1.)

These have been explained as Fr. beau coq, which is possible, and meek
cock, which is absurd. As both words are found as surnames before
Shakespeare's time, it is probable that they are diminutives which
were felt as suited to receive a special connotation, just as a man
who treats his thirst generously is vulgarly called a Lushington.
Bawcock can easily be connected with Baldwin, while Meacock, Maycock,
belong to the personal name May or Mee, shortened from the Old Fr.
Mahieu (Chapter IX).

Although we are not dealing with Celtic names, a few words as to the
Scottish, Irish, and Welsh surnames which we find in our directories
may be useful. Those of Celtic origin are almost invariably
patronymics. The Scottish and Irish Mac, son, used like the Anglo-Fr.
Fitz-, ultimately means kin, and is related to the -mough of Watmough
(Chapter XXI) and to the word maid. In MacNab, son of the abbot, and
MacPherson, son of the parson, we have curious hybrids. In Manx
names, such as Quilliam (Mac William), Killip (Mac Philip), Clucas
(Mac Lucas), we have aphetic forms of Mac. The Irish 0', grandson,
descendant, has etymologically the same meaning as Mac, and is related
to the first part of Ger. Oheim, uncle, of Anglo-Sax. eam (see Eames,
Chapter XXI), and of Lat. avus, grandfather. Oe or oye is still used
for grandchild in Scottish--

"There was my daughter's wean, little Eppie Daidle, my oe, ye ken"
(Heart of Midlothian, ch. iv.).

The names of the Lowlands of Scotland are pretty much the same as
those of northern England, with the addition of a very large French
element, due to the close historical connection between the two
countries. Examples of French names, often much corrupted, are
Bethune (Pas de Calais), often corrupted into Beaton, the name of one
of the Queen's Maries, Boswell (Bosville, Seine Inf.), Bruce (Brieux,
Orne), Comyn, Cumming (Comines, Nord), Grant (le grand), Rennie
(Rene), etc.

CELTIC NAMES

Welsh Ap or Ab, reduced from an older Map, ultimately cognate with
Mac, gives us such names as Probyn, Powell (Howell, Hoel), Price
(Rhys), Pritchard, Prosser (Rosser), Prothero (Roderick), Bedward,
Beddoes (Eddowe), Blood (Lud, Lloyd), Bethell (Ithel), Benyon (Enion),
whence also Binyon and the local-looking Baynham. Onion and Onions
are imitative forms of Enion. Applejohn and Upjohn are corruptions of
Ap-john. The name Floyd, sometimes Flood, is due to the English
inability to grapple with th