ebank (winding), Nettlefold,
Roundhay, etc.

There is also a further problem offered by names in -er. We know that
a Waller was a mason or wall-builder, but was a Bridger really a
Pontifex, [Footnote: An example of a Latinized name. Cf. Sutor,
Faber, and the barbarous Sartorius, for sartor, a tailor. Pontifex
may also be the latinized form of Pope or Bishop. It is not known why
this title, bridge-builder, was given to high-priests.] did he merely
live near the bridge, or was he the same as a Bridgman, and what was
the latter? Did Sam Weller's ancestor sink wells, possess a well, or
live near someone else's well? Probably all explanations may be
correct, for the suffix may have differed in meaning according to
locality, but I fancy that in most cases proximity alone is implied.
The same applies to many cases of names in -man, such as Hillman,
Dickman (dyke), Parkman.

Many of the words in the following paragraphs are obsolete or survive
only in local usage. Some of them also vary considerably in meaning,
according to the region in which they are found. I have included many
which, in their simple form, seem too obvious to need explanation,
because the compounds are not always equally clear.

HILL AND DALE

We have a fair number of Celtic words connected with natural scenery,
but they do not as a rule form compounds, and as surnames are usually
found in their simple form. Such are Cairn, a stony hill, Crag,
Craig, and the related Carrick and Creagh, Glen or Glynn, and Lynn, a
cascade. Two words, however, of Celtic origin, don, or down, a hill,
and combe, a hollow in the hills, were adopted by the Anglo-Saxons and
enter into many compounds. Thus we find Kingdon, whence the imitative
Kingdom, Brandon, from the name Brand (Chapter VII), Ashdown, etc.
The simple Donne or Dunne is sometimes the Anglo-Saxon name Dunna,
whence Dunning, or a colour nickname, while Down and Downing may
represent the Anglo-Sax. Duna and Duning (Chapter VII). From Combe,
used especially in the west of England, we have Compton, and such
compounds as Acomb, at combe, Addiscombe, Battiscombe, etc. But
Newcomb is for Newcome (Chapter II). See also Slocomb (Chapter XXI).

HILLS

The simple Hill and Dale are among our common surnames. Hill also
appears as Hull and is easily disguised in compounds, e.g. Brummel for
broom-hill, Tootell and Tuttle for Toothill, a name found in many
localities and meaning a hill on which a watch