We have all come across the sneering attitude of the English when it comes to the names of people and places in vountries other than their own. You know, the "What's all this about then?", "What does that say?", and "It's that Gay-lick innit?".

Therefore as an educational exercise and as an answer to our Saxon critics we have provided a list of common Scottish surnames, with their original spelling and an explanation of their meanings:

MacNeil	MacNeill	Son of Neil
MacKintosh	Mac an Toisich	Son of the chief
MacIntyre	Mac an t-Saoir	Son of the Carpenter
Matheson	Mac Mhathain	Son of the bear
Campbell	Caimbeul	Crooked mouth
Cameron	Camshron	Crooked nose
Fraser	Friseal	Norman name, from the French for strawberry
Gillespie	Gilleasbaig	Follower of the Bishop
Mackay	MacAoidh	Son of Aodh (old Gaelic name for fire)

As a useful comparison we print here a compilation of English surnames (all genuine), and ask you, the reader, to draw your own conclusions as to the origin and meaning of such illustrious names as:

Toley	Bumstead	Wrigglesworth
Sidebottom	Winterbottom	Crapper
Titley	Winkle	Higgenbotham
Willey	Willcocks	Gotobed
Nobbs	Jobey	Ponsonby
Ramsbottom	Lillicrap	Wormley
Tinkler	Stainrod	Bottomley
Snowball	Botham	Allcock

And they think our names are funny!

© Siol nan Gaidheal, 1993