The name is derived from the Gaelic " Ghobhainn " meaning Blacksmith or Smith. It is pronounced Gowan. MacGowan is son of the smith. Another wee Gaelic lesson, Maisie. I am not an expert, just interested in the language after years of climbing Scottish mountains and learning meanings and pronunciation. Archie Gilbert. -----Original Message----- From: Maisie Egger via Sent: Friday, April 15, 2016 3:07 AM To: Dora Smith ; LANARK@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [Lanark] Twenty most common names in Scotland To add to the name mix: Definition of gowan chiefly Scottish : daisy 1; broadly : a white or yellow field flower gowany play \-ə-nē\ adjective, chiefly Scottish ---------------------------------------------- Robert Burns referred to the daisies as gowans. The field daisy is very small (think of the ones used to make daisy chains, but the gowan is a much larger daisy, depending on where it grows. -----------------------------------------------. Auld Lang Syne We twa hae run about the braes, and pu’d the gowans fine ; But we’ve wander’d mony a weary fit, sin auld lang syne. ...and more: http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~jmack/mcgowan/name.htm Maisie ------------------------------------------------------- -----Original Message----- From: Dora Smith Sent: Thursday, April 14, 2016 5:50 PM To: Maisie Egger ; lanark@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [Lanark] Twenty most common names in Scotland The top name is Smith! LOLOLOL! That makes me TRULY Scottish. Seriously, my brother's Y DNA traces to the narrow end of the Forth of Firth. But the name was God knows what when it left Scotland, and it could have been Gowan, which means Smith. It was often changed in Ireland. Dora Smith -----Original Message----- From: Maisie Egger via Sent: Thursday, April 14, 2016 12:46 PM To: LANARK@rootsweb.com Subject: [Lanark] Twenty most common names in Scotland http://www.scotsman.com/news/is-your-surname-among-the-20-most-common-in-scotland-1-4100176 Out of the 20 names listed, I can claim four on my tree to make me truly Scottish (?): (2) Brown, (5) Thomson, (8 ) Anderson, (15) Young Anderson is not really a clan name, so one might say that all four names are generic with no particular claim to Scotland. The only hielan’ blood that I can claim are two by the name of McLean and McDougall, but the female progeny did not carry the names down through the generations. My ‘lot’ seem to be rooted mainly in the Southwest area and Central Belt/Lanarkshire areas of Scotland. Throw in a spot of Irish and English and I can claim to be one of Jock Tamson’s bairns. Maisie ------------------------------- WHEN REPLYING to a post please remember to snip most of the earlier message. Be sure the reply to address shows as LANARK@Rootsweb.com. You may contact the List Admin at lanark-admin@rootsweb.com or click on the following link to the list information page online: http://lists.rootsweb.ancestry.com/index/intl/SCT/LANARK.html ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to LANARK-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message
Archie, you know more Gaelic than probably anyone on this list, so we'll pay heed. I have to go to 'published sources' for information, ergo: The McGowan name is mentioned as having its roots in Ireland, with the Irish Gaelic (Erse) spelling. When it crossed the channel then the spelling was changed. Have you noticed that it is more P.C. nowadays to refer to the form of Gaelic from Eire as Irish Gaelic rather than Erse. Now I just wonder why, maybe something to do with the way Glesga folk, for example, pronounce certain words! Maisie -----Original Message----- From: Archie Gilbert Sent: Friday, April 15, 2016 9:06 AM To: Maisie Egger ; lanark@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [Lanark] Twenty most common names in Scotland The name is derived from the Gaelic " Ghobhainn " meaning Blacksmith or Smith. It is pronounced Gowan. MacGowan is son of the smith. Another wee Gaelic lesson, Maisie. I am not an expert, just interested in the language after years of climbing Scottish mountains and learning meanings and pronunciation. Archie Gilbert. -----Original Message----- From: Maisie Egger via Sent: Friday, April 15, 2016 3:07 AM To: Dora Smith ; LANARK@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [Lanark] Twenty most common names in Scotland To add to the name mix: Definition of gowan chiefly Scottish : daisy 1; broadly : a white or yellow field flower gowany play \-ə-nē\ adjective, chiefly Scottish ---------------------------------------------- Robert Burns referred to the daisies as gowans. The field daisy is very small (think of the ones used to make daisy chains, but the gowan is a much larger daisy, depending on where it grows. -----------------------------------------------. Auld Lang Syne We twa hae run about the braes, and pu’d the gowans fine ; But we’ve wander’d mony a weary fit, sin auld lang syne. ...and more: http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~jmack/mcgowan/name.htm Maisie ------------------------------------------------------- -----Original Message----- From: Dora Smith Sent: Thursday, April 14, 2016 5:50 PM To: Maisie Egger ; lanark@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [Lanark] Twenty most common names in Scotland The top name is Smith! LOLOLOL! That makes me TRULY Scottish. Seriously, my brother's Y DNA traces to the narrow end of the Forth of Firth. But the name was God knows what when it left Scotland, and it could have been Gowan, which means Smith. It was often changed in Ireland. Dora Smith -----Original Message----- From: Maisie Egger via Sent: Thursday, April 14, 2016 12:46 PM To: LANARK@rootsweb.com Subject: [Lanark] Twenty most common names in Scotland http://www.scotsman.com/news/is-your-surname-among-the-20-most-common-in-scotland-1-4100176 Out of the 20 names listed, I can claim four on my tree to make me truly Scottish (?): (2) Brown, (5) Thomson, (8 ) Anderson, (15) Young Anderson is not really a clan name, so one might say that all four names are generic with no particular claim to Scotland. The only hielan’ blood that I can claim are two by the name of McLean and McDougall, but the female progeny did not carry the names down through the generations. My ‘lot’ seem to be rooted mainly in the Southwest area and Central Belt/Lanarkshire areas of Scotland. Throw in a spot of Irish and English and I can claim to be one of Jock Tamson’s bairns. Maisie ------------------------------- WHEN REPLYING to a post please remember to snip most of the earlier message. Be sure the reply to address shows as LANARK@Rootsweb.com. You may contact the List Admin at lanark-admin@rootsweb.com or click on the following link to the list information page online: http://lists.rootsweb.ancestry.com/index/intl/SCT/LANARK.html ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to LANARK-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message