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Help[Surname] Re: surname Calmon
in reply to a message by James Christopher Colombo
My first stupid idea was "Co(a)lman". So I was happy to find (Oxford Dictionary of Surnames, 1997):
Calman, Calmon > from Old Irish Colmán
But at second glance, of course, my little idea melted away like this snow this morning. I don't know much about Old Irish, but I understand it's a Celtic language, so there must be someone around …
Andy :—)
Calman, Calmon > from Old Irish Colmán
But at second glance, of course, my little idea melted away like this snow this morning. I don't know much about Old Irish, but I understand it's a Celtic language, so there must be someone around …
Andy :—)
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Replies
Irish Colman appears to be correct. It is the name of sevral Irish saints. A diminutive of Colm, the name in religion of one of the great Irish churchmen, Colm Chille, also known as St. Columba of Iona. The name comes from the Latin Columba, "dove", sometimes given a masculine ending to make Columbus (whence Colombo). Colman was Latinised as Columbanus, whence the Italian/Corsican surname Colombani, named after the Irishman St. Columbanus of Bobbio.
The name was brought to England by Danes thrown out of Ireland by Brian Boru. Some of them settled in the Viking Kingdom of York giving us some Northern place-names with Irish components, and some personal names, such as Colman (Kalman was their version).
The name was brought to England by Danes thrown out of Ireland by Brian Boru. Some of them settled in the Viking Kingdom of York giving us some Northern place-names with Irish components, and some personal names, such as Colman (Kalman was their version).
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Or "man" from "Colm" or "calm" "mon[ster]" but yep... I would stick to that option.... Calmon = Dove.
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