Families of Somerset & Bristol
Bath's Roman waters, Bristol's Atlantic port, the Mendips, and the cider apple country of the Levels.
Families seated in Somerset & Bristol
- HillOn the hill.
- WhiteThe fair one.
- AdamsSon of Adam.
- JamesFrom Jacob — through Latin Iacomus to Welsh Iago to Tudor English James.
- BaileyThe steward of the bailey — castle administration in one syllable.
- PhillipsSon of Philip — Welsh ap Phylip and Norman patronymic under one spelling.
- CoxThe cock — youth and pride.
- PayneThe villager's joke — worn with honour now.
- LongThe long one.
- DavisSon of David — one spelling among England's commonest.
- MartinThe saint's name — English and Norman registers alike.
- HarrisHarry's son — the West Country spelling.
- StevensStephen's line — southwestern -ens spelling.
- JenkinsLittle John — Welsh thumbprint on English registers.
- PerryPear-orchard or Peter's kin.
- FordThe crossing — stamped on Shakespearian country.
- StoneThe stone — boundary-mark name.
- FoxThe fox — nickname that stuck.
- SaundersAlexander's son — Cornish and Wessex thick.
- HopkinsLittle Hodge — border favourite.
- HarveyBreton battle-name — English orchard now.
- MatthewsMatthew's son — March and Welsh edge.
- LaneThe lane — hedge-bottom dweller.
- HuntThe hunter — chase and warren.
- ColeCoal-black or Saint Nicholas' pet form.
- WestonThe western farm — toponym epidemic.
- LawrenceLaurence of Rome — England's Registers repeat him.
Historic ties to Somerset & Bristol
Families with historic but not core ground here.