There is a constant popular fascination with names - what they mean, when and where they originated. The new edition of this classic work by Reaney and Wilson includes a further 5,000 names, and will be the primary resource for anyone who is interested in names. The meanings of over 16,000 English surnames and their variants are given, together with early forms and their sources and dates. The main body of the work is arranged alphabetically with a full cross-reference system for variant spellings.