Surnames in the United Kingdom: Origins, Meanings and History Start date
1 March 2013
Venue
Madingley Hall
End date
3 March 2013
Madingley Cambridge Tutor
Dr Simon Draper
For further information on this course, please contact To book
Course code
1213NRX099
Linda Fisher, Academic Programme Manager on 01223 746218 Sandy Haylock, Programme Administrator on 01223 746227
See: www.ice.cam.ac.uk or telephone 01223 746262
Tutor biography Dr Simon Draper is currently Assistant Editor of the Victoria County History in Oxfordshire, was until October 2012 Research Associate on the ‘Family Names of the United Kingdom’ project at the University of the West of England in Bristol, where he was part of a small team compiling a dictionary of over 40,000 current UK surnames. His background is in local history and archaeology and his academic publications include a number of articles on place-names in Anglo-Saxon England.
University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education, Madingley Hall, Cambridge, CB23 8AQ www.ice.cam.ac.uk
Course Programme Friday 1 March 2013 Please plan to arrive between 16:30 and 18:30. You can meet other course members in the bar which opens at 18:15. Tea and Coffee making facilities are available in the study bedrooms. 19:00
Dinner
20:30 – 22:00
The Origins and Spread of Surnames
22:00
Terrace bar open for informal discussion
Saturday 2 March 2013 08:00 am
Breakfast
09:00 – 10:30
The ‘Family Names of the United Kingdom’ (FaNUK) Project
10:30
Coffee
11:00 – 12:30
Linguistic Research: Language, Meaning and Etymology
13:00
Lunch
14:00
Free
16:00
Tea
16:30 – 18:00
Historical Research: Early Bearers and Genealogy
19:00
Dinner
20:30 – 22:00
Guest Lecture (Dr Paul Cullen, FaNUK): The Surnames of Kent
22:00
Terrace bar open for informal discussion
Sunday 3 March 2013 08:00
Breakfast
09:00 – 10:30
Geographical Research: Distribution and Migration
10:30
Coffee
11:00 – 12:30
Workshop: Researching and Compiling Surname Studies
12:45
Lunch
The course will disperse after lunch
Course syllabus Aims: 1. To investigate the origins and development of surnaming in the UK from the medieval period to the present day. 2. To understand the cultural, historical, linguistic and geographical significance of a range of UK surnames and surname types. 3. To be aware of the sources and methods used in surname study and be confident in using them to research an individual surname.
Content:
How old are surnames and when did they become widespread? What do surnames mean and what languages do they come from? What can surnames tell us about our society and its history? What sources are out there for surname study and how reliable are they? What is the ‘Family Names of the United Kingdom’ Project and how will it benefit me? How do I go about researching and writing my own surname study?
Presentation of the course: Lectures, class discussions, and a workshop on researching and writing surname studies
Outcomes: As a result of the course, within the constraints of the time available, students should be able to: 1. understand the origins and development of surnaming in the UK from the medieval period to the present day. 2. critically evaluate a range of secondary sources on surnames and surname study. 3. appreciate the cultural, historical, linguistic and geographical significance of a range of UK surnames and surname types. 4. use with confidence a range of primary sources to research and write an individual surname study.
Reading and resources list: Listed below are a number of texts that might be of interest for future reference, but do not need to be bought (or consulted) for the course. Author
Title
Publisher and date
Redmonds, G., King, T., and Hey, D.
Surnames, DNA and Family History
Oxford University Press: 2011
Redmonds, G.
Surnames and Genealogy: a new approach
Federation of Family History Societies: 2002
Reaney, P.H.
The Origins of English Surnames
Routledge: 1967
Hey, D.
Family Names and Family History
Hambledon: 2000
McKinley, R.
A History of British Surnames
Longman: 1990
Titford, J.
Penguin Dictionary of British Surnames
Penguin: 2009
Hanks, P. and Hodges, F.
A Dictionary of Surnames
Oxford University Press: 1988
Reaney, P.H. and Wilson, R.M.
Oxford Dictionary of English Surnames
OUP: 2005 (3rd edn: earlier editions available)
MacLysaght, E.
The Surnames of Ireland
Irish Academic Press (6th edn: 1985: earlier edns available)
Black, G.F.
The Surnames of Scotland
New York Public Library: 1946
Morgan, T.J. and Morgan, P.
Welsh Surnames
University of Wales Press: 1985
Bardsley, C.W.
A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames
Henry Frowde: 1901
Various (e.g. Redmonds, McKinley)
All volumes in the ‘English Surname Series’
Phillimore/Leopards Head Press
Website Addresses Guild of One-Name Studies: http://www.one-name.org/ Society for Name Studies in Britain and Ireland: http://www.snsbi.org.uk/ FaNUK: http://www1.uwe.ac.uk/cahe/research/bristolcentreforlinguistics/fanuk.aspx
Note Students of the Institute of Continuing Education are entitled to 20% discount on books published by Cambridge University Press (CUP) which are purchased at the Press bookshop, 1 Trinity Street, Cambridge (Mon-Sat 9am – 5:30pm, Sun 11am – 5pm). A letter or email confirming acceptance on to a current Institute course should be taken as evidence of enrolment. Information correct as of October 2012