f English name-making--i.e. that every
surname must be (i) personal, from a sire or ancestor, (ii) local,
from place of residence, [Footnote: This is by far the largest class,
counting by names, not individuals, and many names for which I give
another explanation have also a local origin. Thus, when I say that
Ely is Old Fr. Elie, i.e. Elias, I assume that the reader will know
without being told that it has an alternative explanation from Ely in
Cambridgeshire.] (iii) occupative, from trade or office, (iv) a
nickname, from bodily attributes, character, etc.

This can easily be illustrated from any list of names taken at random.
The Rugby team chosen to represent the East Midlands against Kent
(January 22, 1913) consisted of the following fifteen names: Hancock;
Mobbs, Poulton, Hudson, Cook; Watson, Earl; Bull, Muddiman, Collins,
Tebbitt, Lacey, Hall, Osborne, Manton. Some of these are simple, but
others require a little knowledge for their explanation.

PERSONAL NAMES

There are seven personal names, and the first of these, Hancock, is
rather a problem. This is usually explained as from Flemish Hanke,
Johnny, while the origin of the suffix -cock has never been very
clearly accounted for (see The suffix -cock, Chapter VI). With
Hancock we may compare Hankin. But, while the Flemish derivation is
possible for these two names, it will not explain Hanson, which
sometimes becomes Hansom (Epithesis And Assimilation, Chapter III).
According to Camden, there is evidence that Han was also used as a
rimed form of Ran, short for Ranolf and Randolf (cf. Hob from Robert,
Hick from Richard), very popular names in the north during the surname
period. In Hankin and Hancock this Han would naturally coalesce with
the Flemish Hanke. This would also explain the names Hand for Rand,
and Hands, Hance for Rands, Rance. Mobbs is the same as Mabbs (cf.
Moggy for Maggy), and Mabbs is the genitive of Mab, i.e. Mabel, for
Amabel. We have the diminutive in Mappin and the patronymic in
Mapleson. [Footnote: Maple and Mapple, generally tree names (Chapter
XII), are in some cases for Mabel. Maplethorpe is from Mablethorpe
(Line.), thorp of Madalbert (Maethelbeorht).] Hudson is the son of
Hud, a very common medieval name, which seems to represent Anglo-Saxon
Hudda (Chapter VII), the vigorous survival of which into the surname
period is a mystery. Watson is the son of Wat, i.e. Walter, from the
Old N.E. Fr. Vautier (Gautier), regularl