How Did They Say that Name in Colonial Virginia?

shutterstock_75757024[1] Child speaking alphabet

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!

SpeltCalledSpeltCalled
ArmisteadUmsteadHindeHines
BerkeleyBarkly, or BartlettHodsdenHodgden
BernardBarnettIronmongerMonger
BrockenbroughBrokenburoughJamesJeames
BlountBluntKerbyKearby
BurwellBurrellLanghorneLangon
BoothBowtheLawrenceLarance
CallowhillCarrollLeighLee
ChamberlaineChaumberlinMackintoshMackentash
ChismanCheesemanMallicoteMalicut
ContesseCountisMauryMurry
CrenshawGrangerMichauxMissher
DaisyDisyMontford-MunfordMumford
Degge or DeggesDiggsMurdaughMurder
DeneufvilleDonevelNapierNapper
DewberryDewbreeNorsworthyNazary
DrewryDruittPatrickPartrick
EnroughtyDerbyPerrottParrott
FauntleroyFantilroyPiggotPicket
FolkForkPressonPressy
FontaineFountinRandolphRandall
FulghamFulljumRochelleRoachel
GawinGoinSclaterSlaugther & Slater
GeddyGaddySempleSarmple
GibsonGipsonSewell-SeawellSowel
GilliamGillamSteggeStagg
GoodrichGutridgeSweenySwinny
GoodwinGoodinTaliaferroToliver
GoochGougeTimberlakeTimberleg
GoldsmithGouldsmithTurlingtonTurnton
HairstonHarstonUrquhartUrkart
HeywardHowardWillsWells
HarwoodHarodYatesYeates
Haughton-HawthorneHortonYardlyYeardley
HartwellHeartwell  
HigginsonHickerson  

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).

About the Author