Genealogy Chat

Some time ago when I was doing some research into the surnames in my family tree I read that when they were giving surnames out, people who weren't very bright were given Fish surnames, such as Codd, Chubb, Tench, etc.
Has anyone else heard of this
Looking back I went to school with a boy with the surname Cod and he wasn't very bright, but I am wondering what your experiences are?

Interesting idea.

Not sure that the lad at school is a good example though. If his ancestors, way back when they were handing out surnames, were thick, then it seems unlikely that the family - if they had remained thick - would have survived long? The chances of all the thick male children, finding women who were thick enough to marry them and bear their thick children is reasonably remote. Add to that, that it would be really easy to blame the thick Cod family members when things are going wrong / have gone wrong etc so they'd be the ones likely to be hanged, etc.

This is only a theory mind - you could well be right!

Jill

Thanks for your comment Mrs Grumpy
wouldn't it be interesting to do some research into this hypothesis, and find some fish surnamed people and trace their family history back and their occupations, not all the thick people with fish surnames have disappeared. I wonder if I approached the Heritage Lottery Fund, whether they would fund such a project? what do you think?
I am only joking!

I've never heard of that theory, ...interesting though.

A Mr Chubb owned and ran a local corner shop, I think, when I was a child, and aren't there Chubb locks on many doors?
They don't seem to have done too bad as families.

Can't think of any other types of fish names that I've known, but we did have FISH neighbours once. The chap's brother lived nearby too.
They were both in the Pay Corps of the Army, and certainly bright.

Gwyn

Chubb surname origin.
From the Saxon Cob a great-headed,full cheeked fellow. The fish called Chubb was so named from its having a large head

Codd surname.
The Anglo Saxon personal name Cod,Coda,Codda. (Old English Codd a bag)
Tench,Pike fishmonger or fishermen of named fish
Herring----- catcher of Herring fish
Perch .....has various meanings from ,measurer of land( perche),owner of perche of land,fish or early textile industry a perche being a frame for drying cloth

Well on Freebmd there are quite a few Fish Fish......And even a Fish Fish Fish!

Births Dec 1864 Fish Fish Fish Blackburn 8e 335

All from the north of England but I'm sure that is not a reflection on northerner's intellectual capabilities in general :-)

Chris

I see all the births for Gar are down south - no doubt appropriate for primitive mouth-breathers.

Well I think the parents of Fish Fish Fish were definitely a sandwich short of a picnic. Poor lad! (or lass!)

LOL

Jill

I think this could be a red herring!