4o8 



[Proc. B.N.F.C, 



The President and Messrs. Wm. Gray and R. May took 

 part in the highly interesting debate which followed. 



Two new members — Miss M. J. Lynn and Miss M. Mitchell 

 were elected. 



" ARCHEOLOGY OF SURNAMES." 



On 4th January, Mr. Alex. Milligan read a paper, entitled 

 " The Archaeology of Surnames," to the Archaeological Section, 

 Mr. C. M. Cunningham, L.D.S., chairman. The lecturer began 

 by pointing out that the subject of Surnames was a very wide one, 

 and might be dealt with in quite a variety of ways, according to 

 the standpoint or the particular object in view. A great many 

 very peculiar and even ludicrous names were to be found in our 

 directories, the elucidation of which might easily occupy an 

 evening. It would be found that in most cases these names had 

 quite a respectable antiquity behind them and were quite rational 

 in their original significance, their present forms being due to 

 what might be called phonetic erosion, and the fantastic attempts 

 made to restore them, as occasion seemed to require, by an 

 illiterate peasantry. 



Then again the study of personal names could be made a 

 useful auxiliary to the teachings of History and Archaeology in 

 the elucidation of the ethnological problem of these islands, 

 which, the lecturer said, was a rather complicated one. The 

 population was made up of a number of widely differing elements, 

 and a knowledge of the personal names, or rather name systems in 

 vogue amongst the nations from whom these differing elements 

 were derived, was in many cases a valuable test or touchstone for 

 detecting or identifying even the most ancient components of 

 a highly complex community — always excepting the pre-Celtic 

 element in which the names or language are practically unknown. 



The consideration of personal names, however, acquired a 

 definite significance when pursued in connection with those 

 outstanding movements in English history which were accom- 



