Patronymica Cornu-Britannica/N

by Richard Stephen Charnock

 

N.

 

NACOTHAN. See Nancothan.

NANCARROW. From Nancarrow in St. Allen, which Pryce renders the deers' valley, and Tonkin they valley of brooks (nan-carrow).

NANCE. From nans, nance, nantz, a valley; "properly," says Pryce, "a level or plain, a dale." There is a place called Nants, Nance, or Nans, in Illogan.

NANCHOLAS. From nan-wollas, the lower valley; or nan-golas, the bottom of the valley. There is a place called Trecollas in Alternun.

NANCOLLINS. The valley of Collins. There is Nancegollan in Crowan.

NANCOTHAN. From Nancothan in Madron, said to mean "the old valley" (cooth, old); but it may be from nan-coit-an, "the woody valley" (coit, coid, a wood). Hence the name Nacothan. John Nacothan occurs in the copy of a muster-book for the parish of Redruth in 1500.

NANFAN, NANPHANT, NANFON. From Nanfan in the parish of Cury, by some rendered the valley of the spring or fountain (nan-font). Nan-vown would mean the deep or low valley. John Nanfan, whose seat was at Trethewoll or Trethvall in St. Eval, was sheriff of Cornwall, temp. 7 Hen. VI. Lower says the Nanfans were a Cornish family of some distinction, which produced, among other worthies, John Nanfan, Esq., the first patron of Cardinal Wolsey, who had been his chaplain.

NANGARTHIAN. From nan-arth-an, the high valley or plain; or perhaps rather from nan-garz-an, the enclosure in the valley.

NANJULIAN. From nan-Julian, the valley of Julian. Julian, Jullian, Julyan, Julyn are not uncommon names in this county.

NANKERSEY. From Nankersy in Mylor, where some Dutch settlers built the town of Flushing; from nans-kersey, the winding valley.

NANKERVIS. This name is said to mean the valley in the beautiful place (nan-kerris, gerry); but, according to Burlase, Polkerris signifies "lowest stream" (from cerris lowest); and, if so, Nankervis may mean lowest valley. Nawkervis is doubtless the same name.

NANKIVEL, NANKIVELL, NANKEVILL, NANKEVILLE, NANSKEVALL. From Nanckivel in Mawgan-in-Pyder; from nan-kevil, the horse valley.

NANPHANT. See Nanfan.

NANSAVALLEN. See Nansevallen.

NANSCAWEN, NANSCOWAN. From Nanscawen in Luxulion; from nans-scauan, the valley of elder-trees.

NANSCORUS. From Nancor in the parish of Creed; from nans-gor, the high valley; or perhaps rather from nans-kors, the valley of gorse (korsen); or nans-cors, the boggy or fenny valley (W. cors, a bog, fen). Scorse appears to be a Cornish surname.

NANSCOWAN. See Nanscawen.

NANSCUKE. From Nancekuke in Illogan; from nance-guik, the village in the valley.

NANSEVALLEN, NANSAVALLEN. From Nancevallon in Kea; from nans-avallan, the valley of apple-trees.

NANSKEVALL. See Nankivel.

NANSLADRON. From Nansladron (vulgò Lanhadron) in St. Ewe, said to be from nans-ladron, the valley of thieves. Nans-ledron would translate the valley with cliffs.

NANSPERIAN. Hals says the arms of Nansperian were, Argent, three lozenges Sable, and that Nansperian signifies the valley of thorns. If so, the last part of the name must be from spernan, a thorn. The name would also translate the valley of St. Perran (Nans-Perran).

NANSPIAN. A contraction of Nansperian. (q. v.); or from nans-vean, the little valley.

NANSTALAN. From Nantillan (found Nantellan) in Creed; from nant-allan, the miry valley.

NANSTANCE. A name mentioned by C. S. Gilbert in a list of gentlemen who have represented Bodmin. From nans-dinas, the fortress, city, or walled town in the valley; or nans-danas, the valley for deer (W. danas, danys, deer).

NAVA. See Knava.

NAWKERVIS. See Nankervis.

NEAINE. From an-heân, the bay, port, or haven.

NEPEAN. From nan-pean, for nan-vean, the little valley.

NEWLING. See Newlyn.

NEWLYN. From the parish of Newlyn in Pydar hundred, or from Newlyn in the parish of St. Paul in Penwith. Pryce thinks Newlyn may be from noath-lyn, the open or naked lake. Nowth-lyn would signify the new pond. Tonkin says the parish of Newlin (sic) in Pydar takes its name from and is dedicated to a female saint, Sancta Newlina.

NINESS, NINNES, NINNIS. From Niness in Gwennap, Ninnes in Madron, or Ninnis in Lelant; from an-ennis, the island. Nennis (i. e. an-ennis) is also said to mean the enclosure surrounded by a lane.

NOAL, NOALE, NOALL. See Nowell.

NODDER. From Nottar in East hundred; qy. from noth-arth, the bare height.

NOELL. See Nowell.

NOOTH. From noath, nooth, noth, bare, naked, exposed, probably referring to locality. Pryce renders the surname Nooth, "new." Nuth and Noad would seem to be the same name.

NOWELL, NOAL, NOALE, NOALL, NOELL. Cornish forms of Noel.