Part 25 (1/2)

There are two different origins from which this stem might be derived, A.S. _brego_, king, ruler, and A.S. _bracan_, to break, subdue, crush, the former being perhaps preferable upon the whole. There are but very few names in Old German, and Foerstemann does not make any suggestion as to the origin.

A.S. Braeg (found in Braegeshale), Bracca (found in Braccanheal). O.G.

Brachio, Thuringian, sixth century. Eng. Bragg, Brackie, Bray, Pray.

Ending in _en_, p. 27.

A.S. Bregen (found in Bregnesford). Eng. Bragan, Bracken, Brain.

Ending in _el_, prob. diminutive.

A.S. Brakel (found in Brakelesham). Eng. Breakell.

_Patronymic._

Eng. Bracking.

_Compounds._

(_Had_, war?), A.S. Breged (found in Bregedeswere)--Eng. Brackett.

(_Man_, vir), Eng. Brakeman, Brayman (Mod. G. Brackmann, French Braquemin). (_Wine_, friend), A.S. Bregowin (Archbishop of Canterbury)--Eng. Brewin.

LORD, LORDING.

We may take the above to be the same as an A.S. Lorta and Lorting, p.

100. And whatever may be the origin, it is certainly not A.S. _hlaford_, Eng. ”lord.” There are two isolated names in the _Altdeutsches Namenbuch_, Laurad and Lorad, both seventh century, of which the Anglo-Saxon name seems not improbably to be a contraction. The word concerned might be A.S. _lar_, lore, learning, Old North. _laerdr_ (larad?), learned. Stark however seems to take Laurad and Lorad to be Celtic. But in the genealogy of the sons of Woden in the _Edda_ of Snorro occurs the name Loride, which, though Snorro's names are not always trustworthy, seems to point to the existence of an ancient Teutonic name corresponding with those in the _Altdeutsches Namenbuch_, and so far to favour the derivation which I have suggested.

STUDD, STOTT, STOUT, STUTTER, STODDART, STUDEARD. St.i.tT, STEED, STADD, STIDOLPH.

We find Anglo-Saxon names to account for all the names of the former of these two groups, viz., Stut, Stuter (_her_, warrior), and Stutard (_hard_, fortis). The word concerned does not seem to have anything to do with Eng. ”stout,” which seems to have lost an _l_, and to have been originally _stolt_. The group is no doubt parallel with the second group, which is more distinctly represented in Old German names, and which may be referred to O.N. _stedia_, firmare, _staddr_, const.i.tutus, A.S. _stide_, _st.i.th_, firm, steadfast; our Stidolph corresponding with an O.G. Stadolf, and a St.i.thuulf in the _Liber Vitae_.

FOGG, FOGGO, FUDGE, FEW.

There are Old German names Focco and Fucco, for which Foerstemann proposes O.N. _fok_, flight. And there is a Fuca, rather probably a corresponding name, on Roman pottery. Among the Anglo-Saxons we have Focingas, early settlers in Kent. Also Focga and Fucg, deduced from place-names, p. 99. Foerstemann seems to take this as the stem on which is formed _fugal_, fowl, bird.

FLAGG, FLACK, FLECK, FLUCK, FLY, FLEA, FLEW.

The Fleccingas are among the early settlers inferred by Mr. Kemble. And there are also Anglo-Saxon names Flegg, Flecg, and Flogg, deduced from place-names, p. 99. The name Floki, of a Northman in the _Landnamabok_, also comes in here. There is also another Northman called Flugu-Grimr, ”Fly or Flyer Grim,” a kind of inverted surname. The origin may be taken to be A.S. _fleogan_, O.N. _fliuga_, to fly. And this group may be taken to be fundamentally parallel with the last.

CLEAN, CLINE, KLYNE.

There is a Clen in the genealogy of the Merovingian kings, and there is perhaps an A.S. Clena to be deduced from the place-names Clenanford, Clenancrundel, &c. It may probably be from A.S. _clene_, clean, pure.

”The original sense seems to have been bright.”--_Skeat_. This may probably be the sense in names.