I came across an interesting piece written in 1895 that shows how Virginians pronounced surnames. Some of them might surprise you. No wonder clerks had problems spelling people's names!
Spelt | Called | Spelt | Called |
Armistead | Umstead | Hinde | Hines |
Berkeley | Barkly, or Bartlett | Hodsden | Hodgden |
Bernard | Barnett | Ironmonger | Monger |
Brockenbrough | Brokenburough | James | Jeames |
Blount | Blunt | Kerby | Kearby |
Burwell | Burrell | Langhorne | Langon |
Booth | Bowthe | Lawrence | Larance |
Callowhill | Carroll | Leigh | Lee |
Chamberlaine | Chaumberlin | Mackintosh | Mackentash |
Chisman | Cheeseman | Mallicote | Malicut |
Contesse | Countis | Maury | Murry |
Crenshaw | Granger | Michaux | Missher |
Daisy | Disy | Montford-Munford | Mumford |
Degge or Degges | Diggs | Murdaugh | Murder |
Deneufville | Donevel | Napier | Napper |
Dewberry | Dewbree | Norsworthy | Nazary |
Drewry | Druitt | Patrick | Partrick |
Enroughty | Derby | Perrott | Parrott |
Fauntleroy | Fantilroy | Piggot | Picket |
Folk | Fork | Presson | Pressy |
Fontaine | Fountin | Randolph | Randall |
Fulgham | Fulljum | Rochelle | Roachel |
Gawin | Goin | Sclater | Slaugther & Slater |
Geddy | Gaddy | Semple | Sarmple |
Gibson | Gipson | Sewell-Seawell | Sowel |
Gilliam | Gillam | Stegge | Stagg |
Goodrich | Gutridge | Sweeny | Swinny |
Goodwin | Goodin | Taliaferro | Toliver |
Gooch | Gouge | Timberlake | Timberleg |
Goldsmith | Gouldsmith | Turlington | Turnton |
Hairston | Harston | Urquhart | Urkart |
Heyward | Howard | Wills | Wells |
Harwood | Harod | Yates | Yeates |
Haughton-Hawthorne | Horton | Yardly | Yeardley |
Hartwell | Heartwell | ||
Higginson | Hickerson |
Source: Lyon G. Tyler, "Virginia Names Spelt One Way and Called Another,"The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 3, No. 4 (Apr. 1895):271-273.
Learn more at the Virginia Genealogy page (FamilySearch Research Wiki).