I have recently bought a book published in 1936 about doings, saying etc., in Hampshire. I thought the list might be interested in the derivation of the surnames as listed: In the Liphook area these names, derived from occupations, are prevalent: SOUTAER - derived from a cobbler. HILLER - a tiller THECHERE - a thatcher FEWTRELL - a huntsman BREWER - from bruere, heather FORSTER - a forester SILVESTER - from Silva; a wood WOODWARD } WOODROW }- from the wood reeve WARNER - from a warrener SCIVIER - from the French, meaning bird catcher ( this name is found in many parts of Hampshire) KITCHER - from the French cuissier, a man who made thigh pieces of armour. Burley Parish Registers have a wonderful collection of unusual surnames: BEZOAR, FUMEMITTERY, WESTMUCKET, XURY, CLAPSHOE. Boldre records show these surnames: TIVITO, COOY, DIGLEY, TRICKUP, SLEYHOUND, GODSGRACE, WEYENRIGHTER. The following names are from where their namesakes lived: DOWNER, HATCH, HATCHER and HACK - one who lived beside a hatch or gate. TOWNSEND, TOWNSMAN - from TON, a primitive enclosure. WELLER } DODDEWLL}from the well. DENYER} DEAN } from the wood. In the Register (the book does not make clear which one) FAIRMINER was written VERMINER and was the rat-catcher of his day. Other unusual names are POPPEHALLE, DOUNEWATER and ENTICKNAPP. HOGSFLESH is an old Hampshire name and there are people still living in Liss with this name. It appears in the first registers of Liss for 1599. At Littleton two of the leading families were called SNOW and FITT, so it was commonly said that " There was always Snow in Littleton and the inhabitants were subject to Fitts." French surnames are very numerous, owing to the number of settlers here, during the time when the Norman Kings hunted our forests: PORTAL, PONCHARD, LE FROUCONER (probably the falconer) LE SAPRE, GULLIFERS. Other unusual surnames ( again, no district mentioned) DIGWEED, SPINAGE, THRUMWOOD, TIGGELL, PIZZEY, WOATMOR, SMALLBONES, HELCOOP, TANDY, FULBROAD, GASSER, RASSHEN, FUDGE, ROWDE. Now for some amazing Christian names, however no date is given for any of these: For the boys: - Chrywophilus, Gylo, Hercules, Malachy, Zebedel. (Oh! I do hope Hercules grew up to be more than a puny 5 foot 6 inch lad!!) >From Boldre, these girls names: Graceana, Tomasin, Rodygun, and Elriathan. >From Goodworth Clatford: Dorate, Trystreme, Averine, Clemency, Blandina and Felice. (looks like more French influence here) I just wonder how many of these surnames feature in the 2003 Hampshire phone directory!! Moya Page (nee Banting) researching BANTING and PERREN in Hampshire