[From ManxNoteBook vol i,1885]

CHAPTER II (PART 1).

BIBLICAL AND HAGIOLOGICAL NAMES

CONTINUED.

[Note original contained part of STEPHEN of which 'The first portion of this name was printed in the July number in error.' - moved back to that section for ease of reading FPC]

MYLCHREEST and MYLECHREEST, contracted from MacGilchreest, a corruption of MacGiolla Chriosod, 'the son of Christ's servant.'

'Giolla, especially among the ancients, signified a youth, but now generally a- servant, and hence it happened that families who were devoted to certain saints, took care to call their sons after them, prefixing the word Giolla, intimating that they were to be the servants or devotees of those saints. Shortly after the introduction of Christianity, we meet many names of men formed by prefixinf the word Giolla to the names of the celebrated saints of the first age of the Irish Church, as GIOLLA-AILBHE, GIOLLA-PHATRAIG, GIOLLA CHIASAIN . . . And it will be found that there were very few saints of celebrity, from whose names those of men were not formed by the prefixing of Giolla . . .

This word was not only prefixed to the names of saints, but also to the name of God, Christ, the Trinity, the Virgin Mary, Some of the later forms of this name commencing with Mall, Maul, Molle, and Molly, would suggest a derivation from Maol, Mael, or Moel, which 'was anciently prefixed, like Giolla, to the names of saints, to form proper names of men, as MAOLCOLAIM, Maol-Seacnaill, which mean the servant or devotee of the Saints Columb and Secundinus.^'+ The word Mael means bald, shorn, or tonsured.' In the Isle of Mann, however, the earlier form is invariably MacGil, so it is probable that most of our Mylchreests are derived from MacGiolla. This name, and all those commencing with 'Myl' are purely Manx.

"Gillacrist, son of Niall . . . slain,' A.D. 1014."+

MACGILCHEEEST [1511], MAULCHRIST [1663], MACLECHRIST [1683], MEYLCHRIST [1713], MCYLCHREEST [1714], MYLECHREEST [1717], MYLCHREEST [17391.

Marown, German (c), elsewhere (u).

Four -Mast., Vol. III., pp. 2-3. (note).
+ Four Alast., Vol. 111-, P. 4. (note). t
+ Four Mast., Vol. ll., P. 783.

MACVORREY 'Mary's son,' has now universally become MORRISON. The Anglicised forms MORISONE and MORESON are found as early as 1430. The latest date at which MACVORREY occurs is 1624. It appears in the Manorial Roll of 1511.

MORREY and VORREY, found in Jurby in 1613, became MURRAY before the end of the century.

MYLVORREY, contracted from MacGiollavorrey, 'the son of Mary's servant,' is also Anglicised into MORRISON, but the original name still survives, though not so common as formerly. Its spelling has proved a great puzzle to the keepers of the Parish Registers, as will be seen from the great variety of forms given below-

YLUORRY [1507], MACGILVORRY [1511], MACILVORY [1570], ILLUORREY, MACYLWORREY [1598], ILLEVORRY [1611], MACYLVORREY [1625], *MALEVORREY [1628], MACYLEVORREY [1644], MACILLVERY [1683] *MOLLYVORREY [1685], MACLEVORY [1695], MYLEVOREY [1713], * MOLLYVERREY [1717], *MOLLEYBOIREY [1721], -*MOLLEVORY [1725], MACYLVOIREY [1730], MYLWOIREY [1737], *MOLLEBORRY [1740], MICKLEWORREY [1742], MCYLVORREY [1744], MYLEVOIREY [1762], MYLVORREY [1763], MYLVOREY [1782], MYLEVOIRREY [1786].

* These forms look as if they were derived from Maol-vorrey, and the old pronunciation Molleworreh points to the same conclusion. The Irish name Maolmaire, or Maolmulre, signifies servant of the Virgin Mary.'* See also note on Maol under Mylchreest.

Jurby (vc), Ballaugh, Maughold, Bride, German (c), elsewhere (u).

Four Mast., Vol. III. p. 6. (note).

COOBRAGH (extinct) from Mac Giolla Cobraght (Cuthbert) , The son of Cuthbert's servant.' 'St. Cuthbert, Bishop of Fearna, in England, died,' A.D. 686.⁺ St. Cuthbert of Lindisfarne was a favourite saint among Celts as well as Saxons. c.f. Kirkcudbright.

McGILCOBRAGHT [1511], COOBRAGH [1606], COOBRIGH [1649].

It is only found in the Parish of jurby, and after 1649 it does not occur.

+ Four Mast., Vol., I. P. 293.

MACFADEN [1511], (extinct) from Mac Paidin. 'Paidins, or little Patrick's son.'

Compare-(Irish) MACFADDEN, which was the name taken by the Baretts of Munster.

McGILPEDER and GILPEDER [1511] (extinct). 'The son of Peter's servant,' and 'Peter's servant.'

ANDREW [1408], McANDRAS [1417], MACGYLANDERE [1429], MACGILLANDRAS, McGILLANDER [1430], MACGILANDREW, GILANDREW [1511], (extinct).
MEGILPATRICK and GILPATRICK [1511], (extinct). Found as late as 1645 in Marown.

'Gilla-Padraig, son of Imhar,' A.D. 981.* Compare-(Irish) FITZPATRICK.

GILBEALL [1511], (extinct) perhaps a corruption of Gilla Phail, 'Paul's servant

MCMYCHEL [1511], (extinct) Michael's son.' St. Michael was the Christian Warrior's Patron. 'Donn MACGILLA-MICHIL, Chief of Clann Conghaile,' A.D. 1310. + We find Ballavitchal in our local nomenclature.

MACADDE [1511], (extinct). A Scotch dimutive of MACADAM.

* Chron. SCOT., P. 229.
+ Four Mast., Vol., III. P. 497.

FAYLE, originally Mac Giolla Phoil, 'the son of Paul's servant."

' MAG GILLAPHOIL of the fair seat.'§

Bishop Philips, in his version of the Manx Prayer Book in 1625, gives the form PAYL for PAUL.

Compare-(Irish) GILFOYLE, KILFOIL.

MACFALLE [1408], MACFAILE [1429], MACFAILE [1430], M'FAYLE [1504], FAIL [1511,] MACFAYLL [1521], FAYLE [1608], FFAYLE [1623], FAILE [1713].

Fell, not found before 1750, may be either a corruption of the above, or from the Scandinavian fjell. It is a common name in Cumberland, whence it may have been imported into the Isle of Mann. (MAC FELIS, found in 1511, may have some connection with it.)

Braddan, Marown (vc), Santon, Jurby, Lezayre (c), elsewhere (u).

SAYLE is possibly a corruption of FAYLE. It is almost entirely confined to the north of the Island.

MACSALE [1511], SALL [1601], SAYLE [1624], SAILE [1701], SAIL [1709].

Andreas (vc), Jurby, Bride, Maughold (c), elsewhere (u).

§ 'O'Huidhrin, P. 133.

QUAYLE, contracted from Mac Phail, 'Paul's son.' PHAIL is anglicised from MAELFABHAILL.

'MAELFABHAILL son of Mulrcheartach, slain by the Norsemen.'*

This is one of the most widely distributed names in the Island.

MACQUAYLE, QUAYLE [1540], QUAYLLE, QUALL [1601], QUALE [1602], QUAILE [1604], QUAIL [1656].

Malew, Onchan (vc). Rushen, Arbory, Santon, German, Braddan, Ballaugh, Lezayre, Maughold (c), elsewhere (u).

* Four Mast., Vol. I., P. 537.

CALLISTER and COLLISTER,⁺ contracted from MacAlister 'Alexander's son.' The Greek name Alexandros was adopted by the Scotch as the Latin Magnus by the Scandinavians. Several of the Scotch Kings were called Alexander.

"Eisht haink ayn Oilister mooar Mac Ree Albey." ,
Then came great Ollister, son of the King of Scotland.⁺⁺

it is found chiefly on our northern coast, the nearest to Scotland.

MACALISANDRE [1417], MACALEXANDER [1429], CALLISTER [1606], COLLISTER [1799].

COLLISTER is quite a late form, and is not nearly so common as CALLISTER.

Compare-(Gaelic) MACALLISTER.

Jurby, Michael (vc). Lezayre, Ballaugh, German, Malew (c), elsewhere (u).

+ This name is not, strictly speaking, hagiological, but as a non-Celtic name introduced through Roman influence, it belongs in substance to the same class.

++ Traditionary Ballad; Train, P. 52.

(TO BE CONTINUED.)