Thank you, Gavin, for straightening this out. It would seem to me that some surnames would have themselves derived from nicknames, e.g. Armstrong (very early), and possibly other names like Quartermain (four hands), Campbell, Cameron. Some other surnames like Sim, Sime, Gibb, Law, and Low derive from abbreviations of christian names and I have found several of these associated as septs with clans. It seems that T-names appear to be elastic and varied over time and place? I gather that once surnames became set, T-names were nicknames that didn't usually become surnames themselves unless for exceptional reasons. I understand that when Clan MacGregor was proscribed, members often changed their names to Grigg, Gregory or something less offensive to authority. There is a story behind every name, I'm told. Chris Ridings -----Original Message----- From: Gavin Bell [mailto:g.bell@which.net] Sent: Friday, 10 December 2004 8:37 To: MORAY-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re:[MORAY] Tee-Names Chris wrote: > I gathered re T-names that it could designate a place, e.g. Campbell > of Breadlebane, Cameron of Lochiel, Murray of Athol. > Is this correct? No. These are definitely not tee-names. They are territorial designations, linking the surname (Campbell, Cameron etc) with a stretch of country. They are common among the nobility and gentry, but exist in a modified form among more humble folk. In former years it was quite common (and I am told that the custom has not yet died out) to name a man after the farm that occupied,whether or not he owned it. Nor are tee-names like double-barrelled surnames ("Mary Grant-Smith") as Gay suggested. The "tee" or extra part is not usually like any ordinary surname. In fact tee-names generally look and sound more like nicknames - it's just that they are hereditary. Other Listers will probably have more up-to-date examples, but there are some quoted in the "New Statistical Account" for Cullen, in 1842: " ... there are several heads of families of the respective names of Alexander Addison, James Addison, and William Addison, who are thus distinguished, viz. Alexander Addison, 'Saunders'; Alexander Addison, 'Kitty's Saunie'; Alexander Addison, 'Drodlie'; James Addison, 'Kitty's Jamesy'; James Addison, 'Tatie Fiddler'; James Addison, 'Bubblie'; William Addison, 'Sheepie'; William Addison, 'Boatierow'; William Addison, 'Calkinapin'; William Addison, 'May's Wilsie'" Gavin Bell ______________________________