Variations in the Spelling of a Surname (Announce)

by Bob New, Monday, February 15, 2010, 12:29 (5182 days ago) @ Roger Griffiths

Some names begin with a soft consonent or a vowel sound - I'm thinking of WOMANS (probably rhyming with "romans") which may derive from YEOMANS or YOMANS / YEMANS, and can also be HOMANS, or HOOMANS or even HUMANS, etc. And also with or without the 'S'. Soundex doesn't work for these; each has to tried separately.

Another variety of names are these: SAYCE, SAISE, SAIES, SAYES, SAYS, SEYS, SEYES, etc. possibly all deriving from the Welsh SAIS (pronounced CICE with soft "c"s) meaning a Saxon or Englishman (cf. Scot's "Sassenach" for an Englishman). These names are found all down the English side of the Welsh border. Two SAISE brothers moved to Worcestershire and each (and their descendants) used the name SAITH. Perhaps because "saith" is the Biblical equivalent of the verb "says" (as in "it 'says' on the tin"). It is possible that these names could drop the final "s" and become SAY or SEY - a very different name perhaps of Norman origin. I haven't come across an example yet but I keep aware of the possibility.

Incidentally, the IGI's Soundex doesn't recognise the 'sameness' of SAYS and SEYS - they have to be entered separately.