myTobago – your questions, review and comment about Tobago

Hello Steve,

I'm currently reading World Without End by Ken Follett, a novel set in the fictional town of Kingsbridge England during the 1300's. Several of the main characters are members of the Wooler family, wealthy wool merchants. As I'm sure most of us realize, a lot of English surnames were derived either from the town that a man came from or from his occupation or trade. I'm curious to know if you have delved into your ancestry and if by chance you come from a line of wool merchants.

Perhaps some of our other members may also be in a similar circumstance. I was able to think of a number of comman names where this would apply:

Baker
Miller
Barber
Constable
(mill) Wright
(black) Smith
Tay(i)lor
Thatcher
Fletcher (arrow maker)
Carpenter
Cooper (barrel maker)

And of couse the most important one:

BREWER

How about it folks - join in with more names and your stories.

Bill Brunner (From a town name in Switzerland)

OK then Bill,
Off we go !
TOWNSEND(end of the town!)
Butcher
Farmer
Arrowsmith
Miller
Clark (Clerk)
Younghusband ( from farming)
Turner
Plowright
Wheelwright
Weaver
Fisher
Pollard ( from pollarding trees)
Shepherd
This is fun! (no that's not one)

My maiden name is Wollin. Now, I have done some research, and there are three or four possible origins:
Something from the English wool trade would seem the most likely, but it could also be an ancient Welsh name, which I think least likely.
Or it could be an Eastern European, or a German,or possibly a German- Jewish name.
I asked my grandfather once, but he didn't know.
There is an island off Poland called Wolin, and I have come across the name Wollinsky, which is of course very Eastern European.
Wollin is a very unusual name in the UK, but less so in the US. Some Wollins emigrated there from Germany.
I have also discovered there is an Esther Wollin Institute in the US, which is an organisation for Jewish people.
When I retire and have more time on my hands (!) I will do some more serious research of my actual ancestors.
How's that then Bill?
I am going to spend the rest of this evening thinking of more names.
Ah! Seaman
Sergeant
Major
Collier

Phew!
Cheers
Carolnoe

Carolnoe,

Are you serious - somebody actually has the surname Younghusband? I would think that if he did he would shorten it to Young to avoid all kinds of jokes and comments.

Bill (poyap)

Hi, Bill. It's not a remarkably rare name: FamilySearch
http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/ ... ndardize=N
turns up 272 matches, and there are two in my organization's global email directory.

How about
Bishop (either because your dad was one, or you worked for one)
Buller: a scribe or copyist
Bunt: a maker of sieves
George: ultimately from the Greek for a rustic or farmer
Hawk or Hawker: someone who sells goods at a fair (same as a Chapman)
Skinner: the occupation of stripping hides from carcasses for fur or leathermaking

These are all names appearing in The History of Port Isaac and Port Quin[1] a fascinating little document relating to the villages where my family comes from, but regrettably totally unrelated to Tobago. The Chief Anorak will tell us to stop if we're clogging up his bandwidth...

[1] http://www.jnorichards.pwp.blueyonder.c ... TPOPQ.html

A few more:-

Priest
Deacon
Fuller - from the wool textile industry again

and how could one forget the inventor of the flushing toilet - Mr. Crapper!

Jane

So, way back one of Harry's ancestors made Pots ?

Bill

And yet more:
Scrivener,letter writer and reader
Cobbledick,a road layer
Tarfener,tax gatherer.
This could go on forever!!!
David(starting to pack)

And yet more
Wainwright - Wagon maker
Fisher
Coleman
Butler
Carter
Shoemaker/Schumaker
Entwhistle / Duck caller into a decoy
Wort / Vegetable grower and incidentally my wifes maiden name/ ?may also have brewing connotation

Keep em coming guys
Mike

See what you've started Bill?
Mason
Mercer
Forrester
Pope ( odd one that!)
Parsons
Joiner
Goldsmith
Silversmith
Farrier
Carter
Archer
And what about places?
Hill(s)
Wood (s)
Field(er)
Brook(s)
Underwood
Rivers
Shaw(Shore)?
Dale
Vale
And Uncle Tom Cobley and all!

I'm bored now. Back to this Younghusband thing. The name even has a Coat of Arms. Mind you, there is always some company or other that will find your family's Coat of Arms for you and then sell you merchandise emblazened with it. It's done to make money out of gullible Yanks anxious to trace their roots!
It wouldn't surprise me if you made up a name, like, say Poyap, and they would find a Coat of Arms for it!
If you ever venture into the touristy areas of Scotland, you will find lots of places to help you trace your clan; all aimed at the Americans, Australians, Canadians....
Anyway, the loveliest name I've come across is Kindness. Truly!
Thanks for this SUPERB non Tobago thread. I hope the chief doesn't tell you off!
Regards Carolnoe

Carolnoe,

This link speaks for itself http://en.netlog.com/Poyap

Bill

Bill,
What the..........?

Isn't this the sort of thing my fifteen year old gets up to?
Carolnoe
Lost for words

Well I never! The sweetest name I recall is Precious McKenzie.Without googling does anybody remember this person?
David

Yes, ( and I hope you are impressed with the speed of my reply)
He was a tiny, very strong weight lifter!
Carolnoe(again)

The young couple that recently bought the summer cottage next to ours are named Chris and Sunshine. After getting to know her I think she should have been named Moonbeam, if you know what I mean

I'm not worried about the chief telling us off, he seems to be a pretty understanding sort of a chap And speaking of the chief, he doesn't appear to even know about this thread as he hasn't answered my original question. Maybe if we're all careful we can keep it a secret from him

Bill

no chance to keep a secret from the chief... you just be happy that his brain hurts too much right now to get involved in the off-topics that are coming up more and more... fear the chief of anoraks, he will be back in all his glory and then we have to be good again...

steph

Steph,

As the saying goes "while the cat's away the mice will play"

Bill

anyone else find cobbledick amusing?

paul

I guess everybody does ...but they won't say...

Carolnoe,right on the mark.I didn't think you would be old enough to remember him!He had 4 consecutive Golds in the Commonwealth games and represented Britain in 3 Olympic games.
David(without googling....he was a hero and now is very wealthy and living in NZ)