Hi Angela It would be interesting to do a study of how names have changes over the years... Having a name like Claypole has been interesting as they are very localised and if you find one that escaped their 'natural habitat' there is a good chance that they are a distant relative. Some of the misspellings have been really funny (I get Claypoti, Cleypole, and the Italian version Claypolo). I also think with names that if it is unusual people will sometimes confuse it with a similar name eg Claypole becomes Catchpole (people seem to have heard of Catchpole). Claypole is a blessing when doing family history - my grandfather's second wife was a Smith and its proving bery difficult to find out about her and where she came from etc. I am doing some research for their adopted daughter and its been tough although I recently had a breakthrough with the marriage certificate. When we looked up a 'meaning of names book' it mentioned that Claypole's were clay pit workers - which confirms that both my side of the family and my husbands were definately were lower class! So when distant rellies show me the family coat of arms I have a good laugh - as if a ag lab would have one! Claire -----Original Message----- From: isle-of-wight-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:isle-of-wight-bounces@rootsweb.com]On Behalf Of Angela McMurtry Sent: Tuesday, 23 February 2010 6:51 AM To: isle-of-wight@rootsweb.com Subject: [IoW] SURNAME ATLAS In my humble view, the various surname maps are good if you have a rare or unusual surname. I've long been suspicious of the view that all SMITHS were once SMITHS, all CLARKS were once CLERKS, always seemed a bit too simplistic. If trades became surnames and we have CARTERS why not CARRIERS. I think the Victorians spear headed surname 'histories' when coats of arms became all the rage. Over time, many surnames have been corrupted and the original meaning has been lost. Two diiferent names can appear to be the same one, being similar in sound, but different in origin. One of my surnames is fairly uncommon and is DUNCH from Norwich, thanks to a clerical error at marriage I have a whole branch on my tree spelling it DENCH..how many times has your own surname being spelt incorrectly. If some people had their way McMurtry would be Murphy :-) I think it all comes down to etymology and linguistics ....interesting subject. Angela ************************************** You can contact the Isle of Wight List Administrator by emailing: Isle-of-Wight-Admin@rootsweb.com ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ISLE-OF-WIGHT-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 9.0.733 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/2703 - Release Date: 02/22/10 18:34:00

Hi According to David Hey in "Family Names and Family History", p 167, CATCHPOLE was an occupational name recorded in Suffolk in 1674 for a tax gatherer - literally meaning 'chase fowl' i.e. a collector of poultry in default of money. Best wishes Carole > From: claypole@netspeed.com.au > To: angelamciow@talktalk.net; isle-of-wight@rootsweb.com > Date: Tue, 23 Feb 2010 07:03:39 +1100 > Subject: Re: [IoW] SURNAME ATLAS > > Hi Angela > > > It would be interesting to do a study of how names have changes over the > years... > > Having a name like Claypole has been interesting as they are very localised > and if you find one that escaped their 'natural habitat' there is a good > chance that they are a distant relative. Some of the misspellings have been > really funny (I get Claypoti, Cleypole, and the Italian version Claypolo). > I also think with names that if it is unusual people will sometimes confuse > it with a similar name eg Claypole becomes Catchpole (people seem to have > heard of Catchpole). Claypole is a blessing when doing family history - my > grandfather's second wife was a Smith and its proving bery difficult to find > out about her and where she came from etc. I am doing some research for > their adopted daughter and its been tough although I recently had a > breakthrough with the marriage certificate. > > When we looked up a 'meaning of names book' it mentioned that Claypole's > were clay pit workers - which confirms that both my side of the family and > my husbands were definately were lower class! So when distant rellies show > me the family coat of arms I have a good laugh - as if a ag lab would have > one! > > Claire > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: isle-of-wight-bounces@rootsweb.com > [mailto:isle-of-wight-bounces@rootsweb.com]On Behalf Of Angela McMurtry > Sent: Tuesday, 23 February 2010 6:51 AM > To: isle-of-wight@rootsweb.com > Subject: [IoW] SURNAME ATLAS > > > In my humble view, the various surname maps are good if you have a rare or > unusual surname. > > I've long been suspicious of the view that all SMITHS were once SMITHS, all > CLARKS were once CLERKS, always seemed a bit too simplistic. If trades > became surnames and we have CARTERS why not CARRIERS. > > I think the Victorians spear headed surname 'histories' when coats of arms > became all the rage. > > Over time, many surnames have been corrupted and the original meaning has > been lost. Two diiferent names can appear to be the same one, being similar > in sound, but different in origin. > > One of my surnames is fairly uncommon and is DUNCH from Norwich, thanks to a > clerical error at marriage I have a whole branch on my tree spelling it > DENCH..how many times has your own surname being spelt incorrectly. If some > people had their way McMurtry would be Murphy :-) > > I think it all comes down to etymology and linguistics ....interesting > subject. > Angela > > > ************************************** > You can contact the Isle of Wight List Administrator by emailing: > Isle-of-Wight-Admin@rootsweb.com > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > ISLE-OF-WIGHT-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 9.0.733 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/2703 - Release Date: 02/22/10 > 18:34:00 > > > ************************************** > You can contact the Isle of Wight List Administrator by emailing: > Isle-of-Wight-Admin@rootsweb.com > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ISLE-OF-WIGHT-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message _________________________________________________________________ Do you have a story that started on Hotmail? Tell us now http://clk.atdmt.com/UKM/go/195013117/direct/01/

On 23 Feb 2010 at 7:03, Claire Bennett-Claypole wrote: > It would be interesting to do a study of how names have changes over > the years... > > Having a name like Claypole has been interesting as they are very > localised and if you find one that escaped their 'natural habitat' > there is a good chance that they are a distant relative. Some of the > misspellings have been really funny (I get Claypoti, Cleypole, and the > Italian version Claypolo). I also think with names that if it is > unusual people will sometimes confuse it with a similar name eg > Claypole becomes Catchpole (people seem to have heard of Catchpole). > Claypole is a blessing when doing family history - my grandfather's > second wife was a Smith and its proving bery difficult to find out > about her and where she came from etc. I am doing some research for > their adopted daughter and its been tough although I recently had a > breakthrough with the marriage certificate. > > When we looked up a 'meaning of names book' it mentioned that > Claypole's were clay pit workers - which confirms that both my side of > the family and my husbands were definately were lower class! So when > distant rellies show me the family coat of arms I have a good laugh - > as if a ag lab would have one! > Wouldn't it be amusing to imagine what sort of surnames would be around today if we revived the medieval fashion of naming people after their occupations? We would have names like Jennifer Secretary, John Computer-Programmer, Natalie Pop-Singer, Nigel Footballer and Harold Accountant! -- Roy Stockdill Genealogical researcher, writer & lecturer Newbies' Guide to Genealogy & Family History: www.genuki.org.uk/gs/Newbie.html "There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about." OSCAR WILDE