Great Great Grandfather, Thomas Burton had a sister named Cecilia (also my maternal grandmother's middle name). The history of that name is also very interesting.
CECILIA Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Italian, Spanish, Swedish, Finnish
Pronounced: se-SEE-lee-a (English), se-SEEL-ya (English), che-CHEE-lyah (Italian), se-SEE-lyah (Spanish), the-THEE-lyah (Spanish) [key] Latinate feminine form of the Roman family name Caecilius, which was derived from Latin caecus "blind". According to legend, Saint Cecilia was a 3rd-century martyr who was sentenced to die because she refused to worship the Roman gods. After attempts to suffocate her failed, they chopped her head off. She is the patron saint of music and musicians.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Great Great Grandfather Thomas Matthias Burton
My Great Great Grandfather on my father's mother's side of the family, Thomas Matthias Burton, lived in western England. I've been intrigued to know from whence came his middle name. I found the following on the internet:
The Greek Matthias (or, in some manuscripts, Maththias), is a name derived from Mattathias, Hebrew Mattithiah, signifying "gift of Yahweh." Matthias was one of the seventy disciples of Jesus, and had been with Him from His baptism by John to the Ascension (Acts 1:21-22). It is related (Acts 1:15-26) that in the days following the Ascension, Peter proposed to the assembled brethren, who numbered one hundred and twenty, that they choose one to fill the place of the traitor Judas in the Apostolate. Two disciples, Joseph, called Barsabas, and Matthias were selected, and lots were drawn, with the result in favour of Matthias, who thus became associated with the eleven Apostles. Zeller has declared this narrative unhistoric, on the plea that the Apostles were in Galilee after the death of Jesus. As a matter of fact they did return to Galilee, but the Acts of the Apostles clearly state that about the feast of Pentecost they went back to Jerusalem.
My grandmother Davis always said that her forebearers had been ministers in England. So far, I have not found any evidence of that. Still, religion was obviously very important to the Burtons.
The Greek Matthias (or, in some manuscripts, Maththias), is a name derived from Mattathias, Hebrew Mattithiah, signifying "gift of Yahweh." Matthias was one of the seventy disciples of Jesus, and had been with Him from His baptism by John to the Ascension (Acts 1:21-22). It is related (Acts 1:15-26) that in the days following the Ascension, Peter proposed to the assembled brethren, who numbered one hundred and twenty, that they choose one to fill the place of the traitor Judas in the Apostolate. Two disciples, Joseph, called Barsabas, and Matthias were selected, and lots were drawn, with the result in favour of Matthias, who thus became associated with the eleven Apostles. Zeller has declared this narrative unhistoric, on the plea that the Apostles were in Galilee after the death of Jesus. As a matter of fact they did return to Galilee, but the Acts of the Apostles clearly state that about the feast of Pentecost they went back to Jerusalem.
My grandmother Davis always said that her forebearers had been ministers in England. So far, I have not found any evidence of that. Still, religion was obviously very important to the Burtons.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Albin Burton of Wiltshire, England
Another of my English ancestors was named Albin (or Alban) Burton. I wondered about the significance of such an unusual name. Here is what I found:
ALBAN
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, German
Pronounced: AL-ban (English), AHL-bahn (German)
From the Roman family name Albanus which meant "from Alba" in Latin. Alba was the name of various places within the Roman Empire, including the city Alba Longa. The name "Albin" or "Alban" means white or pale-skinned and was common in Roman and medieval times. It was not common, supposedly, in modern times.
Saint Alban was the first British martyr (4th century). According to tradition, he sheltered a fugitive priest in his house. When his house was searched, he disguised himself as the priest, was arrested in his stead, and was beheaded.
We also find the name, more or less, in Roman/Britain history. The Governor of Britain at the death of the emperor Pertinax, Decimus Clodius Albinus attempted to seize the throne but ended up as Caesar in alliance with another imperial contender, Septimius Severus. After Severus defeated two other rivals, the now expendable Albinus was forced into another attempt at usurpation, an attempt that came to an end at the bloody battle of Lyon in 197 A.D.
Being named after a Roman emporer, however uncelebrated, would be pretty neat I'd say!
ALBAN
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, German
Pronounced: AL-ban (English), AHL-bahn (German)
From the Roman family name Albanus which meant "from Alba" in Latin. Alba was the name of various places within the Roman Empire, including the city Alba Longa. The name "Albin" or "Alban" means white or pale-skinned and was common in Roman and medieval times. It was not common, supposedly, in modern times.
Saint Alban was the first British martyr (4th century). According to tradition, he sheltered a fugitive priest in his house. When his house was searched, he disguised himself as the priest, was arrested in his stead, and was beheaded.
We also find the name, more or less, in Roman/Britain history. The Governor of Britain at the death of the emperor Pertinax, Decimus Clodius Albinus attempted to seize the throne but ended up as Caesar in alliance with another imperial contender, Septimius Severus. After Severus defeated two other rivals, the now expendable Albinus was forced into another attempt at usurpation, an attempt that came to an end at the bloody battle of Lyon in 197 A.D.
Being named after a Roman emporer, however uncelebrated, would be pretty neat I'd say!
Gwendolain Williams (Burton) Davis
My Father's mother, Gwendolain Williams Burton, had a uniquely Welsh/English name, though the spelling was slightly different and was even noted in some records as Gwendolyn and Gwendoline. In any event, the name's origins are interesting as noted below:
GWENDOLEN
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Welsh/English
Pronounced: GWEN-do-len (English)
Means "white ring", derived from the Welsh elements gwen "white, fair, blessed" and dolen "ring".
GWENDOLEN
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Welsh/English
Pronounced: GWEN-do-len (English)
Means "white ring", derived from the Welsh elements gwen "white, fair, blessed" and dolen "ring".
Great Great Grandmother Elizabeth was a Rhydderch
My Great Great Grandmother, the lady who married my namesake Thomas Davis back in 1855, was named Elizabeth Jane Rhydderch. The name has an interesting history:
The White Book of Rhydderch Along with the Red Book of Hergest, this is one of Welsh literature's most notable manuscripts. Written in the mid 14th century, around 1350, the book is the earliest Welsh prose anthology, though it also contains examples of early Welsh poetry. Although it was originally a single volume, the collection is now bound as two separate volumes, known as Peniarth MS 4 and Peniarth MS 5. It was presented to the National Library of Wales as one of its founding collections, after being purchased by Sir John Williams in 1904. Peniarth MS 4 contains the earliest copies of the Welsh tales collectively known as the Mabinogion: the Four Branches of the Mabinogi; Culhwch and Olwen; The Dream of Macsen Wledig; Lludd and Llefelys; Peredur; Owain (also known as The Lady of the Fountain); and Geraint and Enid.
MS 5, originally the first part of the full manuscript, is made up of religious texts, translated into Welsh from the original Latin. The script takes its name from Rhydderch ab Ieuan Llwyd (c. 1325-1400), who was from Parcrhydderch in the Ceredigion parish of Llangeitho. It is believed that the book was copied for him in the mid-14th century. Rhydderch was part of a dynasty with a lengthy tradition of literary patronage, and is believed to have been an authority on Welsh law. Five scribes are thought to have worked on the manuscripts at the Strata Florida Abbey, a former Cistercian abbey situated just outside Pontrhydfendigaid, near Tregaron.
Much like the Red Book of Hergest, the manuscript is thought to take its name from its original owner and the colour of its first binding.
Special note: the designation, "ab" as in Rhydderch ab Ieuan Llwyd means simply, "son of."
The White Book of Rhydderch Along with the Red Book of Hergest, this is one of Welsh literature's most notable manuscripts. Written in the mid 14th century, around 1350, the book is the earliest Welsh prose anthology, though it also contains examples of early Welsh poetry. Although it was originally a single volume, the collection is now bound as two separate volumes, known as Peniarth MS 4 and Peniarth MS 5. It was presented to the National Library of Wales as one of its founding collections, after being purchased by Sir John Williams in 1904. Peniarth MS 4 contains the earliest copies of the Welsh tales collectively known as the Mabinogion: the Four Branches of the Mabinogi; Culhwch and Olwen; The Dream of Macsen Wledig; Lludd and Llefelys; Peredur; Owain (also known as The Lady of the Fountain); and Geraint and Enid.
MS 5, originally the first part of the full manuscript, is made up of religious texts, translated into Welsh from the original Latin. The script takes its name from Rhydderch ab Ieuan Llwyd (c. 1325-1400), who was from Parcrhydderch in the Ceredigion parish of Llangeitho. It is believed that the book was copied for him in the mid-14th century. Rhydderch was part of a dynasty with a lengthy tradition of literary patronage, and is believed to have been an authority on Welsh law. Five scribes are thought to have worked on the manuscripts at the Strata Florida Abbey, a former Cistercian abbey situated just outside Pontrhydfendigaid, near Tregaron.
Much like the Red Book of Hergest, the manuscript is thought to take its name from its original owner and the colour of its first binding.
Special note: the designation, "ab" as in Rhydderch ab Ieuan Llwyd means simply, "son of."
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