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or his nature, but we have to put up with the Bugsons. They are here – there – everywhere.’

      Bulled, Bulleid (Eng) Nickname for a man with a ‘bull head,’ presumably a comment on his impetuous ways.

      Bullinger see BAKER.

      Bullock (Eng) Professor Reaney, in The Origin of English Surnames, says that Bullock might have been a nickname for a young man who behaved like a bullock, but he adds: “There can be no doubt that many a Bullock was once a BALLOCK (Old English bealluc ‘testicle’). Occasionally we have a compound, Robert Blakeballoc.’ He mentions also a Roger Gildynballokes ‘golden testicles.’ See GRAY.

      A conversation in Elizabeth Gaskell’s Mr Harrison’s Confessions runs: ‘Mr and Mrs Bullock’s compliments, sir, and they hope you are pretty well after your journey.’ ‘Who would have expected such kindness from such an unpromising name?’

      Bulteflour see BOUTFLOUR.

      Bumphrey, Bumphries see HUMPHREY.

      Bunclark see CLARK.

      Bunn see BONE.

      Burchard, Burchatt, Burchett, Burkard, Burkart, Burkett, Burkitt see BUCKET.

      Burd see BIRD.

      Burfoot see PUDDY.

      Burgess, Burgiss (Eng) A social title, indicating an inhabitant of a town or borough who enjoyed full municipal rights.

      Burke, Bourke, Burgh, De Burgh (Eng) Descendant of someone who lived near a prehistoric hill fort, or in a place named for such a fort.

      Burley, Burleigh (Eng) Descendant of someone who lived in any of the places of this name, which at one time would have had a ‘fort in a wood.’

      In The Autocrat of the Breakfast Table, Oliver Wendell Holmes says that Elizabeth I loved to make puns on people’s names. He quotes her as saying: ‘Ye be burly, my Lord of Burleigh, but ye shall make less stir in our realm than my Lord of Leicester.’

      Burnaby (Eng) Someone who came from a place so-named because it was a ‘settlement near a stream.’

      Burnham (Eng) Descendant of someone who originally came from one of the places so-named because it was a ‘homestead near a stream.’

      Burns, Burness, Burnhouse (Scot) Descendant of someone who lived (in a house) near a stream.

      George Black says in The Surnames of Scotland that ‘Robert Burns’s right name was Burness, but because the name was pronounced in Ayrshire as if written Burns, he and his brother Gilbert agreed to drop Burness and assume Burns in April 1786.’

      Burton (Eng) Someone who came from one of the several places so-named because it was a ‘settlement near a fortified manor.’

      The actor Richard Burton was born Richard Walter Jenkins.

      In South Riding, Winifred Holtby writes: ‘Mr Chairman, I see we have another candidate, Sarah Burton. A good plain name. Let us hope a good plain woman.’

      Bury, Atberry, Atbury, Atterbury, Berry, Berriman, Berryman (Eng) These names all have a connection with a ‘fort’ or ‘manor house,’ probably indicating someone who worked in such a place (Berriman, Berryman) or lived near one. Since Bury is also a place name in its own right, it could mean ‘someone who came from a place so-named.’ The ancestor of a Cornish Berriman or Berryman, by contrast, might well have come from St Buryan.

      Busby (Eng) Someone who came from a place so-named because it was a ‘settlement amongst shrubs.’

      Bush, Bushe, Busk (Eng) Descendant of someone who lived near thick bushes.

      Butchard, Butchart see BUCKET.

      Butcher, Boucher, Boutcher, Bucher (Eng) Occupational name of a butcher or worker in a slaughterhouse.

      Butevilain see BUTLIN.

      Butler, Botler, Bottel, Bottle, Buttle (Eng) A head servant, specifically one who was in charge of the wine-cellar. Occasionally he was responsible for the importation of wine.

      Butlin, Bucklin, Butevilain (Fre) Dr Reaney explained this name in his Origin of English Surnames as Old French boute vilain, ‘hustle the churl.’ It appears to have been the nickname of an overseer.

      Butt, Butson, Butting, Butts (Eng) A nickname for a short, thickset person, or one who lived near, or spent a lot of time at, archery butts. Perhaps also a seller of the flatfish called butt, halibut.

      Buttle see BUTLER.

      Button, Boudet, Boudin, Boudon, Boudot, Boudeau, Bouton Descendant of a man who bore the Germanic personal name Bodo or one of its diminutive forms.

      There was a Button family on the Mayflower when it sailed to America.

      Lower reports that there is a sexton’s bill in an English parish church which refers to digging a grave for a Mr Button. It reads: ‘To making a Button-hole, 4s.6d.’

      Butts see BUTT.

      In The Newcomes, Thackeray has the exchange: ‘Mr Butts of the Life Guards.’ ‘Mr Butts – quel nom!’ (what a name!).

      Byfield see FIELD.

      Bygod, Bygot see PARDOE.

      Byndloes see CATCHLOVE.

      Byrd see BIRD.

      Bywater, Bywaters (Eng) Ancestor of someone who lived near water, such as a lake or river.

      Bywood see WOOD.

C

      Cadbury descendant of someone who came from one of the places so named because it was ‘Cada’s fortress.’ The Old English personal name Cada probably meant ‘lump,’ and was perhaps applied to a fat person.

      In the 1820s the Quaker John Cadbury sold tea and coffee in his Birmingham shop. He began grinding cocoa beans to supply a few special customers and went on to make chocolate.

      Caldwell, Calwell, Caudell, Caudle, Caudwell, Cauldwell, Cawdell (Eng, Scot, Irish) A fairly common place name meaning ‘cold well, spring.’ Ancestors of those bearing these names could have come from any one of them.

      A member of the American Name Society, some years ago, amused himself by matching surnames with various sports. Caldwell was considered to be suitable for a baseball umpire. Other links were made between LONGFELLOW and FOWLER, basketball; FIELDING, cricket; SITWELL, hunting; UPDIKE, mountaineering. Such a list could be considerably extended.

      Caller, Callear, Callier, Callmaker, Caul, Caule, Caules (Eng) Occupational name for a maker of ‘cauls,’ head-dresses made of net-work.

      Callister, Callistron see ALEXANDER.

      Callmaker see CALLER.

      Calwell see CALDWELL.

      Cambell, Camble see CAMPBELL.

      Cameron (Scot) In the Highlands a nickname from Gaelic cam sròn ‘crooked nose.’ As a Lowland surname it indicates an ancestor who lived near a ‘crooked hill,’ or in a place which itself had

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