ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 1430 http://www.s-gabriel.org/1430 ************************************ 14 Dec 1998 From: (Josh Mittleman) Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel! You asked for the origins of the surnames , , and . This letter is a brief answer to your question. The English surname can derive from one of two origins: Old French "a Picard" and Old French or "poor". Examples in England of the first of these names include: Drogo poher 1127 Walter le Poher 1162 Hugo le Puhier 1166 Philip le Poyer 1257 (also ) William Pouwer 1297 Stephen le Power 1296-1332 (also ) Examples of the second include: Walter le Poure 1163 Hugo Pauper 1191 (also ) Roger le Poer 1211-12 (also ) The English carried the surname to Ireland, where it is quite common, especially in Waterford [1, 2]. derives from any of the many places so named. We found [1]: Gladwin de Cumtuna 1167-c.1175 William de Compton' 1212 Nicholas de Cumpton 1263 Richard Compton 1376 derives from the Old French or "branch", probably used in the sense of "descendent, offspring". Early examples include [1]: Hugh Branche 1169-87 William Branche 1238 Peter Braunche 1331 Our sources on Irish surnames do not show either or in use in Ireland, but they certainly could have been carried there by English emigrants. We hope this brief letter has been useful. Please write us again if you have any questions. For the Academy, Josh Mittleman 14 Dec 1998 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - References [1] Reaney, P. H., & R. M. Wilson, _A Dictionary of English Surnames_ (London: Routledge, 1991; Oxford University Press, 1995), s.nn. Poor, Compton, Branch. [2] MacLysaght, Edward, _The Surnames of Ireland_ (Dublin: Irish Academic Press Ltd., 1985, ISBN 0-7165-2366-3), s.n. Power.