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ArchivesRe: English New England names
in reply to a message by Caitlin
Mainly surnames from English place names, apart from Quartermain, and, possibly, Maplett, which is a mystery to me.
Quartermain - nickname from the French quatre mains, meaning "four hands", denoting a busy (and dextrous?) person.
Busecott - probably a village name, e.g., Buscot in Oxfordshire or Burscot, Devon. Cott means "cottage",the first component probably from a personal name.
Collacutt - probably from the place name Collacott which occurs in Devon and Cornwall, similar explanation as Busecott. The surname is best represented in Devon.
Cottington - there is a Cottington Hill in Kent, and a Cottington Court Farm. the -ton ending meant "farm" originally. The surname is well represented in Soth-East England.
Oxston - Oxton without the S is a frequent place name, mainly northern, "ox farm". The name is strong in Lancashire.
Maplett - looks like "maple" is the basis, a word which does occur in English place names, but there doesn't seem to be a place called Maplett. There is a French surname, Maple, said to denote a cloth-merchant, and Maplet might be diminutive of that, but a lost English place name seems more likely.
Quartermain - nickname from the French quatre mains, meaning "four hands", denoting a busy (and dextrous?) person.
Busecott - probably a village name, e.g., Buscot in Oxfordshire or Burscot, Devon. Cott means "cottage",the first component probably from a personal name.
Collacutt - probably from the place name Collacott which occurs in Devon and Cornwall, similar explanation as Busecott. The surname is best represented in Devon.
Cottington - there is a Cottington Hill in Kent, and a Cottington Court Farm. the -ton ending meant "farm" originally. The surname is well represented in Soth-East England.
Oxston - Oxton without the S is a frequent place name, mainly northern, "ox farm". The name is strong in Lancashire.
Maplett - looks like "maple" is the basis, a word which does occur in English place names, but there doesn't seem to be a place called Maplett. There is a French surname, Maple, said to denote a cloth-merchant, and Maplet might be diminutive of that, but a lost English place name seems more likely.
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