LL-L 'Names' 2006.08.17 (04) [E]

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A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) N=Northumbrian
S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West) Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeeuws)
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L O W L A N D S - L * 17 August 2006 * Volume 04
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From: Paul Finlow-Bates [wolf_thunder51 at yahoo.co.uk]
Subject: LL-L 'Names' 2006.08.17 (01) [E]

    From: Wesley Parish
    Subject: LL-L 'Etymology' 2006.08.16 (05] [E]

    A name question:
    In England, apparently the surname Shaw is Romany, or indicates a Romany
    origin. (I haven't got the book that asserts that with me at the moment, but
    that's what I read in it.) I always felt that made sense - a shaw or copse
    is an excellent place for a Romany caravan to stay, and to "locate" itself
    for the purposes of trade with the locals; it wouldn't surprise me to have
    people use that as their usename for outsiders and later, as their family
    name.

    Given that Shaw is a surname that is shared between England and Scotland, are
    there any Romany families of long-standing presence in Scotland (Scottish
    Romanies) of the surname Shaw? (I know that there is a link between a
    particular clan - Macintosh, I think - and most Scottish holders of the
    surnmae Shaw; I'm just interested in the exceptions at this point.)

    Thanks

    Wesley Parish

My understanding is that shaw is "woodland", cognate with Norse *skogr*.  So the
name just means "woodland dweller".  Probably a common thing for the Rom, but the
name would have been old when they arrived.
 
Paul Finlow-Bates

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