the names of ill.u.s.trious Italians. For it is somewhat remarkable how many of the men most distinguished in the council and in the field, in science, literature, and in art, bear names which testify to a German origin. And we are even able, in certain cases, to indicate with a fair amount of probability the particular race of Germans from whom these names may be taken to be derived. The rule laid down by Max Muller (_Science of Language_) that words in Italian beginning with _gua_, _gue_, _gui_, may be taken to be pretty certainly of German origin, holds good also of Italian names. Now this form of _gua_, _gue_, _gui_ represents the prefix of _g_ before _w_, which was a special characteristic of the Franks, as it is still of their descendants, the French, in such names as Guillaume (=Gwillaume) for Wilhelm or William. In some cases, though more rarely, this prefix of _g_, in accordance with a High German tendency, becomes a hard _c_ and is represented by _q_, as in _Queringi_ and perhaps _Quirini_. Such names then as _Gualdo_, _Guardi_, _Guido_, _Guicciardini_, _Guarnerius_, may be taken as certainly of German, and I think, more especially of Frankish origin.

To begin with the names of warriors, the list may well be headed by that of the old hero, _Garibaldi_. Garibald (_gar_, spear, and _bald_, bold) was a well-known Old German name, being borne, among others, by a Duke in Bavaria in the sixth century, by six bishops in the three centuries following, and, what is more to the purpose, by two Lombard kings in Italy. We ourselves have the name in its Saxon form (_gor_ for _gar_) as _Gorbold_ and _Corbould_ (O.G. Kerbald), and the French have it as _Gerbault_. "Blind old _Dandalo_" may also be claimed as German; Dandalo, corresponding with an O.G. Dantulo, being formed as a diminutive from the Old German name Dando. I have elsewhere made the suggestion, which I venture here to reproduce, that _Bonaparte_ may also be a name of German origin, slightly changed to give it a seeming meaning in Italian. The case stands thus. Bonibert and Bonipert are found as Old Frankish names, respectively of the seventh and the ninth centuries. In that part of Italy which was overrun by the Franks, namely at Turin, is to be found the present Italian name _Boniperti_, which we can hardly doubt to be derived from the Old Frankish Bonipert. Now from this part of Italy came originally also the Bonapartes, and the question is simply this, May not the name _Bonaparte_ originate in an attempt to give something of an Italian meaning to this other name _Boniperti_, which would convey no sense to an Italian ear? The French still have the Old Frankish name as _Bompart_ (changing _n_ before a l.a.b.i.al into _m_, as they do in Edimbourg for Edinburgh); there was a vice-admiral of that name who proved his courage by engaging, though unsuccessfully, an English frigate of superior force. And we--or at any rate the Americans--have it in a Saxon form as _Bonbright_ (_Suffolk Surnames_).

And very appropriate, if we were to translate it, would be the meaning--_bona_, a slayer, and _bert_ or _pert_, ill.u.s.trious.

The two distinguished families of the _Adimari_ at Florence and of the _Grimaldi_ at Genoa both give evidence of German descent in their names (O.G. Adimar and Grimwald); as regards the latter indeed it is to be traced historically, though the position of the present representative, as ruler of the princ.i.p.ality of Monaco and recipient of its doubtful gains, is perhaps hardly in accordance with the higher traditions of his family. The name, _Alphonso_, of a Duke of Ferrara in the middle ages, was one given also by the Germans to a still more ill.u.s.trious lineage in Spain. Alphonso is a contraction of the O.G. Adalfuns (_adal_, n.o.ble, _funs_, eager). The Saxon form of _funs_ being _fus_, it seems to me that our name _Adolphus_ may be properly Adel-fus, and not a latinization of Adolph. German also are the names of the two great rival factions of the _Guelphs_ and the _Ghibellines_, Guelph being a Frankish form of Welf or Welp, Eng. whelp, and the Ghibellines deriving from an Old German name Gibilin, traced by Mone to a Burgundian origin. Thus the Guelphs, given originally by Germany to Italy, were afterwards transplanted again to Germany, and thence to England, to rule far above all factions. And again, we find the Bonaparte, whose ancestor was expelled from Italy as a Ghibelline, come forward to pursue on a grander scale his hereditary feud with the Guelphs.

In the names of scholars and men of science the German element is very strongly represented. We find _Accolti_ (O.G. Achiolt for Agiovald[50]), _Alamanni_ (O.G. Alaman), _Algarotti_ (O.G. Algar for Adelgar), _Ansaldi_ (O.G. Ansald for Ansovald), _Audifredi_ (O.G. Audifred), _Bertrandi_ (O.G. Bertrand), _Gualdo_ (O.G. Waldo), _Giraldi_ (O.G.

Girald), _Gosselini_ (O.G. Gosselin), _Guicciardini_ (O.G. Wichard), _Lanzi_ (O.G. Lanzi), _Lamberti_ (O.G. Lambert for Landbert), _Manfredi_ (O.G. Manfred), _Maraldi_ (O.G. Marald), _Odevico_ (O.G. Ottwic for Audewic), _Orlandi_ (O.G. Arland for Hariland), _Raimondi_ (O.G.

Raimund), _Rolandini_ (O.G. Roland for Rodland), _Roberti_ (O.G. Robert for Rodbert), _Sacchi_ (O.G. Sacco), _Quirini_ (O.G. Guerin, Werin). We may add to the list the name of the historian _Sismondi_ (Sigismund), who, though born at Geneva, must, I apprehend, have been of Italian origin. The name in its uncontracted form, _Sigismondi_, is also found in Italy.

Among the names of distinguished explorers and discoverers, we have _Americus_ (O.G. Emrich), who gave his name to America, and _Belzoni_ (O.G. Belzo). German are also the names of the Pope _Aldobrandini_ (O.G.

Aldebrand), and of the philanthropist _Odeschalchi_ (O.G. Odalschalch), whose name, if translated, would be the appropriate one of "Servant of his country."

The painters are not quite so strongly represented as the men of letters and science, the two princ.i.p.al names being those of _Lionardo_ (O.G.

Leonhard) and of _Guido_. Guido is one of the Frankish forms to which I have before alluded, and is formed by the prefix of _g_ to the name Wido or Wito,--it was not an uncommon name among the Old Franks, and is found at present among the French as _Videau, Viteau_, and _Guide_. The ill-omened name of the a.s.sa.s.sin _Guiteau_ I take to be from the same origin, and to be of French extraction. So also may be our own name _Widow_, which corresponds with a Wido of about the twelfth or thirteenth century in the _Liber Vitae_. There is another Italian name, _Guidubaldi_, that of a Duke of Urbino, in the middle ages, formed on the same stem with the addition of _bald_, bold, and corresponding with a Frankish Guidobald. The word concerned seems to be most probably Goth.

_vidus_, O.H.G. _witu_, wood, used in a poetical sense for weapon.[51]

Other names of painters are _Baldi_ (O.G. Baldo), _Baldovin_(_etti_) (O.G. Baldwin), _Anselmi_ (O.G. Anshelm), _Ansuini_ (O.G. Answin), _Aldighiero_ (O.G. Aldegar), _Algardi_ (O.G. Alagart), _Alberti_ (O.G.

Albert for Adalbert), _Alloisi_ (O.G. Alois = Alwis), _Ghiberti_ (O.G.

Gibert), _Gherardini_ (O.G. Gerard), _Gennari_ (O.G. Genear), _Ghirlandaio_ (O.G. Gerland), _Tibaldi_ (O.G. Tiebald for Theudobald).

Also _Guardi_, another of the Frankish forms before referred to, representing an O.G. Wardi, and the same name as Eng. _Ward_, for which we find a corresponding A.S. Weard.

Of those eminent in the sister art of music, we have _Castoldi_ (O.G.

Castald for Castwald), and _Frescobaldi_. This last name does not figure in Foerstemann's list, but we can hardly doubt its German origin, _bald_ being a typical German ending, while Fresc, as a Teutonic name, is found in the Fresc(ingas), early Saxon settlers in England, another instance of the common tie which binds all Teutonic names together. We may add to the list, as the name of a living composer, _Guglielmo_ = Wilhelm or William. Among those who were accessory to music as instrument-makers, we have _Stradivarius_ and _Guarnerius_ (O.G. Guarner for Warinhar) corresponding with our own names _Warriner_ and _Warner_, and present French names _Ouarnier_ and _Guernier_. It will not be out of keeping with what we should expect if we find the German element develop itself in the conception rather than in the execution of music, and in the combination of science and patience which led to the success of the old instrument-makers.

But it is in the names of immortal singers that we find the German element most conspicuously represented. Dante himself bears a name which, though not in itself German, may yet have been given to Italy by the Germans, while as to his second t.i.tle, _Alighieri_, there seems hardly any doubt of its German origin.[52] Dante is a contraction of _Durante_, which seems to be derived most naturally from Latin _durans_, and it might seem something of a paradox to suppose a Latin race to be indebted to the Germans for a Latin name. And yet I think that there are some grounds for supposing it to be a name adopted by the early Frankish converts to Christianity, and by them transmitted to the Italians. For we find Durant, Durand, and Durann as not uncommon German names, apparently Frankish, in the eighth and the ninth centuries. And we find the word moreover made up into a German compound as Durandomar (_mar_, famous). The French have moreover at present, derived we may presume from their Frankish ancestors, another name, _Durandard_, similarly formed (_hard_, fortis). Now this is precisely the same principle as that on which the early Frankish converts, as we find from the _Pol. Irm._ and the _Pol. Rem._, used to form many of their names, taking a word of Christian import from the Latin or otherwise, and mixing it up with the Old German compounds to which they had been accustomed. Thus, for an example, we find that a woman called Electa, which we can hardly doubt means "elect," gives to her son the name of Electard, a similar compound to Durandard. There seems then, on the whole, a fair amount of probability for this suggestion, which would moreover sufficiently account for the manner in which the name is common to France, Italy, Germany, and England. The French have it as _Durand_, _Durant_, and _Durandeau_ (besides _Durandard_ already noted); the Italians as _Durante_, _Duranto_, and _Durandi_; the Germans as _Durand_ and _Dorand_; and we ourselves as _Durand_ and _Durant_. Our names came to us no doubt through the Normans,--there is a Durand in the _Roll of Battle Abbey_, and it is not till after this period that we find it as an English name.

For the German origin of _Ta.s.so_ a rather stronger case can be made out, Ta.s.so and Taso being found as ancient German names, and the latter in particular being a Lombard leader in Italy. But there was another Lombard called Taso, who, as a man of remarkable sanct.i.ty of life, and as the founder of a monastery at Volterra, was eminently likely to leave a name behind him in Italy. _Ta.s.so_ is still a current name in that country, and our surname _Ta.s.sie_, along with the French _Ta.s.sy_, may be taken to be the same name. Both we and the French have also _Ta.s.sell_, formed from it and corresponding with Ta.s.silo, the name of a Bavarian king of the sixth century. The meaning of the word has not been satisfactorily explained, and this may be one of the cases in which the original word has either greatly changed in meaning, or else has perished out of the language.

Another name which we may take pretty certainly to be of German origin is _Leopardi_, corresponding with the O.G. Leopard, for Liubhard (_liub_, love, and _hard_, fortis). There was a Lombard named Leopard who was abbot of Nonantola in Italy in the tenth century. Then we have _Amalungi_, from the O.G. Amalung, fifth century, a patronymic form, "son of Amal or Amala," the (perhaps mythical) forerunner of the Goths.

The French have the name, _Hamel_ and _Ameling_, and we have _Hammill_, _Hamling_, and _Hambling_. This is another of the cases in which a name has outlived its etymon; we know that _amal_ was a word of honourable meaning, but as to its origin even the patient research of the Germans has failed to find a clue. The name _Amalthius_ may also be taken as certainly German, from _amal_ as above, and the common Old German ending _thius_, _dio_, or _tio_, servant, though we do not find a name to correspond in the _Altdeutsches Namenbuch_. There was also a painter _Amalteo_, whose name is a variation of the same. Another name which I take to be German, without finding the ancient name to correspond, is _Boiardo_, _boi_ (supposed by the Germans to mean Bavarian) being a common prefix in Old German names, and _hard_ one of the most common endings. The French have, among other names derived from their Frankish ancestors, the corresponding names _Boyard_ and _Poyard_, and we ourselves have _Byard_, which I take to be from the same origin. Then we have _Berni_ (O.G. Berno), _Bernini_ (O.G. Bernin), and _Beroaldus_ (O.G. Berowald).

There remain yet two distinguished names, _Alfieri_ and _Guarini_. The former may be from the O.G. Alfheri, _alf_, elf, and _heri_, warrior, the sense contained in the former word being perhaps that of occult wisdom. Hence it would correspond with our surnames _Albery_ and _Aubery_, Alfheri and Albheri being convertible Old German names.

_Guarini_ may, with somewhat more of certainty, be taken to be from the Old Frankish name Guarin, formed on the principle already referred to on other Old German names, Warin and Warno. Hence our names _Warren_ and _Warne_, and the French _Guerin_. The Wearningas, "sons or descendants of Wearn," are among the early Saxon settlers referred to in Chapter IV., and Warin is found as an early name in the _Liber Vitae_. There are some other names which may very possibly be of German origin, but the form of which is not sufficiently distinct to make the connection generally intelligible.

I conclude this chapter with a suggestion as to the possibly German origin of one who but of late occupied a considerable place in European politics, viz. _Gambetta_. This name is of Italian origin, and I venture to think may be one of those given to Italy by the Germans, and perhaps most probably by the Lombards. There was a Gambad who ruled over Ticino in the ancient duchy of Milan, and was subsequently driven out by Pertharit, who thereupon became the ruler of the whole of Lombardy.

Gambad seems to be probably a Lombard form of Ganbad (_gan_, magic, or fascination, and _bad_, war), or it might be of Gandbad (_gand_, wolf), both ancient German stems. This name Gambad would in French take the form of Gambette,[53] and in Italian of Gambetta. It would be curious if this name were one left behind by the Lombards (or possibly even the Franks) in their invasion of Italy, and restored to France to rouse her to a gallant though unavailing attempt to stem the tide of another German invasion. And very suitable too would be the name, in the sense of magic or fascination, to one whose energy and eloquence acted as such a potent spell to revive the drooping courage of his countrymen.

FOOTNOTES:

[50] When there are two Old German names, the former is that which is found in a form most nearly corresponding with the Italian, the latter is that which may be taken to be the most correct form.

[51] Names of a similar kind are the O.G. Gervid, our _Garwood_, signifying "spear-wood." Also the O.G. Asquid, whence the Ascuit in _Domesday_, and our present names _Asqwith_ and _Ashwith_, signifying "ash-wood," of which spears used to be made.

[52] Diez takes it to be a contraction of Adalgar.

[53] As in the French names _Gerbet_ and _Herbette_, representing the Old Frankish names Gerbad and Herbad.

CHAPTER IX.

VARIOUS UNENUMERATED STEMS.

In the present chapter I propose to include a few stems which were not taken into account in my previous work, or respecting which I may have something more to say.

I have referred, at page 75, to Lappenberg's theory, that Franks, Lombards, and Frisians were a.s.sociated with the Saxons in the early invasions of England. His theory seems to be based only upon the general relations which subsisted between these different tribes, and the various other occasions on which they are found to have been acting in concert. I have, in a previous chapter, referred to the subject so far as the Franks are concerned, and endeavoured to show that there were in Anglo-Saxon times, and that there are in our names at present, certain peculiarities which are in accordance with Frankish forms, and so far favour the theory that Franks were among the early settlers.

There is another peculiarity which seems to be found in some of the names of Anglo-Saxon times, the form _ch_ for (as I suppose) _g_, as in such a name as Cissa (Chissa) and Cippa (Chippa). Cissa I should suppose to be the same name as Gisa, that of a bishop in the time of Edward the Confessor, and Cippa the same as Gyp in Gypeswich. May not this be a Frisian form? Chippo comes before us as a name apparently Frisian.

CHIPP, CHIPPING, CHIPMAN, CHEESE, CHESSON, CHESMAN, CHESNUT, CHURN, CHIRNIE, CHITTY.

If the above be correct, Chipp, corresponding with an Anglo-Saxon Cippa found in Cippenham, a Ceapa found in Ceapan hlaew, and Cypa in Cypingas, also with a Chippo probably Frisian, would be another form of Gibb or Gipp, _geban_, to give. And Cheese, which appears as Chese in the _Hundred Rolls_, may represent Cissa as another form of Gisa (_gis_, hostage). There is a present Friesic name Tsjisse, which, though it looks more like an attempt to represent a sneeze than anything else, I take to have the sound of Chissa. Chesson may be taken to be from the ending in _en_, p. 27, and Chesnut might be from the ending _noth_, bold, frequent in Anglo-Saxon names. Churn and Chirney, corresponding with an O.G. Chirno, and perhaps with the Cearningas among the early settlers, might come in here as another form of _gern_, eager. And Chitty, perhaps the same name as that found in the Cidingas, may possibly be, on the same principle, another form of Giddy, Kiddy, or Kitty (stem _gid_, hilaris).

MUMM, MUMMY, MUMMERY.

There are a few Old German names, mostly of women, in Mam and Mum. And there are also two Old Frankish women's names, Mamma and Momma (apparently overlooked by Foerstemann), in the _Pol. Irm._ It seems difficult to take these names as from anything else than the widely-spread word signifying mother. In an age when names sat much more lightly than they do now, one might fancy such a word superseding a woman's original name. I can even conceive the possibility of such a name, its origin having somewhat pa.s.sed out of sight, being given in a masculine form to a son. We have several instances in the _Pol. Irm._ of such a custom; for instance, where, the mother being called Genesia, the son is called Genesius, and the mother being called Deodata, the son is called Deodatus. However, this cannot be taken for anything more than a somewhat speculative suggestion. As in present use, the French name Mumm is well known in connection with dry champagne; the Germans have Muhm, and though I am not quite certain of Mumm as an English name, I think we may count upon Mummy (ending in _i_, p. 24). Mummery might be a compound (_hari_, warrior), but from the facility with which _n_ pa.s.ses into _m_, I should be more disposed to take it to be a corruption of Munnery, corresponding with an O.G. Munihari, Goth. _munan_, to think.

BODY, FREEBODY, GOODBODY, LIGHTBODY, PEABODY, HANDSOMEBODY.

_Body_ I take to be from O.N. _bodi_, envoy or messenger. It is found as an ending in many ancient names, particularly among the Saxons. And in our surnames it appears sometimes as representing ancient names, and sometimes more probably as a sobriquet of a later period. In the "Household Expences" of Eleanor, Countess of Montford, A.D. 1265, the names of her three messengers are given as Treubodi, Gobithesty, and Slingaway. These are all sobriquets,--Treubody is "trusty messenger,"

Gobithesty is from A.S. _sti_, a footpath, hence the name may be equivalent to "short-cut," and the last explains itself. Our name Handsomebody has clearly been a sobriquet of the same kind, and, referring to the older sense of "handsome," means a handy or useful messenger. Peabody, which I think may have been originally Pipbody, from _pipr_, swift, active, may also have been a sobriquet. So may Goodbody and Lightbody, but it is by no means certain. We might take our Lightfoot to have been a sobriquet, but we find a corresponding name, Lytafus (_fus_, foot) on Roman pottery. Freebody probably represents the O.G. Frithubodo, compounded with _frith_, peace.

BRAGG, BRACKIE, BRAY, PRAY, BRAGAN, BRACKEN, BRAIN, BRACKING, BRACKETT, BRAYMAN, BRAKEMAN, BREWIN.