What's in a Name ?
BARKER or TANNER
This is a copy of an article published in
The Peak Advertiser, the Peak District's local free newspaper, on 26th June 2004,
reproduced by kind permission of its author, Desmond Holden.
The "What's in a Name" series is a regular feature in the Advertiser.
Articles are confined to the origins and meanings of surnames and Desmond regrets
he is unable to undertake research into the genealogy, descent or family history of individuals.
Editor's Note: Articles are provided for general interest and background only. They are
not intended to provide an exhaustive treatise for any individual family history - investigations
of which may yield quite different results.
WHAT'S IN A NAME …
Are you called BARKER or TANNER?
In the development of surnames, these names are inseparable. They
are both occupational and refer to the same trade: the manufacture
of leather. For several centuries "Barker" and "Tanner" were
synonymous. In 1339 the list of sponsors for the Chester Mystery
Plays was headed "Barkers and Tanners". In addition to hides, the
stock-in-trade of either named occupation was relatively simple:
oak bark and vats. The process of leather-making required a
decoction of oak-bark in which hides were then immersed.
The separation of these two occupational names was apparantly
related to which activity an individual leather-worker was largely
identified. So, if he was perceived more in his capacity as a rover
in the forest stripping bark from oaks then he was called "Barker".
Otherwise he was a "Tanne".[Ed:sic] The earliest reference to the former
is for John le Barker of Cambridge (1260). For the other we find
Ansketill le Tanur of Westmoreland, 1189. Here let it be noted that
"Barker" can only too easily be confused with a similar name - of
which more later.
Strange to say, although surnames occur earlier, the job-
description itself appears late (1402). Even the word "bark" is
found in writing rarely before 1300. This is a curiosity which is
not easily explained. It may have been that the process of tanning
was more predominant and "barker" was simply absorbed. Another
explanation (which the present writer diffidently advances) is that
the making of leather was a very old occupation, long practised in
even before the Roman occupation in the islands. Wheras the work
"bark" had been introduced by Teutonic and Norse invaders (cf.
Swedish - borkr) the Celtic "tan" may still have rested in folk
memory. In Old Cornish the Evergreen Oak is 'glad-tannen' and in
Breton it was 'tan'. It is certainly significant that the word
"tanner" itself appears as early as 975 (Royal Charter), and
continued in use while "barker" steadily advanced towards
obsolenscence: and declared as such in the 19th century.
Apart from these things there was not much escaping the impact of a
tannery on the surrounding neighbourhood! The tanning liquid was
exceptionally smelly and needed constant replenishment with fresh
water. The records of the Middle Ages describe numerous disputes
between townsfolk and tanners on account of the fouling of the
water supplies with the waste products and dirty water when the
vats were emptied. In 1306 the tanners were prosecuted for
obstructing the fleet.
At this point it should be noted that, contrary to what might thus
have been expected, the surname "Barker" was far more frequently
encountered than "Tanner". In our local directory "Barker" extends
over three columns against a small grouping of nine "Tanners". Even
the Standard Biographical Dictionary includes only four Tanners to
thirty Barkers!
It is an amusing speculation to think that "tanners" were rather
reluctant to bear a surname that identified them with such a smelly
and filthy occupation that they took every opportunity to adopt one
that was less invidious! The more credible explanation is that the
name became confused with the Anglo-Norman French word for
"shepherd" - namely "bercher" (compare modern French "berger"). It
was derived from the Latin "berbex". Hence Ralph Berker of York
(1185) Richart le Berkier of Tyningham (1296). This variation
reveals the tendency in the development of English for the
combination of "-er-" to convert to "-ar-" as in the case of
clericus - clerk - Clark and in Sergeant - Sargent. So families
called "Barker" must decide as best they can whether they are
descended from a leather-worker or a shepherd.
Of the personalities called "Barker" mention must be made of Sir
Herbert Barker (1869-1950) a pioneer in manipulative surgery. Of
"Tanner" - well! there is an unattested story that the old sixpenny
piece was named after John Tanner the engraver at the Royal Mint
for about 50 years and who designed the silver coinage for 1743
onwards.
© Desmond Holden
From "The Peak Advertiser", 28th June 2004.
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[Created 1 Jul 2004. Last updated 24 Oct 2008 - 11:30 by Rosemary Lockie]
