Name Origins

Rahmann Name Origin

posted by Scott Andrew Bird

The name Rahmann (spelled with two 'n's *) has Germanic origins, and can be either topographic or habitational. As a topographic name, Rahmann is a variant of Rademann - from the Low German Rade : 'area cleared of forest'.

Alternately, it can simply refer to someone from the town of Rade (of which there are several), or Rahm.

* when spelled Rahman (with a single 'n'), it is of Islamic origins; meaning 'most gracious'. This is usually forms part of a compound name such as al-Rahman ('the most gracious') or Abd ur-Ra'hman ('servant of the most gracious').

Cross

posted by Scott Andrew Bird
Tags : name origins

An English place name for the man who lived near the stone cross set up by the roadside or marketplace, from Old Norse 'Kross'. Variations are Cruse, Cruise, Crouch, Crutch, Crutcher, Crossley, Norcross.

Cognitives include De(la)Croix, Croix , (French); Croux , Lacroux, Lacrouts, De(la)croux (Provencal); Croce , DellaCroce, Croci (Italian); Cruz (Spanish); Kreutzer, Kreuziger (German); Vercruysse (Flemish), Krzyzaniak (Polish), and Van der Kruijs (Dutch).

Sterling

posted by Scott Andrew Bird
Tags : name origins

The name Sterling originated in Stirlingshire, Scotland and can be traced back to the 12th century. The name began as de Strevelyn (of Strevelyn) which was the name of Stirling, and the castle, at that time. The name of the town is believed to be derived from the Celtic terms streve + long(us) meaning struggling + river(s) as three rivers come together as one at the location of Stirling.

The many variations of the name include de Strevelyn, Esterling, Starland, Starlin, Starling, Starting, Stearling, Steeling, Sterlin, Sterling, Storling and Sturling. Sterling is generally the anglicized spelling and is more commonly found in England. Over time many families who spelled their name Stirling had the named anglicized because of the common usage of "Pound Sterling" in the English language.

The name Stirling is listed as a sept of Clan MacGregor.

Bird

posted by Scott Andrew Bird
Tags : name origins

The surname BIRD was first attached to an individual who lived by the sign of the bird; also to one who had the characteristics of a bird. The Irish word for bird is éan, and names such as O'Neny (sometimes O'Nena), among the chiefs of Moy Ith (County Derry, Ireland) and McEaneny have been Anglicised to Bird since colonists attempted to subjugate the Gaelic way of life. Also the French name L'Oiseau has been anglicised to Bird.

Hugh Le Bird (Hughe L'Oise or Lois or Layse) arrived in England with William the Conqueror in 1066 to fight at the Battle of Hastings. His surname is thought to have been derived from his skill at falconry. By the twelfth century the name LE BIRD was well established in England.

The earliest English Birds settled at Brexton or Braxton and at Chester in Cheshire. Many of the Bird descendants travelled to London about the beginning of the thirteenth century to learn trades, such as: silversmiths, goldsmiths, coppersmiths, silk weavers, etc. Some became merchants. A few became artists.

Sometime around the 15th century some families changed the spelling to Byrd. In fact there is at least one example of this taking place in the same family, with two brothers each selecting an alternate spelling. The reason for this is unknown.

Several Birds are listed in the Heraldic Visitations of Cheshire 1580, which also describe the Crest used by some Birds at that time.