Gynn

Gynn
This interesting and unusual surname has two distinct possible sources, each with its own history and derivation. Firstly, Gynn may have originated as a metonymic occupational name for a trapper, or as a nickname for a particularly clever and cunning person, from the Middle English "gin, ginne", an aphetic form of the Old French "engin", skill, ingenuity, with the later meaning of "snare, trap". Job descriptive surnames originally denoted the actual occupation of the namebearer, and later became hereditary. Nicknames ere given with reference to a variety of personal characteristics, such as physical attributes or peculiarities, and mental or moral characteristics, and consequently gave rise to many early medieval surnames. One Walter Gynn was recorded in the 1275 Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire. The second possibility is that Gynn is either a variant form of the Welsh "Gwyn", a nickname surname from "gwen", white-headed, favourite, or an Anglicized form of the Old Gaelic "MagFhinn", son of Finn, a byname from "fionn", fair or white-haired. One William ap Guyn was noted in the 1327 Subsidy Rolls of Shropshire, and Gwyn, together with its Irish cognate Finn, are still popular male given names. A Coat of Arms granted to the Gynn family of Hertfordshire is an azure shield with a gold griffin segreant, on a chief indented ermine three pellets, the Crest being a bird close azure on a gold garb. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Henry Gin, which was dated 1191, in the "Pipe Rolls of Norfolk", during the reign of King Richard 1, known as "Richard the Lionheart", 1189 - 1199. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Surnames reference. 2013.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Micky Gynn — Personal information Date of birth 19 August 1961 (1961 08 19) (age 50) Place of birth …   Wikipedia

  • John David Gynn Logan — Pour les articles homonymes, voir John Logan. John Logan Données clés Nom de naissance John David Gynn Logan Naissance 24 septembre 1961 (1961 09 24) (50 ans) …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Stamata Revithi — ( el. Σταμάτα Ρεβίθη) (1866 ndash; after 1896) was a Greek woman who ran the marathon course of convert|42|km|mi|sp=us during the 1896 Summer Olympics, one day after the men had run the official race. The organizers of the Games excluded women… …   Wikipedia

  • Blackpool tramway — Double deck Balloon trams 700 (green) and 720 (black) at Bispham Overview Type First generation tramway L …   Wikipedia

  • Gynne — This interesting and unusual surname has two distinct possible sources, each with its own history and derivation. Firstly, Gynn may have originated as a metonymic occupational name for a trapper, or as a nickname for a particularly clever and… …   Surnames reference

  • 1896 Summer Olympics — Olympics infobox|1896|Summer Name = Games of the I Olympiad Size = 175 Optional caption = Host city = Nations participating = 14The number, given by the International Olympic Committee, is open to interpretation and could be as few as 10 and as… …   Wikipedia

  • Blackpool Transport — See also: Blackpool tramway Blackpool Transport Double deck Balloon tram at Bispham …   Wikipedia

  • Ginn — This most interesting and unusual surname is of early medieval English origin, though ultimately deriving from an Old French word. It may be either a metonymic occupational name for a trapper, or a nickname for a particularly clever person, or… …   Surnames reference

  • Marathon — For other uses, see Marathon (disambiguation). Competitors during the 2007 Berlin Marathon …   Wikipedia

  • Blackpool Illuminations — is an annual Lights Festival, founded in 1879 and first switched on 18 September that year, held each autumn in the English seaside resort of Blackpool on the Fylde Coast in Lancashire. Also known locally as The Lights or The Illuminations, they… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”