To-Names

The great prevalence of certain surnames, in some small towns and villages, led to the use of to-names, "other names," from the Old English, t -nama. To illustrate this, Black cites the following story .A stranger had occasion to call on a fisherman, named Alexander White, living in a Buchan fishing village. But the stranger was ignorant both of the fisherman's to-name and his house. Unfortunately there were many persons of that name in the village. Meeting a young woman, he asked: "Cou'd you tell me fa'r Sanny Fite lives?" "Filk Sanny Fite?" "Muckle Sanny Fite." "Filk muckle Sanny Fite?" "Muckle lang Sanny Fite." "Filk muckle lang Sanny Fite?" "Muckle lang gleyed Sanny Fite," shouted the stranger. "Oh! It's 'Goup-the-lift' ye're seeking," cried the young woman, "and fat the deevil for dinna ye speer for the man by his richt name at ance?" Translation: "Could you tell me where Alexander White lives?" "Which Alexander White?" "Big Alexander White." "Which big Alexander White?" "Big tall Alexander White." "Which big tall Alexander White?" "Big tall cross-eyed Alexander White," shouted the stranger. "Oh! It's '(Stupidly gaping person)-the-thief' you're seeking," cried the young woman, "and why the devil didn't you ask for the man by his right name in the first place?" Another example from the Borders shows how difficult it can be for a researcher to identify persons if the researcher doesn't know that: John Bell was called Quhitheid, Edward Bell was called the Dansair, John Bell was called Ranyis Johnne, and Andrew Irvin was called Tailyeourcurst Geordie.So accustomed were many Scots to being recognized only by their to-name that it became their official name. Familiar examples are: Black, Little, White, Campbell (caimbeul or crooked-mouthed), Cameron (camshron or crooked-nosed), and Meikle (big). Clearly, almost any surname of this type could arise quite independently at different times and in different places. So, again, caution should be taken in arguing a relationship between persons simply because of the similarity in their names.

Return To Scottish Placenames