Genealogy Chat

Hia my husbands scottish and said its a male swan.?

Some suggestions from a posting on another site are 1. The Dictionary of the Scots Language gives : a young seal, rabbit or hare for coob. 2. Should it be or could it be a mis-spelling of 'combs' as in honeycombs? 3. My origional posting This is definition from online Dictionary of Scots Language COOB, n. ``The lining of a wild bird's nest'' (Cai. 1930 (per A. D. Miller)); ``a bird's nest'' (Cai.8 1934). [Cf. Norw. kube, beehive, Sw. dial. kypa, round receptacle made of straw, M.H.Ger. kobe, a hollow, cavity (Falk and Torp).] I'll let you know if there are any other suggestions I love a good mystery!!! Helena

Norah I've posted on another Scottish site to see if anyone knows, I'm away this weekend but will get back to you if I find out Helena

Thanks everyone coobs - horse hmm! possibility but don't think my ancestors from Fife were that well off bodels as Carol said refers to money and have had other ancestor paying money out for the poor think it obviously was some sort of payment will keep looking at other old OPR's . Ta again Norah

The Concise OED gives 'COOB' as an alternative to 'COB'. There are many meanings for 'cob' including a 'male swan', but I think the previous post of horse is the most likely, as the OED gives 'Cob as a horse capable of supporting a large or heavy person'. Interestingly a 'cob-horse' was one that wasn't castrated and therefore had grown fatter & stronger i.e. without his 'cobs', which gives more understanding as to the derivation & relation to other meanings of 'cob'. Hope this helps. 1

It could be beehive - further down definition - what part of Scotland were they in as their was a heather honey industry going. Still waiting for my daughter to get back to me to see what she thinks Helena

Could it be horses as I think there are Welsh cobs. Had a google and came up with this. COOB, COOBY [], a word to call a horse when grazing. We’ll call the hoss to us, ‘Coob, coob, coob ! ‘ I was callin ‘ Cooby, cooby~ to the hoss, an’ it come at once.

Thank you Helena for a sensible answer!! but can't really see the lining of a birds nest having anything to do with a marriage offering! Think this will just be one of these things Thanks for looking anyway Norah

Looked up an online scots dictionary and found this COOB, n. ``The lining of a wild bird's nest'' (Cai. 1930 (per A. D. Miller)); ``a bird's nest'' (Cai.8 1934). [Cf. Norw. kube, beehive, Sw. dial. kypa, round receptacle made of straw, M.H.Ger. kobe, a hollow, cavity (Falk and Torp).] Helena

................... you know, you try to help some people!!!!!

I've sent my daughter a text to ask her, she did Scots at Uni so might know Helena

Go away Snowy!! Now! this is serious

Sorry, forgot to say, if you experience any further difficulty with reading your old documents, you can hire me. I charge very reasonable rates and will do home visits. PM me for more details.

Could it possibly say 2 coos - as in cows? Make sense? You know this old flowery handwriting can be difficult sometimes, perhaps what you see as a b at the end of the word is actually an s written in the old fashioned way.

Are you sure it says coobs?

I have an OPR for a marriage in 1695 its quite readable stating... Rob R.. & Grissell S... they gave in pleadge 2 Coobs(?) married 31 Dec... could anyone tell me what coobs is thought it might be name for old Scots money- but Google brought up nothing. Thanks Norah