Names and History: People, Places and Things

by George Redmonds

How names were acquired, and how they have changed, is a subject of perennial fascination. They are part of our personal histories, defining who we are and where we live. Names are everywhere, identifying people, places, animals, ships, materials, plants, public houses and fields. To understand them we need to look beyond etymologies, examining names instead in their historic and chronological contexts. The investigations in Names and History all involve fascinating detective stories into the connections between names and related subjects - archaeology and the landscape; genealogy, genetics and family networks; dialects and social customs; industrial and farming practices. In them George Redmonds, a leading historian of names, widens the whole range of name studies and draws readers into the enquiry. Names will never seem the same again.

Paperback

First published October 1, 2004

Reviews

[Carol Kerry-Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book fascinating the first time round and again this time. Find out about where names come from, not just surnames and first names, but the names of fields, streets, and more. Highly recommended