SMITH

The most common of all surnames, and might of itself furnish matter enough for a volume. The word is derived from the Anglo-Saxon Smitan, to smite or strike.

MAGOON

(Gaelic.) A corruption of Macgowan, which signifies the son of the smith, from Mat, son, and gow, a smith; or it may be the same as McCoun, from Mat, son, and ceann, a head or chief the son of the chief.

LEFERRE

(Fr.) Le Ferre, the smith. Latin, Faber.

TELFAIR

(Italian.) Tagliaferro, pronounced Tollifer. Fr., tailler, to cut, and fer, iron. It is said that the first of the name was so called from having cut a bar of iron in two with his sword. A smith.

TAYLOR

A name of trade. We find this name modified to Tayleure, the orthography having been changed by the bearers to hide what they thought the lowness of its origin. So Smith is changed to Smyth, Turner to Turnour, etc as Camden says, Mollified ridiculously lest their bearers should seem villified by them.

McGOWAN

(Gaelic.) From Gow, a smith; the son of a smith, Smithson.

GOW

(Gaelic.) A smith. The Gowan or smith of a Highland clan was held in high estimation. His skill in the manufacture of military weapons was usually united with great dexterity in using them, and with the strength of body which his profession required. The Gowan usually ranked as third officer in the chiefs household.

GIVENS

(Welsh.) A smith, the same as Gove; Gaelic, gob-hain.

GOWAN

(Gaelic.) A smith. The Gowan or smith of a Highland clan was held in high estimation. His skill in the manufacture of military weapons was usually united with great dexterity in using them, and with the strength of body which his profession required. The Gowan usually ranked as third officer in the chiefs household.

FABER

(Latin.) A workman, a smith.

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