A History of Surnames

Marwood is an English surname derived from the name of a settlement, possibly meaning "boundary wood" from Old English mere/ mǣre (boundary, limit)   and wood (wood). Another possible origin for Marwood is that it may have originated as a nickname for someone believed to have the power of casting the evil eye, coming from an Old French word meaning "evil look. Origin: Old English, Old French Pinterest Variants : Morwood  Marward  Merewood Merwood Marewood

Pinterest Origin: Old French Meaning: Bunyan is an English surname which seems to have come about as a nickname for someone who had a lump or a hump, originating from Old French bugne meaning "swelling, protuberance". It could also have been an occupational surname for someone who made small pastries or fruit tarts, also from Old French bugnon . Variants : Bunyon Bunyen  Benyon  Bonyon Buniun  Banyan  Banion 

Pinterest Origin: French Meaning: Gentry comes from Old French genterise meaning "noble birth" or "high birth" or "gentleness". Variants : Jentry Jendry  Gentiry  Guntrey  Gentil (French) Gentreau (French) Gentric (French)

Origin: French, Latin, English Meaning: As a surname, Bessey has several possible origins. It could be derived from a place name in France, which seems to come from Bassiacum, a Gallo-Roman name made up of Latin given name Bassius which either comes from Greek bassos "fox" or from Latin bassus "short, low".  Another possible meaning is that is comes from French besson meaning "twin", "twice" or "double" from Latin bissus, originally used as a nickname for someone who was a twin. It could also have started out as a matrynonic for Elizabeth  or its nickname Bess , a female given name meaning "God is my oath" or "God is my abundance". Pinterest Variants : Besse Beesey  Bessen 

Pinterest Origin: Greek Meaning: Partridge is an English surname which comes via Old French perdriz, derived from Latin perdix, perdicus  meaning "partridge" in reference to the bird. It likely comes from Greek   pérdomai which means "to break wind, to fart" from Proto-Indo-European root word *perd (to fart, break wind). According to Greek myth, the partridge first came into existence when the famous craftsman Daedalus (of the Minotaur fame) threw his nephew off a hill, jealous of his talents and skills. However, Perdix was saved by the goddess Athena, who turned him into a partridge.