"TEENAMES"

In North East fishing villages there were few surnames in proportion to the population. To remedy this and distinguish between the scores of Buchans, Duthies, Ritchies, Strachans, Whytes, Watts etc., living near each other, nearly everyone had a Teename or nickname by which he was usually known. For instance, a man might be called John Stephen “Pettie,” his son would be Pettie’s Sandy, and his grandson Pettie’s Sandy’s John. Another was John Strachan “Jockel,” his son Jockel’s John, and his grandson, Jockel’s John’s Archie. There were some peculiar teenames, such as Jimpit, Jockie Bugle, Orra Borra and Jamie Tobacco. John Duthie “Jeckie” had a son called John Duthie Jeckie’s Jock, and a grandson, John Duthie Jeckie’s Jock’s Johnnie, another was Jock Cow’s Doh!

Very few new villages were built after the late 19th century and the established communities continued to grow steadily. Those men born in the parish seldom left to reside elsewhere. The only incomers to the villages would be if a man took a bride and nearly always she would be a daughter of another fisherman. There was little integration between country and coast. "Cod and corn dinna gaun the gither" was a saying of the time. Latterly it was common for girls to turn to another occupation but sons usually followed fathers into the fishing.

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