Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

The Oxford Names Companion provides all the information that you will need about place and personal names existing within the British Isles. Divided into three sections on Surnames, First Names, and British Place-Names, they showcase the knowledge and detailed information from leading experts in the names field: A Dictionary of Surnames explains the origin and meaning of nearly 70,000 surnames. It covers all the common surnames, and many other rare ones, in the English-speaking world that are of European derivation. Also giving information about the history and distribution of names where possible and having sourced advice from specialist consultants for particular areas, such as Jewish names and Celtic languages, this reference work is a systematic comparative survey of names that no other work can offer. A Dictionary of First Names is a comprehensive study of first names providing a collection of linguistic, historical, and associated information about some 7,000 names used within the British Isles. Names form part of an individual's cultural identity and say much about our or our family's origins, and this dictionary reflects the long history of cultural diversity within Britain. A Dictionary of British Place-Names contains place-names of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales to form an impressive collection of around 15,000 British place-names, tracing their development from earliest times to the present day. The names are cited in their original spelling and language, such as Celtic, Old English, Old Scandinavian, and the overall effect of this reference work is that it shows that place-names have an incredible capacity for survival.

Author notes provided by Syndetics

Patrick Hanks was Chief Editor for Current English Dictionaries at OUP. He now works freelance, living in Boston, USA. As well as A Dictionary of First Names (OUP, 1996) and A Dictionary of Surnames (OUP, 1988), his books include Babies' Names (OUP, rev edn 2000) and A Concise Dictionary of First Names (OUP, 2001). Flavia Hodges is a philologist, lexicographer, and publisher. She works at the Department of English at Macquarie University in Australia. She is co-author with Patrick Hanks of A Dictionary of First Names (OUP, 1996), A Dictionary of Surnames (OUP, 1988), and A Concise Dictionary of First Names (OUP, 2001). A. D. Mills is Emeritus Reader in English, University of London, and is a member of the Council of the English Place-Name Society and of the Society for Name Studies in Britain and Ireland. His books include A Dictionary of English Place-Names (OUP, 2/e 1998) and London Place-Names (OUP, 2001). Adrian Room has written or contributed to many books on Place-Names, including A Concise Dictionary of Modern Place-Names in Great Britain and Ireland (OUP, 1983), A Dictionary of Irish Place-Names (Appletree Press, 1986), A Dictionary of Place-Names in the British Isles (Bloomsbury, 1988), and The Penguin Dictionary of British Place Names (forthcoming).