Patronymica Cornu-Britannica/C

by Richard Stephen Charnock

 

C.

 

CALL. Hals derives this name from the Cornish-British call, cal, any hard, flinty, or obdurate matter or thing (probably from the character of the soil of the estate of the first owner). The Cornish cal also signifies cunning, sly. Lower suggests that Call may be from the Scotch name MacCall.

CALLARD. This name may be from Calartha, in Morvah; from cala-arth, the hard or difficult height.

CAMBORNE (De), CAMBOURNE (De). From Camborne, a town and parish in Penwith hundred, which Hals renders "a crooked or arched burne or well." Pryce translates Cambourne, Cambron, crooked well or crooked hill (cam-bourne, cam-bron).

CARAH. See Care.

CARAHAYES. See Carhayes.

CARBALLA. A name mentioned by C. S. Gilbert in a list of gentlemen who have represented Bodmin. From car-bal, the naked rock, or the rock by the tin-works. There is a place named Carbelly in Blisland, and a Carbella in Cardinham. D. Gilbert gives a Robert Fitzhamon, Earl of Carbill.

CARBERY, CARBERRY. When not of Irish origin from car-vré, the rocky hill.

CARBINES, CARBINIS. See Carbis.

CARBIS. From Carbis in Leland, or Carbus (now Carvis) in Roche; from car-bus, the dwelling on the rock. (Pryce renders Carbis, Carbos, Carbus, rocky wood; house or castle of stone.) Hence no doubt Cerbis, and according to some Carbines and Carbinis; but the two latter names may be from car-ennis, the rocky island or peninsula. Carabine and Carbone are found as surnames in the United States.

CARBURRA. A name mentioned by C. S. Gilbert in a list of gentlemen who have represented Bodmin. It may be from car-bar, the town on the top or summit. Bor is fat. D. Gilbert says the manor of Carborro or Carburrow in Warleggon has been for a considerable time in the family of Arscott Bickford, Esq., of Deansland, in Devonshire. But see Carbery.

CARBYON. From car-bean, the little castle.

CARDINHAM (pron. cardinim). From Cardinham, a township in Bodmin Union; or Cardinham in Crowan. Some translate the name, the rock-man's house; but it is rather from car-Dinham, the rock or dwelling of Dinham. Cardinham was in fact at one time the residence of Lord Dinham. Cf. Tredinham.

CARCLEW. From Carclew, anc. Crucglew and Crucgleu, a barton in Mylor in Kerrier, which Tonkin thinks may come from "cruc-clew, the enclosure of barrows or by barrows, of which there are several in the adjoining commons." Qu.: from cryk-gleu, glew, the moist, wet, or stiff barrow. Corclew would seem to be the same name.

CARDELL. From car-dol, the stony vale.

CARDEW. See Cardew.

CARE, CARR. From car, a rock, or caer, a city, town, fortified place, castle. Hence the names Carah and Carrah. There was a Peter de Cara Villa.

CAREW, CAREY. A family said to be descended from Gerald de Carrio. According to some Carey is another form of this name, which circ. 1300 was spelt De Carru. Indeed the Carews of the West of England pronounce their name Cary. Some say the ancient family of Cary derived its name from the manor of Cary or Kari (as it is called in Domesday), in the parish of St. Giles-on-the-Heath, near Launceston. Carew Castle is near Milford Haven. Carew says his family was denominated from one Carrow or Karrow that came into England with the Conqueror. Hals says the arms of the Carrows and Carews are the same. He suggests some absurd etymologies of the name. It has been derived from carau, a stag, pl. carew; caer-eau, a Cornish-French compound, would translate the castle on the water, and chy-ar-eau, the house on the water. It may also be from car, a rock. Carrew, Carrey, and Carry are perhaps the same name.

CARGEEGE, CARKEEK, CARKEET, KARKEEK, KERGECK, KERGEEK. From car-quîk, the rocky village; or car-key, kè, the stone hedge; or perhaps even from car-kie, kei, the dog's rock.

CARGENWEN. See Curgenwen.

CARHAYES, CARAHAYES, CARYHAYES. Pryce renders Carhayes "the enclosed castle."

CARHART. Carhart in St. Breock; from car-arth, the high rock or fortress, or the rocky height. Hence, by corruption, Crahart; and, by contraction, Crart.

CARINTHEN. From carn-ithen, eithin, the furzy rock; or from Carnarthen in Illogan; from carn-arth-en, the lofty rock. But see also Carnedon.

CARKEEK, CARKEET. See Cargeege.

CARLIAN, CARLYON, CURLYON. From an estate called Carlyon or Curlyghon near Truro, for a long time in the possession of the family. There is still a place called Carlyon (D. Gilbert, Carlian) in Kea. The name may be from car-lagen, the rock or dwelling by the pond or pool. Hals thinks "the family of Cur-Lyon, by its name and arms, were descendants of Richard Curlyon, alias King Richard I."!!!

CARMENOW, CARMINOW, CARMINOWE, CARMINOU, CARMINNOW, CARMYNEW, CARMYNOW. From Carminow, a manor and barton in the parish of St. Mawgan in Meneage; from car-minow, the little rock. There is a place named Carminnow in Gunwalloe.

CARNA. See Carne.

CARNALL. See Carnell.

CARNBAL. A name mentioned by C. S. Gilbert. in a list of gentlemen who have represented Bodmin. From carn-bal, which will translate the naked or poor town, or the town by the tin-works. See also Carballa.

CARNE, KARN (Carna?). From carn, carne, karn, a shelf in the sea, a heap of rocks. There is Carne in Verian; and Carn is the name of places in Morvah, Lanteglos by Fowey, and in Crowan.

CARNEDON. From the barton of Carnedon in St. Stephen's, near Launceston; from carne-dun, the rocky hill. Tonkin gives the manor of Carnedon Prior, "the rocky hill," probably the Domesday Carneten, in Linkinhorne.

CARNELL, CARNALL. From Carnhell in Gwinear; from carn-hêl, -hale, the rocky river, or the rocky moor.

CARNESEW, CARNSEW. The original name of this family was Thoms. They took the name Carnsew from Carnsew in the parish of Mabe, from carn-sew, zew, the black rock. Kearnzew would seem to be a variation of the name.

CARR, CARRAH. See Care.

CARREW, CARREY. See Carew.

CARRICK. From carrick, garrick, a rock.

CARRIO (De), CARROW, CARRU (De), CARRY. See Carew.

CARTHEW. From Carthew in St. Issey, or Carthew in Madron; from car-thew, dew, the black rock. The family were celebrated in the county, temp. Edw. II. Cardew is the same name, but may be a different family.

CARVALL, CARVILL. From car-val, the rocky wall or fence; or car-uhal, the high rock.

CARVATH, CARVETH. From Carvath in St. Austell, or Carvath in Cuby; from car-veth, the city grave, or castle burying-place.

CARVER. From car-veor, the great rock.

CARVERTH. From Carverth in Mabe; which Hals renders "rock-strength; or from car-veth, rock-grave;" and he says, "those gentlemen, from living at Carveth or Carveth in Mabe, were transnominated from Thoms to Carverth." The name seems to be from car-verth, the green town. Hence the U. S. name Cravarth. Cf. Carvath.

CARVETH. See Carvath.

CARVILL. See Carvall.

CARVOLTH. From Carvolth in Crowan, probably the same as Carvolghe or Corvaghe, a manor in the parish of Morvah, which may mean the dwelling with the little wall (velgig, dim. of val, gual, a wall).

CARVOSOE, CARVOSSO, CARVOSSOE. From Carvowsa in Ludgvan, or Carvis in Roche; from car-vose, a rock or castle intrenched by a ditch; or, as Pryce renders it, "the intrenched castle."

CARWITHEN. From Carwithenick in Constantine; from car-wythen-ick, the castle in the woody place.

CARY. See Carew.

CARYHAYES. See Carhayes.

CASABOM, CASEBOUME. From casa-bron, the dirty hill. Cf. the local name Lambron, Lamborn.

CAUSE, CAUSSE. See Caws.

CAUTHERN. From coit-hoarn, the wood containing iron.

CAVAL. See Kivell.

CAVALL. "Who out of a supposed allusion to this name, as appears from the glass windows of this house, gave a calf for their arms, viz., Argent, a calf passant, Gules; whereas lengh is a calf in British-Cornish, and cavall is a beehive, cradle, or flashet." (Hals.) The name is from root of Kivell, q. v.

CAWETH. From Caweth in Mabe; a probable contraction of Carvath, Carveth, or Carverth, q. v. The original name of the family was Thomas.

CAWRSE. From cors, a place full of wood, a den, a bog. It would also corrupt from Caws, q. v.; also Coode.

CAWS, CAWSE. See Coode.

CENNICK, CUNNACK, CUNNICK. Perhaps from Kennick or Kenrick Cove, in St. Keverne; from gûn-ick, the down or common by the creek. Lower derives the surname Chinnock from Chinnock, the appellation of three parishes co. Somerset; and under Snooks, which is a known corruption of Sevenoaks, he says, Sevenoke, the early orthography of the town, has also been modified to Sinnock, Cennick.

CERBIS. See Carbis.

CHALLAW. See Chellew.

CHARKE, CHURKE. From Chork in the township and parish of Lanivet, a corruption of corack, a rock.

CHAWN. See Chown.

CHEGIN. See Chegwidden.

CHEGWIDDEN, var. CHIGWEDDEN, KEIGWIDDEN, KEIGWIDN, KEIWIDDEN, KEGWIN, KEIGWIN, KEIGWYN, CHEGIN, CHEGWIN, CHYGWYN. This name is said to mean the white dog (kei-gwin), and the arms of the family are three greyhounds Argent. Is is more probably from kè-gwydn, the white hedge; or kea-gwdyn, the white enclosure; or perhaps rather from chy-gwdyn, the white house. D. Gilbert, under Perranzabuloe, says, "That as the miners impute the discovery of tin to St. Perran, so they ascribe its reduction from the ore, in a large way, to an imaginary personage, Saint Chiwidden; but chi-wadden is the white house, and must therefore mean a smelting or blowing house, where the black ore of tin is converted into a white metal." There is a place called Kegwyn St. Just in Constantine.

CHEGWIDDER. From chy-gueidhur, the workman's house; or the same as Chegwidden, q. v.

CHEGWIN. See Chegwidden.

CHELLEW, CHELLOW. From Chellew in Ludgvan; from car-lu, the rock or castle-place; car-leû, lion castle or town; or car-loo, the rocky pool. Hence the surnames Challaw, Cherlew.

CHEMHAL, CHENHALL. See Chynhale.

CHENHALLS, CHEYNALLS. From chy'n-als, the house on the cliff. See also Chynhale.

CHENNELL. See Chynhale.

CHENOWETH. See Chynoweth.

CHERLEW. See Chellew.

CHEVERTON. See Chiverton.

CHEYNALLS. See Chenhalls.

CHIGWEDDEN. See Chegwidden.

CHINOWETH. See Chynoweth.

CHIRGWIN. See Curgenven.

CHIVEL, CHIVELL. See Kivell.

CHIVERTON, CHEVERTON, CHIUERTON, CHIVARTON, CHIWARTON. From Chiverton in Perranzabuloe; from chy-ver-ton, the house on the green lay; or chi-uar-ton, the house upon the hill. Others translate Chivarton, the green castle on the hill, or a castle with a green field under it, "which latter," says Scawen, "may be well thought on as to the name in Cornish, tho' in the heraldry it had been more complete."

CHONE, CHOUNENS, CHOWEN. See Chown.

CHOWN, CHOWNE, or CHONE. This family is said to be from Castle Chiowne, Chioune, Chun, or Choon, which some interpret a "house in a croft." I take it to be the same name as Chywoon in Morvah, or Perran Arwarthal; from chy-woon, the house on the down or common. There was a Thomas Chounens or Chowne; and Chowen, Chawn, Chunn would seem to be the same name.

CHUNN. See Chown.

CHURKE. See Charke.

CHYGWYN. See Chegwidden.

CHYNHALE, CHENHALL. From chy'n-hale, chy'n-hâl, the house on the moor. (There is Chenhall in Mawnan.) Chemhal and Chennel would seem to be the same name. See also Chenhalls.

CHYNOWETH, CHYNOWTH, CHINOWETH, CHENOWETH. One of the most ancient families in the county. From Chynoweth in Cubert; from chy-noweth, the new house. There is or was a place named Chynoweth in St. Earth, whence another family derived its name.

CLAMO. See Clemow.

CLEATHER. From St. Cleather in Lesnewth hundred. Hals says, "For the name of St. Cleather, it refers to the vicar of the church, and in Cornish signifies a sacred or holy fencer or gladiator; a person that exercises a spiritual sword for offence or defence in a holy manner; and as in this place by the holy fencer is to be understood the vicar, so by his word is signified την μαχαριαν του πνευματος ο'στι ρημα θεου, gladium Spiritûs, quod est verbum Dei, i. e. the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." The local name is more probably from ledr, ledra, a cliff, a steep hill.

CLEGG. From cleggo, a rock, cliff; clegar, id. Hence Clegar in St. Agnes, and Cleggo in Gorran.

CLEMMOW, CLEMOES, CLEMOOR. See Clemow.

CLEMOW (clemma), CLEMMOW, CLEMOWE, CLEMOES, CLEMOOR, CLAMO, CLIMO, CLYMA, CLYMO. From the baptismal name Clement. Hence the local name Climsland, i. e. Clemma's Land, in East hundred.

CLENICK, CLINICK. From Clennick in Broadoak parish; from lyn-ick, the dwelling by the water.

CLENSO, CLENSOE. See Colenso.

CLIMO. See Clemow.

CLINICK. See Clenick.

CLYMA, CLYMO. See Clemow.

CLOAK, CLOAKE, CLOKE. From root of Clogg or Clegg, q. v.

CLOEN. From Clown in the township and parish of Boconnoc in West hundred; from clogwyn, a steep rock.

CLOGG. From clog, a steep rock.

CLOKE. See Cloak.

COAD. See Coode. (There is Coad's Green in North Hill.)

COAT, COATH, CODE. See Coode.

COLBURN. This name may sometimes be from Colborn, which Pryce renders "the dry well." Col-born would translate to holy well.

COLENSE, COLENSO, COLENSOE, CLENSO, CLENSOE. The last part of these names would seem to be the same with that of Boskenso in Mawnan, and, if so, they may be from col-enys, the island ridge. Colenso, &c., and however more probably Cornish forms of Collins, a name derived from Nicholas.

COLQUITE. From Colquite in Lanteglos by Fowey; from kil-coid, the neck of the wood. Pryce renders Colquite (anc. Kilcoid, &c.), the neck of the wood, or the dry wood.

COMBELLACK, CUMBELLAC. From com-vallack, the fenced or walled valley.

COMEFORD, COMERFORD, COMFORT, COMMERFORD. From Comfort in Gwennap; from cûm-vor, the great valley. Polwhele renders Com-fort, Coomb-ford, Cwm-fordh, Cuum-vordh, Cum-vor, the great road or pass between the hills.

COMMON. From com-mogan, the great valley.

CONDOR, CONDURA, or CUNDOR; in Latin Condorus or Condurus, Earl of Cornwall at the time of the Norman Conquest. From Conor or Condura in St. Clements, which D. Gilbert renders the king's or prince's water. Pryce with more reason translates Condurra, Condourra, the neck of water (con-dower). See also Connor.

CONGDON. From Congdon in South Petherwin. (There is Congdon Shop in North Hill.) From conna-den, the neck or promontory on the hill.

CONNOCK, CONOCK. "The name Conock or Connock signifies rich, prosperous, thriving, successful, of which name and family those in Cornwall are descended from the Conocks of Wiltshire; the first of the tribe in those parts was a Mr. Conock, who, temp. Elizabeth, came to Leskeard, a tanner, and laid the foundation of his estate, as Mr. Thomas Rivers of Liskeard informed me." (Gilbert, quoting Hals.)

CONNOR, CONOR. As Cornish surnames, said to be from connor, rage. D. Gilbert, speaking of St. Clements, says, "In this church town is the well-known place of Conor, Condura; id est, the king or prince's water (viz., Cornwall), whose royalty is still over the same, and whose lands cover comparatively the whole parish; from which place in all probability was denominated Cundor or Condor, in Lat. Condorus, i. e. Condura, Earl of Cornwall at the time of the Norman Conquest, who perhaps lived or was born here. And moreover the inhabitants of this church town and its neighbourhood will tell you, by tradition from age to age, that here once dwelt a great lord and lady called Condura." But see Condor.

CONNORTON. See Connor.

CONOCK. See Connock.

CONOR. See Connor.

COODE. From coid, var. coit, cos, coys, cuit, cus (pl. cosaws, cosawes), god, goda, goed, goose, gosse, gûs, gûz, govyth, gyth, wyth, quit, quite, a wood. Hence the surnames Cause, Causse, Caws, Cawse, Coad, Coat, Coath, Code, Cood, Coot, Coote, Cowd, Coose, Cooze (Cossa?), Cuss, Goad, Goate, Good, Goose, Goosey, Gooze, Goozee, Goss, Gosse.

COOM. From root of Coumbe, q. v.

COOSE. From Coose in Creed, from the root of Coode, q. v.

COOT, COOZE. See Coode.

COPP. As a Cornish name, from coppa, the top or summit.

CORCLEW. See Carclew.

COREN, CORIN. "John Coren, Esq., derived from the Corens of St. Stephens in Branwell, and gave for his arms, Arg. a millrind between two martlets in fess, Sab." (Tonkin.) The name seems to be from cor-an, the dwarf. Cf. the W. cor, little, a dwarf; coren, cores, a female dwarf.

CORITON. Coryton.

CORLYER. From car-lûar, the garden on the rock.

CORNOW. See Curnow.

CORY. See Cury.

CORYTON, CORITON. C. S. Gilbert derives the name Coryton from an estate in Lifton, co. Devon, possessed by the family as early at least as 1242; but the reverse may be the fact, for the ancient name of Cury in Kerrier was Curytowne or Curyton. See Cury.

COSBEY. See Cosway.

COSOWARTH. See Coswarth.

COSSA. See Coode.

COSWARTH, COSOWARTH. From Coswarth on Cosowarth in Colan (in Pider hundred), where the family flourished till temp. Henry VIII. Hals translates Coswarth or Cosowarth the far-off or remote wood; but the name is rather from cos-warth, the high wood. Hence the surnames Cosworth and Cuswath.

COSWAY, COSBEY. From Coosvea, Coozvean; from coose-vean, the little wood.

COSWORTH. See Coswarth.

COSWYN (De). From Coswin, in the parish of Gwinear, where the family flourished for several descents, till John Coswyn, temp. Chas. II., having wasted the paternal estate, sold the barton. The name is from cos-gwdyn, the white wood; or cos-vean, the little wood.

COTEHELE (De.) From Cotehele or Cuthill in Calstock; from cut-hill, coit-hayle, the wood on the river. "Cuthill was the most ancient seat of the knightly family of Edgecombes in Cornwall. It came into that family by the marriage of Hilaria, daughter and heir of William de Cotehele, with William de Edgecombe in the reign of Edw. III."

COUMBE, COOM. From coom, cumm, a valley. There is the village of Combe, formerly Coumbe, in Morwinstow, and Combe Keale in Egloskerry; and places named Coombe in Duloe, Kea, Landrake.

COVER. See Gover.

COWD. See Coode.

COWLSTOCK. From Calstock in East hundred; from cal-stoc, hard rock.

CRADICK, CRADOCK, CRADDOCK. The same as the Welsh Caradoc (Latinized Caractacus); from cara-dawg, abounding with love (carad, loving; Corn. car, a friend). There was a Cradock, Earl of Cornwall.

CRAGE, CRAGO, CRAGOE, CRAGS. See Crego.

CRAHART. See Carhart.

CRAISE. See Craze.

CRAKE. See Crego.

CRANE. From Crane in Camborne; from grean, gravel; or croan, the cross. Hals says, "Crane adjoining Roswarne gave name to its possessor, Cit-Crane, who gave bustards or cranes for his arms; for as crana, krana, is as grus in Latin, so it is a crane in English, garan and cryhyr in the Welsh."

CRART. See Carhart.

CRASHDOOR. From castle-door or kestle-dour, the castle near the water. Others translate the name "on the water."

CRAVARTH. See Carverth.

CRAZE, CRAISE. From Cherease, Chyrease, which Polwhele renders "the middle house" (probably chy-creis). Creis, creiz, signifies also force, strength; and cres in peace, quiet, rest.

CREAGH, CREAK. See Crego.

CREBA. From crif, strong; or greab, crib, a comb; perhaps used locally to signify a ridge (crib, a comb of a cock, or any bird: hence, the rocks called Crebs in many places, for that they appear like the comb of a cock at low water, &c. Pryce).

CREBER, CREBOR, CREPER. From crib-ber, the short ridge; crib-vêr, the great ridge; or crib-per, the bare rock. Ber also means a gentle eminence. There is a Wheal Crebor. But see Creba.

CREECH, CREEKE. Crego.

CREGAN, CREGEEN, CRIGAN. From creeg-an, the creek; or cryk-an, the barrow.

CREGO, CREGOE. From Crego, an estate in St. Cubye or Tregony; from creeg, a creek; or cryk, a barrow or tumulus. Hence perhaps Crago, Cragoe, Crage, Craggs, Crake, Creak, Creeke, Creech, Creagh.

CREPER. See Creber.

CRIGAN. Cregan.

CROOGAN, CROGGIN, CROGGON. Pryce renders Cracket-ton, Croggan-ton, a place where are shells (crogen, a shell, pl. kregyn); but these surnames are rather from crow-gon, the cross on the down.

CROKE, CROOK. From crug, cruc, cryk, a barrow, hillock.

CROOME. A family that held the barton of Trelevan in Mevagissey. From croum, croom, krum, crooked (W. crom, crwn). The Croomes are said to have been originally from Wales.

CROW, CROWE. From crou, crow, a cross.

CROWGEY. From Crowgy in Constantine, or Crowgy in Gwennap; from crou-ke, the cross by the hedge. The last syllable might also be from gy, a brook, or chy, a house.

CRUDGE. From cruc, a buttock, a barrow; or from crou, a cross.

CUER. From cuer, cur (L. curia), a court; or guêr, green, lively, flourishing; whence Geare, the name of several places in this county.

CUMBELLAC. See Combellack.

CUNDOR. See Condor.

CUNNACK, CUNNICK. See Cennick.

CURGANVEN, CURGENVEN, CURGENWEN (commonly written Cargenwen). From car-gwynn, the white rock or castle. Hence perhaps, by corruption, the surname Chirgwin.

CURLYON. See Carlian.

CURNOE, CURNOW. These names mean high rocks or shelves in the sea; properly, says Pryce, a heap of rocks, a rocky place (carnou, pl. of carn, carne). Hence also Cornow and Kernow; but the latter is also the Cornish for Cornwall.

CURRY, CURY, CORY. From Cury or Curye, a parish in Kerrier Hundred, found written Curytowne and Curyton; from crou-dun, the hill with the cross; or crou-todn, the cross in the green meadow.

CUSDEN, CUSDIN. From casa-den, the dirty valley.

CUSS. See Coode.

CUSWATH. See Coswarth.

CUTTELL, CUTTILL. If Cornish names, from root of Cotehele, q. v.