Blair Collection > Surnames & place-names of the Isle of Man

BtcknamBS uscti in fl|e :3sIe of 3Jlau. 121
' Tommy Scatty,' * puny,' or ' lean ' Tommy.
* Cannell-ear ;' perhaps from the size of those
appendages.
'John Cowley, stoop,' and ' Kathren the cripple,'
signify bodily infirmities.
In 1660 'Ann Watterson (Ben Vane's sister) ' was
buried in Malew. Ben Vane perhaps means ' White
Benjamin.'
In the Maughold Register we find ' Old Carrad
Bane Buryed ye 14 November, 1683.' Old Carr.4D, or
Garret, had probably white hair.
* Iliam Dhone,' ' Brown-haired William,' is the well-
known William Christian, Receiver-General and
Governor of the Island, who was ' shott to death,' at
Hango Hill, on the 2nd Januar}^ 1662.
'Kelly the Red,' and 'Jimmy the Red,' doubt-
less refer to the colour of the hair. 'Jane Gawn,
Mann,' perhaps betokens masculine qualities. ' Wm.
Kelly, cross cap ' ; • Thos. Corlett, Solomon ' ;
'John Crideen, smile ' ; 'John Kneal, grumble';
' Wm. Preston, joy ' ; ' Thos. Fargher, croke ' ; are
vividly descriptive of the temperaments of their owners.
' Jim-y-Lord,' ' Prince,' and ' Prince-beg,' may have
designated a haughty demeanour. ' Turk ' was a
common synonym for an unruly child. 'Jinks' was
doubtless up to many little games.
Such nicknames as ' My love,' ' Veen ' i.e. ' Dear,'
and ' Br.weboy,' were perhaps given per antiphrasim,
as Sir Henry Piers hath it.
The burials of ' Thos. M*=ylcarane, a batchelor,'
and ' RoBT. Skealley, a married man,' are recorded
just as if there were something unusual in either con-
dition.