ERSKINE

Some writers deduce this family from a noble Florentine wlio came to Scotland in the reign of Kenneth II. It is said, in the reign of Malcolm II, a Scotchman of high distinction having killed with his own hand Enrique, one of the Danish generals, at the battle of Murthill, cut off his head, and with .the, bloody dagger in his hand showed it to the king, and in the Gaelic language said Eriskyne, upon the knife,' alluding to the head and dagger; and in the same language also said, Intend to perform greater actions than what I have done. Whereupon, King Malcolm imposed upon him the surname of Eriskine, and assigned him for his armor-bearings a hand holding a dagger, with Je pense plus for a motto, which has continued to be the crest and motto of this family.

NOGENT

Local. From the town of Nogent, in the province of Champagne, France. The Nugents went from England into Ireland in the time of Henry II.

FLANDERS

Local. A name given to a native of Flanders, a County or Earldom of the Low Countries, or Netherlands. It took its name either from Flandrina, the wife of Liderick II, Prince of Buc, or from Flambert, the nephew of Clodion, King of France.

KEITH

Local. From the parish and lands of Keith, in Banffshire, Scotland. The name Keith is said to be derived from the Gaelic Gaoth, wind, pronounced somewhat similarly to Keith. The old village and kirk are called Arkeith, which may be a corruption of the Gaelic Ard Quoth, signifying high wind, which corresponds to its locality, which is peculiarly exposed to gusts of wind. In some old charters, Keith is written Gith, which still more resembles Gaith. I think the name is derived from the Welsh Caeth, a place surrounded, shut up, inclosed, a deep hollow, a strait. The root of the word is the Welsh Cau, to close, to shut up. Concerning this family, the traditional account is, that they came from G-ermany in the reign of the Emperor Otho, and from the principality of Hesse, from which they were expelled in some revolution. The first person of this family of whom our oldest historians take notice, is Robert De Keith, to whom Malcom II, King of Scotland, gave the barony of Keith, in East Lothian, as a reward for killing Camus, a Danish general, who then invaded Scotland with a numerous army. The battle was fought at Barry, seven miles from Dundee, where an obelisk, called Camus' stone, still preserves the memory of the victory, and it is said the king, dipping his three fingers in the blood of the general, stroked them along the field of the Scotch champion's shield, to whom, besides the landed estate before mentioned, he gave the dignity of Great Marshal of Scotland.

CAMPBELL

(Celtic and Gaelic.) Wry-mouth, the man whose mouth inclined a little on one side; from cam, crooked, distorted, and beul, the mouth. This ancient family may be traced as far back as the beginning of the fifth century, and is said to have been possessed of Lochore, in Argyleshire, as early as the time of Fergus II. Sir Colin Campbell, of Lochore, flourished toward the end of the thirteenth century, and was called Sir Colin More, or Colin the Great. His descendants were called by the Irish Mc Callen, that is, the descendants of Colin.

CADE

An old word for a barrel or cask; probably taken from a sign at an ale-house or tavern John at the Cade Shakspeare uses Cade in this sense: Cade. We, John Cade, so termed of our supposed father. Dick. Or rather of stealing a cade of herrings ! Hen. YL, Act IV., Sc. II.

BUTLER

This family derive their origin from the old Counts of Briony or Biony, in Normandy, a descendant of whom, Herveius Fitz Walter, accompanied the Conqueror into England. His son, Theobold, went with Henry II into Ireland, where, having greatly assisted in the reduction of the kingdom, he was rewarded with large possessions there, and made it the place of his residence. The king afterward conferred on him the office of chief Butler of Ireland, whence his descendants, the Earls of Ormond and others, took the surname of De Boteler or Butler.

HASTINGS

Local. Derived from the borough of Hastings, in Sussex, England, which is memorable for the landing of William the Conqueror, and defeat and death of Harold II, in 1066. Camden derives this name from one Hastings, a Dane, a great robber, who either seized, or built, or fortified it. Somnerus derives it from the Saxon haeste, heat, because of the bubbling or boiling of the sea in that place j but as haste applies rather to voluntary beings, as men and other animals, the name more correctly signifies one who hurries, presses, drives; vehemency, quickness of motion.

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