Reiver Names

WERE YOU A REIVER?  Border Reiver Names

Note that other names may be associated with Reivers

For almost 400 years, from the early 14th century, the English and Scottish families fought a seemingly endless series of raids and reprisals.  Cattle stealing and burning each others homes became part of everyday life.  They were rugged, tough people who lived by their own laws and became known as the Border Reivers.  Today their descendants can be found all over the World.  If you have one of the names listed below or have ever suspected that your relatives were the villainous type you can probably now have your worst fears confirmed.

Notable characters whose names instilled fear, loyalty and folklore were:

Most Borderers had an alias or second name distinct from their own surname.  In communities of Routledges, Nixons and Nobles it was very necessary to distinguish between men bearing the same surname and having the same christian name.  The difficulty was overcome by coupling with the man’s christian name some indication of his descent, or his place of residence, or some peculiarity in his appearance or personality.  Many such names occur in these wills.  The following are typical:

A will made in the 16th century which shows some local names in Bewcastle.

Read the following phonetically, as it is written, they spell it the way it sounds.

Adam Storie £1 6s. 8d.
Ecke noble £1 7s.
geordy pruddom 15s.
rychie Sowerby £1 6s.
Johns willy £1
Cuddies John of the trough 15s.
Joh. Murresse of heskatt £1 6s. 8d.
Will Sanderson £2. 6s. 8d.
Christopher Sanderson
geordy of the butter hill 12s. 4d.
Jamy of the nuke 13s.
mathewe of the parke 3s. 4d.
peter Lambart 9s.
mathew kirsop £1
Jenkin Armestronge 6s.
John of the kill 6s. 6d.
Josye bell 6s.
Eckies edmount 17s.
Duke Stavely £16. 13s. 4d.
gawin of the moore 8s.

A note of his cattle in other mens hands and att his owne howse.