with which most of them are connected. There is no book which treats fully and scientifically of Cornish Surnames. The works of Pryce and Polwhele, however, contain the etymology of many of them.[1] This information I have of course made use of, and to considerate advantage. I have likewise consulted many other works, a list of which will be found at the end of this Preface. I have lately been informed that a work on Cornish Surnames is now coming out in parts. To that I have not been at all indebted; indeed, the present volume has been in hand several years, and was nearly ready for the press upwards of two years ago.
The basis of a work like the present is of course a good collection of names.[2] For one list I have to thank Miss Hext, sister of Mr. J. H. Hext, late of Gray's Inn. For another list I am indebted to Mr. J. C. Hotten, the publisher. I have, however, obtained the greatest part of the names from the Post-Office Directory for Cornwall and from the works of Pryce and Polwhele. The present volume contains from 1200 to 1400 surnames. Many of these, though they are often borne by distinct families, are merely different versions of the same name; while some of them are not now in use, at any rate in their present form. Why there should be so large a number of Cornish Surnames, and so small a number of Welsh Surnames, I am at a loss to comprehend. Another curious fact is that so few of the latter should be derived from geographical names.
In consequence of a resemblance between Cornish and
