QuoteThe number of people in Britain with surnames like Cockshott, Balls, Death and Shufflebottom -- likely the source of schoolroom laughter -- has declined by up to 75 percent in the last century. Skip related content
Related content
A study found the number of people with the name c**k shrank to 785 last year from 3,211 in 1881, those called Balls fell to 1,299 from 2,904 and the number of Deaths were reduced to 605 from 1,133.
People named Smellie decreased by 70 percent, Dafts by 51 percent, Gotobeds by 42 percent, Shufflebottoms by 40 percent, and Cockshotts by 34 percent, said Richard Webber, visiting professor of geography at King's College, London.
"If you find the (absolute) number goes down, it's either because they changed their names or they emigrated," Webber, author of the study, told Reuters on Wednesday.
He said that in many cases, people probably changed their surnames as they came to be regarded as in bad taste. "It's because the meaning of words can change. Take the name Daft -- that as a term for a stupid is a relatively recent innovation."
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, Daft meant "mild" or "meek" in Old English, whereas it means "foolish" today.
"That's why there are names which people think aren't really very pleasant names and you wonder why they persisted as long as they did."
Webber, whose work can be seen on the website mapyourname.com, got his data for 2008 from credit card firm Experian and mapping service Geowise. He then compared it with the census of 1881.
Webber also discovered that the most popular names in Britain have not changed over the past 127 years. Last year, Smith, Jones, Williams, Brown, Taylor and Davies held the top five spots, in exactly the same order as they did a century ago.
Webber also found that between 1996 and 2008, the names Zhang, Wang, and Yang and experienced the fastest growth. Zhang rose by 4719 percent, while Wang grew by 2225 percent. Quote
Funniest name i've ever heard of was a girl from Belfast called "Anita Dick"....My mate from work say's she's lives close to him.
Why would anyone do that to their child?
(http://www.rogerblanton.com/downloads/rusty_kuntz.jpg)
There are people down my country with the surname Pratt. I know another lad with the surname twocock.
Quote from: mylestheslasher on March 25, 2009, 08:24:12 PM
There are people down my country with the surname Pratt. I know another lad with the surname twocock.
Does he have to use a big stick to beat them away with?
The surname Ramsbottom is very common around Leix
There is BBC commentator Mark Sidebottom, he has a brother Tony. Toe-knee Side-Bottom.......geddit? The fun we had with that one.........
Taught a boy in England once with the innocuous name "Sidebottom."
But he insisted that it be pronounced SIDDY Buh TOM
kinda off topic here-but i had a 'Beyonce' in my class last year and everytime i said her name, i had the urge to sing, Beyonce, Beyonce, Shakira, Shakira.
I just sang it in my head.
You shoulda just lined her up to the left to the left
Quote from: Minder on March 25, 2009, 08:39:29 PM
There is BBC commentator Mark Sidebottom, he has a brother Tony. Toe-knee Side-Bottom.......geddit? The fun we had with that one.........
That reminds me of the guy from Big Brother - Jon Tickle, who has a sister called Tess
Quote from: Puckoon on March 25, 2009, 08:50:51 PM
You shoulda just lined her up to the left to the left
Haha, good one :D
But now that song is stuck in my head >:(
Interestlingly I heard an urban legend about a man who shoots birds around dungannon having two black labs, called tess and tickle.
(http://api.ning.com/files/qQY-8fePWlxQUAKK3CsxlzAt86uqoJi*BY47LA2LCJhqKfIXegDVhcMtQhEkQ-0OD7yl1iF99rnHFVKY0k0S21z1FvkmU9f1/pic28703.jpg)
I was standing in TK Maxx in belfast (I know, Credit Crunch and all that)......an announcement came over the shop tannoy:
"Madonna McConville, Call on line 2, thats Madonna McConville, call on line 2."
Quote from: The Gs Man on March 25, 2009, 09:31:20 PM
I
"Madonna McConville, Call on line 2, thats Madonna McConville, call on line 2."
I knew a girl called Madonna, she said it was after 'Our Lady' as opposed to the other Madge.
What's a surnane? ;)
There is a woman called Nutt in Moira who has a problem with squirrels
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/7963370.stm
Quote from: ardmhachaabu on March 25, 2009, 09:54:57 PM
There is a woman called Nutt in Moira who has a problem with squirrels
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/7963370.stm
Quote
Woman called Nutt over-run by squirrels
A woman in Northern Ireland says her home has been over-run by grey squirrels.
Oonagh Nutt, from Moira in County Down says the animals first came into her garden from an adjoining park six years ago, but in the last 18 months they got too close for comfort.
"I thought it was lovely, I called one of them Hazel but then the next thing they'd got into the house," she said.
Mrs Nutt says the squirrels have caused serious damage: "They chewed their way through my roof in several places, they tunnel through the cavity walls, they live under the floor boards, they go to the toilet in the attic.
"Up close they are quite frightening - they look like puppy dogs with big hands, they growl and bark at you, they're vicious things. They'll go for you.
"I have a small child in the house and regularly at night the scratching and chewing and moving about will wake him up."
Mrs Nutt says she's spent thousands of pounds trying to tackle the problem.
"I've had pest control round putting poison down in the roof space and travel routes through the house. But then they died inside the cavity walls and the house is infested with flies. It's a nightmare.
"We've had squirrel catchers, traps, lights, sonar. Everything but the kitchen sink."
Mrs Nutt is unhappy with the attitude of her local council to the pest problem.
"I rang Lisburn City Council three times and have been told in short to go away. They say they're not a pest so there's nothing they can do."
Ian Woods from Grey Squirrel Control says it's an increasingly common story.
"Every year it's becoming more and more of a problem around this time of year. People really don't understand the damage they cause."
Lisburn City Council said any resident who experiences a pest problem should contact its pest control unit on (028) 9250 9417.
Has to be a piss take :-\ :-X
There are Rabbittes in Clara, with an address of "The Green" !
I get a bit of abuse/teasing about my surname from those who've never heard it before, but that's happening less and less, especially in Ireland.
lol Never thought of that before Rois
Ah Ziggy people pre-fix it with many alternatives - Wanda being one.
I used to work in an Engineering company and the wages clerk was called "Violet Black" WTF
What about the film director called "Rip Torn" and "Jaffa Pip"
I hope this doesn't sound religious discrimination but to me the protestants always seem to have the weird surnames...
Quote from: Rois on March 26, 2009, 09:25:38 AM
Ah Ziggy people pre-fix it with many alternatives - Wanda being one.
Wanda Fish?
Quote from: Orior on March 26, 2009, 09:36:08 AM
Quote from: Rois on March 26, 2009, 09:25:38 AM
Ah Ziggy people pre-fix it with many alternatives - Wanda being one.
Wanda Fish?
Is your surname "Screw" Rois?
QuoteWhat about the film director called "Rip Torn"
Rips isnt his real name, he was class in the larry sanders show though.
Quote from: illdecide on March 26, 2009, 09:35:11 AM
I hope this doesn't sound religious discrimination but to me the protestants always seem to have the weird surnames...
There are some odd ones - I knew sidebottoms as mentioned earlier for example.
Quote from: Rois on March 26, 2009, 09:25:38 AM
Ah Ziggy people pre-fix it with many alternatives - Wanda being one.
The bloody English! :D
People think I'm dyslexic and call me Devil :(
Quote from: nifan on March 26, 2009, 10:42:11 AM
QuoteWhat about the film director called "Rip Torn"
Rips isnt his real name, he was class in the larry sanders show though.
Quality show, he was great as the snarling Artie.
Apparently Jim Kerr from Simple Minds has a Spanish half brother and his first name is Juan
(courtesy of Shooting Stars)
I personally know two Theresa Greene's (Trees are green)!
My father worked with a Mr Broomhead.
And Cox is a very common surname at home. One of my neighbours with the unfortunate surname Cox has a nickname - Fonda
Quote from: illdecide on March 26, 2009, 11:10:11 AM
"Makelove"???
Right number of syllables, correct sentiment, but not quite there.
Ryder ;)
So close Ziggy, eh?
Quote from: Rois on March 26, 2009, 11:23:00 AM
So close Ziggy, eh?
A particularly taciturn scot.
Quote from: Rois on March 26, 2009, 11:23:00 AM
So close Ziggy, eh?
Painfully close, especially 5 Sams ;)
Is your surname Kneetrembler?
Quote from: Rois on March 26, 2009, 11:17:18 AM
Quote from: illdecide on March 26, 2009, 11:10:11 AM
"Makelove"???
Right number of syllables, correct sentiment, but not quite there.
Very good. ;D
I presume he is a soloist?
I worked with a girl once called Elaine Stitt.
When its pronounced all you can hear (and see) is Elaine's tit :D
Not a surname but similar to that last post - I remember answering a call from a woman called Rose. When she asked for a certain person I said:
"What's it regardin' rose?"
All I could hear ringing through my head was GARDEN ROSE GARDEN ROSE :D
No-one told me Cockburn was pronounced Coburn.
I rang a girl from work and asked for "Mrs. Cockburn". Maaaaaan, she was angry with me!
(http://www.clicrbs.com.br/blog/fotos/143624post_foto.jpg)
:D :D
Quote from: Shamrock Shore on March 26, 2009, 12:12:22 PM
(http://www.clicrbs.com.br/blog/fotos/143624post_foto.jpg)
:D :D
I would say quite a few on here wont get that one Shamrock............ :P
Through work, I was often on the phone to woman called Sue Hooper...
If her company were able to meet the deadlines or delivery schedules i'd always say "That's Super"... she eventially (after several months) caught on to what i was doing... :D
Quote from: Rois on March 26, 2009, 11:17:18 AM
Quote from: illdecide on March 26, 2009, 11:10:11 AM
"Makelove"???
Right number of syllables, correct sentiment, but not quite there.
Cumalot
Ryder
Deepthroat
Woodcock
Semen
This is getting fun Rois
None of the above illdecide ::)
I'm waiting for the day that I meet someone called Cliona Ramsbottom, there has to be one somewhere in the midlands!
Quote from: ziggysego on March 26, 2009, 12:37:37 PM
None of the above illdecide ::)
How do you know Ziggy??? i assume you know the person :-X
Rois did me a good turn a few years ago and I'll be forward in her favour illdecide.
*forever
don't know if it was mentioned but i think DENIS BASTIC is awful
god love him at school......... just asking for it! (well he is dub so probably deserves it)
I remember some tv show on channel 4 a few years back had a few funny names on it. Can only remember two:
Megan Bacon (Egg and bacon)
and.....
DICK RASH!
We used have fun in school with the old Chelsea goalie, I think Kevin Hitchcock was his name!
It was quite a few years ago but I once met a blade in the Hammersmith Irish Centre called Siobhain Allcock.
I cant post pictures but do a google for Willie Stroker.
As well as being misspelt the thread title appears to be a bit misleading as in most examples the surnames only become amusing when added to an unfortunate first name. For example no one would bat an eyelid if the Lords Groundsman's name was John Hunt and not 'Mick' or if the Daily Mirror money editor was John not Richard Head.
A mate of mine has a nephew called Callum Airey. His parents were oblivious to any potential problems until he returned home from his first day at school with the nickname squid.
Quote from: Rois on March 26, 2009, 09:25:38 AM
Ah Ziggy people pre-fix it with many alternatives - Wanda being one.
U don't have a brother called Wudya or Woody by any chance??? :P
Canadians seem to find my name funny >:(
Quote from: illdecide on March 26, 2009, 12:46:01 PM
How do you know Ziggy??? i assume you know the person :-X
"the person" - you might have at least tried putting "Rois" in here illdecide! Makes me feel like a stranger!
Croi - sounds like you've cracked it (or maybe I told you once?)
Snodgrass is not uncommon in Strabane - I worked with a lady called Pat Alcock and another called Esther Polley (switch it round).
Rois, count yourself lucky you don't know illdecide...
Quote from: Croí na hÉireann on March 26, 2009, 01:32:11 PM
Quote from: Rois on March 26, 2009, 09:25:38 AM
Ah Ziggy people pre-fix it with many alternatives - Wanda being one.
U don't have a brother called Wudya or Woody by any chance??? :P
I have it...I have it...!!!
Have you another brother called Diddy :D
Knew a bloke whose surname was Sex ( a common enough name in the midlands so I am told). Told me he got alot of sniggering about the name abroad.
Quote from: leenie on March 26, 2009, 12:51:08 PM
don't know if it was mentioned but i think DENIS BASTIC is awful
god love him at school......... just asking for it! (well he is dub so probably deserves it)
He's not a Dub,he's from Laois but they are welcome to him..
Quote from: Canalman on March 26, 2009, 01:59:17 PM
Knew a bloke whose surname was Sex ( a common enough name in the midlands so I am told). Told me he got alot of sniggering about the name abroad.
I remember a guy called Bill Sex....used to play for Kildare.
Quote from: Rois on March 26, 2009, 01:40:10 PM
Quote from: illdecide on March 26, 2009, 12:46:01 PM
How do you know Ziggy??? i assume you know the person :-X
"the person" - you might have at least tried putting "Rois" in here illdecide! Makes me feel like a stranger!
Croi - sounds like you've cracked it (or maybe I told you once?)
Snodgrass is not uncommon in Strabane - I worked with a lady called Pat Alcock and another called Esther Polley (switch it round).
Yes Rois very sorry there...forgot myself...look on the bright side, no matter what your surname is you will loose it some day to some fine gentleman...sorry to disappoint ya but I'm spoken for and am a very faithful man. Don't believe all them dirt birds are telling ya ;)
Thanks a lot there Ziggy...I'm not that bad...and you don't know me either but there is a few fillies in Liverpool next weekend that will know me...lol
Quote from: Rois on March 26, 2009, 01:40:10 PM
Quote from: illdecide on March 26, 2009, 12:46:01 PM
How do you know Ziggy??? i assume you know the person :-X
"the person" - you might have at least tried putting "Rois" in here illdecide! Makes me feel like a stranger!
Croi - sounds like you've cracked it (or maybe I told you once?)
Snodgrass is not uncommon in Strabane - I worked with a lady called Pat Alcock and another called Esther Polley (switch it round).
You were good enough to email me a spreadsheet regarding mortgage payments years ago, memory of an elephant... It's fairly straightforward lads, you'll be kicking themselves if u ever twig...
[Edit] Good 1 5 Sams... :D
Quote from: illdecide on March 26, 2009, 02:13:48 PM
Quote from: Rois on March 26, 2009, 01:40:10 PM
Quote from: illdecide on March 26, 2009, 12:46:01 PM
How do you know Ziggy??? i assume you know the person :-X
"the person" - you might have at least tried putting "Rois" in here illdecide! Makes me feel like a stranger!
Croi - sounds like you've cracked it (or maybe I told you once?)
Snodgrass is not uncommon in Strabane - I worked with a lady called Pat Alcock and another called Esther Polley (switch it round).
Yes Rois very sorry there...forgot myself...look on the bright side, no matter what your surname is you will loose it some day to some fine gentleman...sorry to disappoint ya but I'm spoken for and am a very faithful man. Don't believe all them dirt birds are telling ya ;)
Thanks a lot there Ziggy...I'm not that bad...and you don't know me either but there is a few fillies in Liverpool next weekend that will know me...lol
Not without a suit there's not. Get it sorted yet?
A caretaker in my old school had the name Cornelius Fryday.
Quote from: SidelineKick on March 26, 2009, 02:47:39 PM
Quote from: illdecide on March 26, 2009, 02:13:48 PM
Quote from: Rois on March 26, 2009, 01:40:10 PM
Quote from: illdecide on March 26, 2009, 12:46:01 PM
How do you know Ziggy??? i assume you know the person :-X
"the person" - you might have at least tried putting "Rois" in here illdecide! Makes me feel like a stranger!
Croi - sounds like you've cracked it (or maybe I told you once?)
Snodgrass is not uncommon in Strabane - I worked with a lady called Pat Alcock and another called Esther Polley (switch it round).
Yes Rois very sorry there...forgot myself...look on the bright side, no matter what your surname is you will loose it some day to some fine gentleman...sorry to disappoint ya but I'm spoken for and am a very faithful man. Don't believe all them dirt birds are telling ya ;)
Thanks a lot there Ziggy...I'm not that bad...and you don't know me either but there is a few fillies in Liverpool next weekend that will know me...lol
Not without a suit there's not. Get it sorted yet?
Sort of...It says on the back of the ticket to dress smart casual so don't need a suit ;D ;D Just wear a pair of trousers and a shirt or even Jeans and a nice shirt...R u still going?
Quote from: illdecide on March 26, 2009, 02:53:18 PM
Quote from: SidelineKick on March 26, 2009, 02:47:39 PM
Quote from: illdecide on March 26, 2009, 02:13:48 PM
Quote from: Rois on March 26, 2009, 01:40:10 PM
Quote from: illdecide on March 26, 2009, 12:46:01 PM
How do you know Ziggy??? i assume you know the person :-X
"the person" - you might have at least tried putting "Rois" in here illdecide! Makes me feel like a stranger!
Croi - sounds like you've cracked it (or maybe I told you once?)
Snodgrass is not uncommon in Strabane - I worked with a lady called Pat Alcock and another called Esther Polley (switch it round).
Yes Rois very sorry there...forgot myself...look on the bright side, no matter what your surname is you will loose it some day to some fine gentleman...sorry to disappoint ya but I'm spoken for and am a very faithful man. Don't believe all them dirt birds are telling ya ;)
Thanks a lot there Ziggy...I'm not that bad...and you don't know me either but there is a few fillies in Liverpool next weekend that will know me...lol
Not without a suit there's not. Get it sorted yet?
Sort of...It says on the back of the ticket to dress smart casual so don't need a suit ;D ;D Just wear a pair of trousers and a shirt or even Jeans and a nice shirt...R u still going?
Yeah but that'll not impress the ladies, not on the Friday anyway :D
Still going surely, counting the days! This time next week I'll be in some mood ;D
Congress man Dick Swett
http://www.vis.org/crc/MemberTermInfo.aspx?p=297
Dr Croak
http://www.nwourogyn.com/ourstaff.html
Dr Sharon Fillerup
http://www.tannerclinic.com/providers/view/id/25
Denist Les Plack
http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2000/02/34112
;D ;D ;D
I know Rois's surname, but what about
Roger Mee
Dawn Rides
Heidi Whole
Quote
For example no one would bat an eyelid if the Lords Groundsman's name was John Hunt and not 'Mick' or if the Daily Mirror money editor was John not Richard Head.
Passedit as you know it is Michael and not Mick nor Mike ;D