Ernest Weekley

Ernest Weekley
Ernest Weekley (1865–1954) was a prominent British philologist and academic, best known for his work in etymology and linguistics. He served as a professor of modern languages at the University of Nottingham and authored several influential works on the history of the English language. His most notable books include "An Etymological Dictionary of Modern English" and "The Romance of Names," which explored the origins and meanings of words and surnames. Weekley was also the first husband of writer D.H. Lawrence’s wife, Frieda von Richthofen, a relationship that brought some attention to his personal life.

Author's Books:


PREFACE A long and somewhat varied experience in language teaching has convinced me that there are still, in spite of the march of science, many people who are capable of getting intellectual pleasure from word-history. I hope that to such people this little book, the amusement of occasional leisure, will not be unwelcome. It differs, I believe, from any other popular book on language in that it deals... more...

CHAPTER I OF SURNAMES IN GENERAL "The French and we termed them Surnames, not because they are the names of the Sire, or the father,but because they are super-added to Christian names." (CAMDEN, Remains concerning Britain.) The study of the origin of family names is at the same time quite simple and very difficult. Its simplicity consists in the fact that surnames can only come into existence... more...