General Chat

Just been doing a search for someone and came across a family named........wait for it..........GOTOBED

Well I never heard that one before!

Annx

`Dont know what would come up if you googled that name its certainly unusual I have a Gammon and a Lamb in my tree not that unusua,l but if i google to try to find anything about them i come up with a load of recipes,
Margaretx

Thats handy then Margaret lol! Well I have seen some strange names but that takes the biscuit, will go and have a look now see how many there are.

Annx

Well there were between 141/374 peeps with that name 1841/1911.

You can just imagine the teacher calling the register in the morning and little Alfie toddling off to bed!

Annx

Have a look at this link, http://www.surnamedb.com/surname.aspx?name=Gotobed
Margaretx

Makes you wonder how these names originated. What about Bedwell?

Found this little piece:

This very unusual surname, one of the most interesting listed anywhere, is English. First recorded in the 13th century, and now found as Gotobed and Gotbed, over the seven centuries since its "creation" in early medieval times, it has undergone many changes. The meaning is uncertain. The late Professor Reaney, the acknowledged authority on English surnames, gives the meaning as "what it says". From this we deduce that he meant that beds were such rare things in ancient times, that to have one, was a matter of local comment to the point where the person concerned was named from this piece of furniture. Certainly early nicknames were bestowed for much less reason than this. However it also has to be said that the medieval period was renowned for its Chaucerian humour which was almost always direct, and often obscene. This might imply that the first known nameholder one John Gotobedde of Barnwell, Cambridge, in 1269, had other uses for his bed! The trouble with almost all nickname surnames, is that without actually being present when the name was given out, it is impossible to be absolutely certain of the true meaning. Other early recordings include William Gawtobedde of Sussex in 1332, and John Godbed of London, in 1760.

Read more: http://www.surnamedb.com/surname.aspx?name=Gotobed#ixzz0o23TmMcJ

This unusual and interesting name is of Anglo-Saxon origin, it can be a topographical or a locational surname. If the former, the name denotes residence by a spring or stream in a shallow valley, derived from the Old English pre 7th Century "byde(n)", vessel, tub, used in the sense of a shallow valley, with Wella, waella", well, spring or stream. As a locational surname, Bedwell, and it's variant forms Bidewell and Bid(d)well, may derive from any of various minor places, in Herfordshire and Essex for instance which are named with the Old English elements as above. Bedwell in Hertfordshire is recorded as "Bedewell" in 1240, and as "Bidewelle" in 1330, and Bidwell in Bedfordshire as "Bedwell" in 1279. Thomas Bedwell (deceased 1595), was a distinguished mathematician, and military engineer at Tilbury and gravesend at the time of the Spanish Armada. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Stephen de Bedewell, which was dated 1229, The Essex Close Rolls, during the reign of Henry 111, "The Frenchman", 1216 - 1272. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Read more: http://www.surnamedb.com/surname.aspx?name=Bedwell#ixzz0o247exre

Annx

I love the surname of Snowball

That's really interesting, Ann, thanks. What about Overall - I have that name in my tree, which is funny because that's what I call my 32 year old daughter (Mrs. Overall) because she's always cleaning! (Didn't when she was a teenager living at home - humph!)

Here you go
Recorded in the spellings of Overal, Overall, Overel, Overell, Oveal, Ovill and others, this is an English medieval surname. It is topographical and describes someone who lived at the upper hall. This may be a reference to a building at the top of the town, or to a building which contained an upper story, at a time when few did. The derivation is from the Old English pre 7th century word "ufera" meaning over or above, and hall or heal, which both describe a central building or manor house, a hall. Topographical surnames were among the earliest created since both natural and man-made features in the landscape provided easily recognisable distinguishing names. It is said that the spelling as Ovell and Ovill is relatively popular in the South East of England and specifically the counties of Kent, Sussex and Surrey. Among the sample recordings in Kent are the christening of Daniel Ovell on November 15th 1581 at St. Mary the Virgin, Dover and the marriage of Nathaniell Ovill and Jane Kye on January 13th 1629 at St. George the Martyr, Canterbury. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of William Oueral. This was dated 1217, in the calendar of the Patent Rolls, for the county of Yorkshire. This was during the reign of King Henry 111rd of England, 1216 - 1272. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was sometimes known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop," often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
© Copyright: Name



Read more: http://www.surnamedb.com/surname.aspx?name=overall#ixzz0o27vvcck

Thank you Ann - really interesting. I'll have to find a few more for you! Actually - what about Kennedy, my 2 week old grandson's 2nd name (a family name on father's side). Someone told me to-day that it's an Irish name, which I didn't know. But only if you have time. Thanks.