3° Proc. B.N.F.C., 



tively recent origin. People in ancient times were distinguished by 

 but a single name. The persons we meet with in the Bible, for 

 instance — one of the oldest of books — are, with a few exceptions, 

 thus noted. Abraham, Samuel, David, Solomon, and John are 

 instances of this. The Greeks used the same method — putting 

 after the single name, where an ambiguity might arise, the name 

 of the father, in the genitive case. The Romans had a much 

 better system — more perfect, indeed, than any existing mode of 

 nomenclature. Every Roman in the days of the Republic had at 

 least two, and nearly always three, names — (i) a forename (prce- 

 nomen), (2) a name (nomen), and (3) an additional name (cogno- 

 men). The first corresponded with our Christian name, the middle 

 name noted the kin (gens) or clan to which the individual belonged; 

 the cognomen indicated the branch or family of the clan. Thus, in 

 Caius Julius Caesar, we understand that the person so called was 

 of the Julian clan — the Caesar branch of it — and that he was dis- 

 tinguished from other members of this branch by the name Caius. 

 The Gothic races and Celts had anciently but a single name system, 

 except, indeed, where a nickname was added, which was not un- 

 frequently the case : e.g., Brian Boru — i.e., of the tribute ; 

 Malcolm Canmore — i.e., of the large head ; Frederick Barbarossa 

 — i.e., of the red beard; Harold Harfagr — i.e., of the fair hair; 

 Rhys Gethin — i.e., of the squint. Things continued in this con- 

 dition in Western Europe until about the nth century, and in 

 some places until a much later period. The confusion finally be- 

 came so great through this method that, as a remedy, the plan of 

 having a family name which should descend from father to son was 

 adopted, every one having a baptismal name besides. This fixed 

 name became the sur or additional name. It was formed in a 

 variety of ways, but generally from existing names, by putting some 

 prefix or affix, which indicated sonship. The designations em- 

 ployed before surnames came into use became thus fixed. These 

 were formed in ancient times in Ireland in a variety of ways. 



I can note but a few of these modes of name-giving. In the first 

 place we find many personal designations in common use in ancient 



