Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Names that derive from father's names sometimes derive from the shortened form or petform of that name. It's quite coincidental but the author of Oliver Twist had a surname that actually derived from the same first name as the author of Clarissa Harlowe had. What was the full form of that first name?
2. Surnames that derive from women's names are relatively rare. Yet there are a few of them. The name of hero of one of Sinclair Lewis's books derives from Barbara via Babbs - a shortened form for Barbara. What is the name of that hero?
3. Which of these might also be a derivation from a woman's name?
4. John Drinkwater may be an ironic nickname for somebody who always was drunk, but it could also be a nickname for somebody too poor to get himself beer or wine. Some nicknames are French in origin. Which of these is the only one that has no link with the idea of short French: court?
5. Plenty of names can be explained in various ways and also actually originated in different ways. Sir Simon Fraser had 3 'fraises' or strawberries in his coat of arms. That need not mean he descends from strawberry-sellers. The origin was probably La Freseliere in France. What first name may Bate or Batte as in 'Bateman's' have been a derivation of?
6. Some explanations are quite surprising. The author of the 'Catcher in the Rye' seems to have a name that derives from a locality in France. Which of these place-names is the one that via phonetic analysis comes closest to the name Salinger?
7. A popular name in Scotland was Alexander. It led to many Sandies and even McAlisters, Sandersons and Saunders. Less easy to notice is the link the name Alexander has with one of the famous producers of portwine, most of which happen to be British as connoisseurs will know. It's not Graham's and it's not Osborne or Taylor's but: _________'s
8. Among the 'locality names' some are easy to recognise if one takes into account some traditional components of such names e.g. 'bourne' which is an older word for a stream; 'by' which meant farm; 'lea' which was a clearing in a wood; 'ness' which was a headland; 'ey' which was an island. What kind of trees were there near to a place that was labelled: Ayckbourne ?
9. Many names seem easy to explain, but are not. Blake need not have a link with 'black'. The link could equally well be with 'bleak', which actually means the opposite 'pale'. And somebody called Bishop need not be a descendant of a bishop but of his servant. An easy one however is Butler. What word is this name related to?
10. Catchpole is a most peculiar name. It was a nickname for taxgatherers because they used to take in kind what they could not take in money. So what may the link be?
Source: Author
flem-ish
This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor
ArleneRimmer before going online.
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