One of our researchers has been reading the Harry Potter books with her son, and wondered what the origins of some of the distinctive names in the books may be. Some, such as Potter or Black, have obvious origins - Potter being a surname derived from an occupation, whilst Black being a nickname for someone perhaps with black hair. The name Weasley is probably a name derived from various locations in the UK with the name Haseley, whilst Granger is an occupational name for a farm bailiff.
But what about some of the more unusual surnames which appear? Rufus Scrimgeour, being the Minister of Magic at the start of the final book, has a surname which derives from the Old French 'eskermir', to fence, from which the word skirmish also derived. Bellatrix Lestrange also has a surname with French origins, from the Old French word 'estrange', or stranger. Both Scrimgeour and Lestrange are names found in the UK from medieval times when surnames began to develop, although the name Malfoy - also with French origins meaning 'bad faith' appears infrequently in British records.
If you have any interesting surnames to research the history of, contact us today to find out how we can help.
