L&T Archive 1998-2003

Darcy, de Bourgh and Lefroy
In Response To: Darcy ()

There are some names that sound posher than others to many class-conscious English ears. Essentially, it's whether they sound French - or rather, medieval Normam French - and therefore hint at ancestry among the Normal aristocracy who came over with William the Conqeror in 1066. De Bourgh, (or de anything) definitely counts here.

However, this undue regard for French-sounding names was sent out of kilter by the arrival of large numbers of French protestant huguenot refugees, who were often middle-class craftsmen. A very tentative guess: the names Lefroy and Darcy are a tad more likely to come from this source, since the Lefroys and the Darcy Wentworths were part of the Protestant domination of Ireland.

Nevertheless, they would still sound vaguely posher than obviously Anglo-saxon names.

Messages In This Thread

Surname = Previous Profession?
Gardiners and Binglers
I've also wondered
Not a bad idea...
Not necessarily.
Jane's Meticulousness
What's in a name?
Family jokes
surely there must be some merit in it.....
Hmmmmm......
Darcy
D'Arcy?? nfm
Darcy, de Bourgh and Lefroy
Irishness and Poshness
The posh apostrophe
I don't think that you have been misled.....
Darcy or D'Arcy ---Irish origins
Thank you
Darcy or D'arcy Irish Origins
Thank you, very, very much!
Darcys and de Bourghs
Darcy the Viking
The Darcy Pedigree
Interesting!
Right.....
Hugenot
Custance
Custance Connection (long post)
I think....
And a reson for her choice of Bingley & Bennet
Gardeners verus the bingleys
Interesting.....
thanks caroline and heres bingley
FAQ
Oh! And also...
Bingley
Thanks, Caroline
The reason JA chose Gardiner.
wouldn't it be funny...