Surname Cornwall - Meaning and Origin
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Cornwall: What does the surname Cornwall mean?
The surname Cornwall is of English origin and geographical in nature. It is derived from the county of Cornwall in Southwestern England. The name essentially means "the people from the horn or peninsula," derived from the Celtic "kernou," meaning "horn", and Old English "weall", meaning "stranger". This refers to the shape of the Cornish peninsula and reveals the early inhabitants’ perspective of themselves as distinct from the rest of England. The name could have been used to signify someone who hailed from this region. In medieval records, the name often appears in Latinized form as "de Cornubia", while the Cornish language version of the name is "Kernow". The name is often tied to ancient British history and culture, particularly associated with the legends of King Arthur.
Order DNA origin analysisCornwall: Where does the name Cornwall come from?
The surname Cornwall originated from England and is of geographical nature, named after the county of Cornwall in the southwest of the country. The name Cornwall itself is derived from the Old English words "corn," meaning "grain," and "wealas," meaning "strangers," which was a term used to describe the Celtic tribes who inhabited the region. The Celtic tribe in this area was known for its production of tin and other minerals, which brought significant trade and wealth.
As of today, the surname is still prevalent in England, especially in regions close to its origin like Devon and Bristol. Besides England, it has also spread to several English-speaking countries due to waves of migration over centuries. This includes countries like the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Notably, the Cornwall surname carries a unique distinction as one of the oldest surnames recorded in the history of British Isles.
Variations of the surname Cornwall
The name Cornwall originates from the geographical region in Southwestern England known as Cornwall. It likely pertained to individuals from that area or who had a strong connection to it. Possible variants and spellings of the surname could include Cornwell, Cornewall, Cornall, Karnow, or Corneille. The variant Cornwell is particularly common. It may also be linked to the Welsh surname Curnow, adopted by people from Cornwall who moved to Wales.
Another possibility is that people who have last names such as Corn, Cornes, Corner, Cornman, and Cornhill could have derived from the same root - applying some suffix or other modification to the base word ‘Corn’. Additionally, slight spelling variations can occur over time and across regions due to changes in language and pronunciation, such as Kornwall or Cornvall.
Finally, surnames can often be based on personal names, so people named after Saint Piran, the patron saint of Cornwall, could have surnames like Piran, Pyran, or Perran. However, this would be less directly related to the surname Cornwall.
Please note that the exact variants of a surname can depend on many factors, and direct lineage or relationships should not be assumed based solely on a name’s similarity with another.
Famous people with the name Cornwall
- Barry Cornwall: a pseudonym of Bryan Waller Procter, an English poet.
- Fiona Cornwall: an Australian actress known for her role in "Neighbours".
- Martin Cornwall: British actor known for "The Krays: Kill Order" and "The Krays Mad Axeman".
- Fred Cornwall: an American former professional basketball player.
- Jane Cornwall: a British actress who starred in the movie "Hold the Dream".
- Charles Cornwall: an English cricketer.
- Ralph Neville Cornwall: former chairman of BellSouth (now AT&T).
- Jonny Lee Cornwall: better known by his stage name, Shaggy, is a Jamaican musician, singer, DJ, and actor who scored hits with songs like "It Wasn't Me" and "Angel".
- there's Prince Charles, officially known as The Duke of Cornwall when referred to in relation to those areas. It should be noted that ‘Cornwall’ is traditionally a county in England and less frequently used as a last name, especially among famous personalities.