Geez, do I have to do
all the work for youse guys when you're just a click away from a little knowledge and a little chuckle...well, okay, then, here ya go...(from the British Family Chronicle link):
>The suffix "kin" can be used in surnames as a diminutive - so Tomkin is "Little Thomas", Wilkin is "Little William" and Perkin is "Little Peter". Similarly, Bartlett is Little Bartholomew,
Dickens is the son of Little Dick and Philpott is Little Philip. Indeed, a Christian name can be altered over time. The name David, for example, has become: Davey, Davids, Dowell, Davidson, Davidge, Davie, Davies, Davis, Davison, Dayson, Davy, Davys, Daw, Dawe, Dawes, Dawkes, Dawkins, Daws, Dawson, Day, Davitt, Dowson, Dowd, Dowden, and Dowling. <
So, now, if you know anybody named Dickens, you can be the first to splain the semantics of their name for them!
