Ancient Surnames of Appalachia and the South #25

[@ladyhawthorne1]

Dead Poet's Society is one of my favorite movies, there was a small group of us that created our own and wrote our own poems to share as well. Thank you so much for including Mc Clean. My mother is a Mc Clain and I know it is spelled a hundred different ways. Information I have found says that her GG grandfather came over from Ireland though I have yet to prove it. My guess is that the line moved from Scotland to Ireland possibly during the clearances.

[@BarryVann]

I think you are right about the Scots Irish background of your Irish ancestor. I appreciate the kind words, too! Barry

[@sorakg]

Whitesides, Wiggins, King, Gibson. (Swain County, NC) Thank you so much Dr. Vann. I really enjoy your channel.

[@BarryVann]

Glad you like channel. King is in Episode 37, and Gibson is in Episode 8; the others are on the list. Thanks! Barry

[@randyblevins9489]

Thanks, Barry for including Boggs. The origin given has left me pleasantly surprised ! I always thought that Boggs was an English surname. Your research gives it a Celtic or Scottish origin. My paternal grandmother was a Boggs ( the actual line unknown). I have followed all 25 episodes of your gift to us. Waiting for the next ! Your work is much appreciated. Randy B.

[@BarryVann]

Randy, that's incredibly nice of you to say. Bless you! Barry

[@dennistrull1475]

Brings to mind Baseball great Wayne Boggs

[@BarryVann]

@Patrick Brannon Patrick, that's a great point! Thanks!

[@gracie4duke]

Another great episode! Thanks!

[@BarryVann]

Glad you enjoyed it, Gracie! Barry

[@melindar8892]

Thanks for another great video Barry ...

[@BarryVann]

Many thanks, Melinda! Barry

[@BoomerMcBoom]

Thanks again, Doc. Love your stuff. My ancestors include Ladnier ~ White ~ Havens ~ McNeal ~ Stone That list must be LONG, I know, but if you get a chance to: that'd be cool. Particular interest in 'Ladnier'. Keep up the Good Work Oh . . . .and NUMBA 1 BABY!

[@BarryVann]

Great suggestion! Boomer, I covered Stone in Episode 4. White was covered in Episode 7. I will look into the others. Barry

[@johnschroeter9743]

This series isfascinating. Have you covererd Connell yet? Mine were from Kentucky and stressed the last syllable.

[@BarryVann]

Hi John, thanks for writing! I have not covered Connell, but it's on the list. Kind regards, Barry Vann

[@Jamestele1]

I have a lot of Appalachia Scots-Irish/Ulster-Scots & Welsh Colonial ancestors. I always love hearing about the origins of different Colonial settlers. When my mother passed in 2004, I took her back to Owen, Kentucky to be buried. I noticed the surnames in the church graveyard went back to pre-Civil War, and included many Irish, Welsh, Scots, and some English names, like O'Bannon, Howell, Knox, Nix, etc. That sort of backs up the older culture of Bluegrass, Clogging (Dancing), the Food, and much of the language and expressions, like my mother's family saying they are "Scotch-Irish" - an old term, or people saying "I'm-a-fixing to..." or saying "many-a-time", etc. My mother's family received a land grant and came from a Scottish family in Northern Ireland. They still own some of that land today. I actually feel very emotional when I go back and smell the old smells of tobacco, the old barn with hay, etc. All of my mom's people were real funny characters. They were true believers in God in spite of owning very little, some didn't have indoor bathrooms. They had smokehouses and homemade butter, and other food.

[@BarryVann]

Bohemian Celt, you are an excellent writer. I could see and smell the world you described! You might like this video I produced on attitudes toward order and justice:kzbin.info/www/bejne/hHnWmp-kadGEac0t Barry

[@rayhackworth9720]

Love your videos. I am interested in hackworth, lambert, collins, Ashley and brown. They were in KY, Wva, N Carolina

[@BarryVann]

Hi Ray, I have covered over 650 surnames, and I seem to recall that some of those names have been covered already. If you would, send me an email to [e-mail], and I will happily send you the list. There's no charge. It's just an index. Barry

[@SherryHill-k5y]

I also have a Boggs ancestor and on same line as Collins.

[@pamelanapierrice1394]

Thank you! I have yet to narrow down from Ireland my line of Bakers. Love your channel.

[@BarryVann]

Thanks, Pamela! Napier is a fine Scots name while Rice is likely Welsh.

[@pamelanapierrice1394]

@@BarryVann from the research I've done so far on Rice, it was Royce and was changed during the Revolutionary War. May need to take a trip to New England to find out for sure 🙂

[@pdrake2572]

Would love for you to do a show on the origin, evolution and or changes to our English language.. I always enjoy your work..Paul Drake..So Point, OH..

[@BarryVann]

Great suggestion! When I taught cultural geography, I did a unit on the history and development of English.

[@groundzero6662]

Lovely VLOG! - much enjoy your character - I am a MacDonald-Mitchell-Lord- Shipley mutt. Thank YOU.

[@BarryVann]

Welcome aboard!

[@anitaarmbrister6601]

I haven't seen alot of movies but Dead Poet Society is a good one, Barry. And another interesting tour of surnames!

[@BarryVann]

Thanks, Anita! I appreciate your comments; they put some wind in the old sails. Barry

[@mrspankytank2858]

I’ve always been curious about my family the Hamilton’s. I know we’re from Scotland mainly. I’ve heard we had Dukes and Earls. After he returned from the war my grandfather was a business owner in the 50s and 60s in South Arkansas.

[@BarryVann]

Hi there, I covered Hamilton in Episode 13. Yes, the Hamiltons in the South are most likely of Scottish or Scots Irish descent. Among the leaders of the first Ulster Scots community in Ireland were Hamiltons.

[@mrspankytank2858]

@@BarryVann My sister did the genealogy and that’s what she found. I’m glad I found your channel. Episode 13. This is exciting. I’m about to hear someone outside my family speak on my family. Thank you for what you do sir. I’m now a supporter.

[@BarryVann]

@@mrspankytank2858 I appreciate the kind words! They put some wind in the old sails. Barry

[@mrkitcatt2119]

One of my favourite norman families of Scotland

[@rhondaholloway5372]

thanks another great episiode

[@BarryVann]

Thanks, Rhonda! I appreciate the kind words; they put some needed wind in the old sails.

[@johnmeadows5645]

Thanks Barry. Glad to hear about Baldwin. I had Baldwin ancestors who were from Ashe county North Carolina.

[@BarryVann]

You are welcome, John! Kind regards, Barry

[@rae1957tn]

Love your videos

[@SK-or4lw]

My great grandmother's great grandfather came to this country around 1800. He was from County Carlow Ireland. He was a Nolan . My great grandmother was born in 1892.

[@Khatoon170]

How are you doing dr Barry as if iam attending new lecture with every new video you have I stared to believe iam university student ihope I have honorary certificate for my research to prove for everyone that KZbin channels as open universities . As always iam gathering main information about topics you are mentioned briefly here it’s oldest surname known have been record in Europe was in county Galway Ireland in year 9116 was name “ o cleirigh “ . Oldest surname in England was actually from East anglia . Oldest record English surname in hatt origin Anglo Saxon family with surname hatt entered in Norman identified as pretty regular name in county .

[@EdwardGBoggs]

From my research our surname BOGGS was originally Scottish, then later Ulster Scott. There is a controversy that the name was originally LIVINGSTON but was changed later in Ireland,

[@SherryHill-k5y]

I have a Boggs ancestor.

[@EdwardGBoggs]

I've heard that story also

[@lewiemcneely9143]

Good one, Barry and I've heard a few Baldwins but have more interest really in Baldwin/Lima/Hamilton that made cranes for dragline operations and lot of pother things. Occupational hazard, you know! Sunny day here and the grass is coming strong. GBWYall Yall!

[@BarryVann]

Hi Lewie, as always, it's great to hear from my brother on the other side of the Smokies. Barry

[@lewiemcneely9143]

@@BarryVann That I am and that we are! GBWYall!

[@lillysmith7097]

Hello Dr Vann Could you if you have time give me info on the Bolden my line, also my krieger line. Is my Bolden and queen Anne, king Henry wife related. Where did they originate?

[@BarryVann]

Hi Lilly, I have added Bolden to the list of names to cover. I will not know if you are related to royalty. I would think that at some point in the past, we are all connected. There were twice as many people in your family tree in 1400 than there were alive on the entire planet in 8,000 BC.

[@eddiemclean7011]

I just wanted to be the first McLean to comment. And I was! Great channel!

[@BarryVann]

Many thanks, Eddie! Barry

[@desirreemarlenaclonch7593]

You should have the address to converse with you in the description of the video but there's nothing there🤔

[@BarryVann]

My email address is [e-mail]. Or, [e-mail]. Giving out personal addresses is not a good idea, especially when one is the author of 8 books, including one on Islam.

[@slothbros7607]

I had my dad's Big Y dna done. Bell County Kentucky Rice family is Welsh. They are related to Reece family of Virginia (same male ancestor). Rees family in Australia. Other surnames descended from the same ancestor as Rice in Wales are Meredith, Hughes, James.

[@BarryVann]

Southeastern Kentucky was a popular destination point for Welsh miners.

[@paulanthony5552]

I just found your channel and just subscribed.... Any chance you have done the surname Callaway ???? Cannot find much about it, any info. Would really be appreciated.... Great channel by the way....

[@BarryVann]

Not yet! Callaway is on the list to cover, though. I'm glad you found the channel. Kind regards, Barry

[@suecox8355]

Try looking in Ashe County, NC . There is a bi Callaway Cemetery on HWY 163, between the New River and the Dr Pepper company.

[@megzdubv2950]

How’s about McGrogan? The outskirts of the Paris of Appalachia

[@BarryVann]

It's on the list to cover, but there are a hundred or so in front of it.

[@2anthro]

Ireland and bogs: "bog-trotter" is yet another British derisive name for an Irish. Its meant to be extremely insulting. Those preinvasion Irish must have been a handful to have so many critical terms attached to them. Thank you for your name-placing and the historical bits you share with us. Very appreciated.

[@BarryVann]

You are welcome!

[@christolbert4628]

Abraham Baldwin was the only one from Georgia to sign the Constitution. We have a college in my town named for him.

[@BarryVann]

Hi Chris, I interviewed for a faculty position at AB. Nice place! Barry

[@christolbert4628]

@@BarryVann Wow, small world. The house I grew up in is a stones throw from the campus of ABAC. (Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College). It's really grown. 4 year institution now.

[@desirreemarlenaclonch7593]

I need a address for you please to send you a list of name's for my genealogy that I've been working on.

[@BarryVann]

Desirree, I'm just a geographer. Give me a few (three or four) names, and I will see what I can find.

[@larryreese6146]

"A River Runs Through It"? Yep. Best movie of all time.

[@BarryVann]

It's definitely one of my favorites. In real life, Paul was actually killed in Chicago.

[@speak2theresafox]

Still chuckling about the zombie Boggs comment.

[@BarryVann]

Thanks! Barry

[@azariahisrael5632]

I have 3 surnames today. Baker for me is multiple with all coming from England with many coming in the great migration of 1630s. Baldwin for me are English quakers who settled in North Carolina in the mid 1700s. It wouldn't surprise me if they were originally Flemish protestants escaping to English from the Spanish Invasions of Netherlands in the 1600s. McClain is a a variation of Maclean a West Highlands clan. I have many Maclean ancestors. The last was Janet Maclean wife of infamous Archibald Campbell and daughter of Lachlan Maclean 11th Clan Cheif of Maclean of Mull. The crazy thing when thinking about ancestors is everyone of them had to come and meet their spouses at the right time or I wouldn't be here...

[@BarryVann]

That's true. I'm glad we hit three of your surnames this week. Barry

[@BUHNANUHBREAD]

My great grandma's mother is Maude Burris from Kentucky!! 🤯

[@BarryVann]

I am related to the Burris family in East Tennessee. Perhaps we are distant kin?

[@jasonnorthcutt3771]

I would be curious if you've covered my surname. Northcutt My people settled in Tennessee in the early 18 Hundreds.

[@BarryVann]

H Jason, I have added Northcutt to my list of names to cover. Thanks for the recommendation. Barry

[@jasonnorthcutt3771]

@@BarryVann Why thank you. I will be eagerly awaiting the coverage.

[@angiekroll1015]

How did everyone in Glasgow react to your accent when you lived there? Did you have trouble following the language?

[@BarryVann]

Angie, in places away from big tourist areas like Edinburgh, they liked my accent. Glasgow was nice. Tourists are not thick there.

[@duncancallum]

@@BarryVann Yes i do like your accent Barry , Duncan once upon a time from Edinburgh .

[@baronvann1314]

@@duncancallum I have a wee bit of Duncan blood in me too. My first love was a Duncan. When I lived in Scotland, I dated a Duncan. It's one of my favorite names.

[@luckymic7971]

Did you cover McGee?

[@BarryVann]

Hi, I have McGee on my list. i appreciate you for checking on it. Barry

[@emuseu2235]

How about the surnames Sisk, Chapman, Ewing?

[@stevepenney2073]

Bakers are rather notorious in some circles. My best friend is a Baker...yes he is notorious. A shipwright named Baker was the first to lay out a ship from blueprints. Bfore that it was all done by eye.

[@BarryVann]

In upper East Tennessee, Scott County to be precise, Bakers formed a political dynasty. They covered the full spectrum of society.

[@elizabethemerick3988]

❤

[@tammystork3609]

I would love to know about Penland, Pentland, etc

[@duncancallum]

Near Edinburgh Scotland there is a bunch of hills called The Pentland Hills , Google Earth them Tammy .

[@BarryVann]

There is also the Pentland Firth that flows between Orkney and mainland Scotland. I added Pentland to the list, so thanks for the request. Barry

[@_i_am_unceded]

How about before statehood.

[@BarryVann]

Red, what that would place us in the colonial days, so that works. However, there are plenty of names that arrived between 1790 and 1861. That would be during the young republic. The names, however, are older than our constitution.

[@barbaraireland5479]

A very distant cousin that is a whiz with genealogy started researching the Massengale surname. DNA testing and matches plus researching with people from US and Sweden, we find out we are Massengale in name only. Lowland Scots that left their village in 1500 went to Whitby Yorkshire England and started using the surname, Massengale. There is the Robson line and the Pait/Pate line (latter is my line thru gr great grandmother) using the Massengill/Massengale name. The sailor, Daniel Massengale purchased land in VA and generations later, they are in North Carolina then eventually settle in TN/KY then IN. Now the group is trying to figure out the lines thru DNA and who is related to who. 1000+ members strong. I have both lines in my tree through marriages. As you know from history, the Lowland Scots caused trouble and King James tried to put a stop to them raiding northern England. I assumed our people ended up in Ulster but administrator of the group says no. Living relatives are still in Sweden where we came from originally and some are still in England. Since you, as well as all of us, are interested in surnames, I thought you might enjoy the story. Another set of ancestors (McGuffey) built a homestead on a crannog near Banchory Scotland to avoid taxes Robert the Bruce was imposing, to pay for his war, I imagine. The McGuffey's loaded up all family members and livestock on this manmade island.

[@BarryVann]

Barbara, you know a lot about your ancestors. During the time of Robert the Bruce, we would have over 2 million living ancestors. There's no way that I can account for that much diversity in my tree. I don't know how you do it. Barry

[@deaconblooze1]

Also, Baxter is the old English form of Baker.

[@BarryVann]

That may have happened in certain situations, but the name Baxter 1st shows up in the Hundred Rolls in the late 1200s. It was sometimes spelled Backster.

[@BarryVann]

You pose an interesting sociological question! Could that be because it was called the Battle of the Wabash, and it happened too early for newspapers to make a huge deal out it? Libby Custer worked hard to keep her husband's memory alive. When I was born in 1960, there were people around who knew soldiers in the 7th.

[@davidmorrisretread316]

Brad Pitt from Springfield Missouri

[@BarryVann]

Roger that!

[@andystuckey2561]

Stuckey?

[@BarryVann]

Added! Barry

[@davidstaudohar8147]

🇺🇲♥️🇺🇲‼️ God Bless, This takes me right back to my childhood memories of Virginia, 🦅✝️🦅♥️‼️ God's country ♦️♦️♦️‼️

[@BarryVann]

That's awesome, David! Barry

[@vanessahuman7607]

What about Human

[@BarryVann]

Would you like for me to cover Human?

[@vanessahuman7607]

@@BarryVann we can't find anything on the name. Human is my dad's adopted name. My grandmother was born in Tennessee and related to June Carter family

[@BarryVann]

@@vanessahuman7607 I added Human to my list of surnames to cover. There are quite a few Humans that live in Morgan County, Tennessee. Kind regards, Barry

[@vanessahuman7607]

@@BarryVann from what I understand some were African American

[@BarryVann]

@@vanessahuman7607 The first people to have the name were not African Americans. They were English and long dead before colonial America. The surname meant Hugh's man (servant).

[@Khatoon170]

Last and most important part of my research Old English surnames such as Ackerman English origin means “ ploughman” . Anisley Scottish origin from place in Nottingham shire derived from old English “ hermitage “ . Blankely is English variant blankley . Clinton is English origin derived from medieval nickname derived from English place name means “ settlement on river glyme “ name of former USA president Bill Clinton. Crawford is English origin from place name derived from old English “ frow” means “ river crossing “ thank you for your efforts you encourage us to read learn new information stay safe blessed good luck to you your family friends.

[@stanleyshannon4408]

I think you put too much emphasis on the Irish aspect of many of these names. My surname has been associated with the South since colonial times as well, and could not be more Gaelic. But it would appear to be the result of linguistic happenstance. My actual paternal lineage is from Scotland where the name existed long before it did in Ireland, the result of early medieval Gaelicization of native Brythonic family names. The name didn't appear in Ireland until Anglicization of native Irish names in the early modern period. I have no Irish connections at all other than the name. I could not be more British. I suspect that most Southern families with Gaelic sounding names are in the same category historically.

[@BarryVann]

Stanley, thank you for your comment. I am not a personal genealogist, so I am just looking at where names originated and what they meant. If you don't want to be Irish, that's fine, but Shannon is associated with Ireland. There are always exceptions like you.

[@stanleyshannon4408]

@@BarryVann It isn't a question of not wanting to be Irish. It is simply a question of historical accuracy. It would appear that many Gaelic sounding names coming out of the Scottish lowlands were the result of the intrusion of Gaelic speaking people into that region during the early medieval period and Gaelicizing the names of families native to that region, just as later the Anglicization of Irish names would occur in the early modern period with the intrusion of English speakers into Ireland. The same basic process in reverse. Most Shannons in the American South have yDNA most common among native Northern Britons but quite rare among the native Irish.

[@baronvann1314]

@@stanleyshannon4408 You obviously have been immersed in your family tree and associated linguistic groups. The issues you raised are valid, but they are way beyond the scope of this series: the origin and meaning of surnames. I routinely state that "you might need a paper trail and DNA to locate the origin of your specific family line." Best wishes, Stanley.

[@katiestover8954]

Nolan Ryan the Great

[@BarryVann]

He was indeed, Katie!

[@leisanapier6948]

Coy. Farley

[@BarryVann]

I'll take a look, Leisa! Thanks, Barry

[@leisanapier6948]

@@BarryVann TY,Barry

[@spmoran4703]

When they go on about Irish and Scots America. They forget The Southlands .

[@baronvann1314]

Well, I've written four books on the subject, and there are other excellent books out there. They just claim we're white people, and we're racists.

[@Calatriste54]

Lowlands.. Dorothy Dunnett's, The Llymond Chronicles (1450's) of Sir Francis Crawford of Llymond.. historical fiction is a close as you can go..

[@emuseu2235]

Faubion, Easterly, Chamberlain, Wallace, McCrillis, Ellis, Haskins?

[@GRANTLEEH]

Honeycutt

[@Khatoon170]

Dr Barry would mind we want you to have special episodes about drugs history because it’s occurred in my home land Saudi Arabia and Kuwait and Egypt horrible crimes because of most dangerous type of drugs called ( crystal meth) . As iread origin of drugs began in San Francisco in year 1875 Mexican drug spread around 195 cities in USA there over 20, 000 types of drugs most well known drugs ( opium) , ( cocaine) , ( heroin) . We want stories of crimes in USA because of drugs and side effects of each type of drugs thank you for your cultural channel.

[@Khatoon170]

Sorry imean would you mind iwrote in hurry.

[@BarryVann]

Hi Khatoon, drugs are a mixed bag of benefits and costs. They can make pain go away, yet they can mask emotional problems.

[@emuseu2235]

Hatfield, McCoy, Campbell, Ritchey, McIntosh, Shaner, Schoner.

[@BarryVann]

I've covered some of them. Send a request for a catalog to this address: [e-mail]. I'll send you a copy of it. The catalog tells the surname, episode number, and date it aired.