Large
Encyclopedia
Large is an English
surname
, with variants including, but not limited too Lardge, Lurge, and Larg. Its meaning is variable, though it may derive from the Norman French adjective, large (meaning "generous" or "big" [as in, "that's big of you", meaning generous, as well as large in size]), as it is found in the surname "le Large" in English records dating back as far as the 13th century. Harrison's work on English surnames gives the following:
"LARGE (adjectival: French, Latin) BIG; GENEROUS [Middle English Old French large; Latin larg-us, -a, [meaning] abundant, liberal]"
He gives an early citation for the name: Austin Belz from the Hundred Rolls, a reference dating to 1273.
He also provides a quotation showing the word in its older sense of generous, full, liberal or ample in its literary context:
So large of yift [gift] and free was she (from Chaucer
's Romance of the Rose I168)
Another variant surname, "de Large", appears to be continental European rather than English in origin.
Henry Brougham Guppy's survey circa 1881, based on local British directories, places Large as a surname local to North Wiltshire
, and considers it to have particular prevalence among yeoman farmers.(Guppy, 1890)
According to the International Genealogical Index
, the surname is also found in many other English counties; in Ireland
, Scotland
, Wales
and other English language
countries; in France
and Germany
, and, more rarely, in the Scandinavian countries. Large is also found in Latin America countries such as Colombia
where all families surnamed Large are related.
People with the name Large, or one of its variants, include:
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
surname
Surname
A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...
, with variants including, but not limited too Lardge, Lurge, and Larg. Its meaning is variable, though it may derive from the Norman French adjective, large (meaning "generous" or "big" [as in, "that's big of you", meaning generous, as well as large in size]), as it is found in the surname "le Large" in English records dating back as far as the 13th century. Harrison's work on English surnames gives the following:
"LARGE (adjectival: French, Latin) BIG; GENEROUS [Middle English Old French large; Latin larg-us, -a, [meaning] abundant, liberal]"
He gives an early citation for the name: Austin Belz from the Hundred Rolls, a reference dating to 1273.
He also provides a quotation showing the word in its older sense of generous, full, liberal or ample in its literary context:
So large of yift [gift] and free was she (from Chaucer
Geoffrey Chaucer
Geoffrey Chaucer , known as the Father of English literature, is widely considered the greatest English poet of the Middle Ages and was the first poet to have been buried in Poet's Corner of Westminster Abbey...
's Romance of the Rose I168)
Another variant surname, "de Large", appears to be continental European rather than English in origin.
Henry Brougham Guppy's survey circa 1881, based on local British directories, places Large as a surname local to North Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, and considers it to have particular prevalence among yeoman farmers.(Guppy, 1890)
According to the International Genealogical Index
International Genealogical Index
The International Genealogical Index is a database of genealogical records, compiled from several sources, and maintained by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
, the surname is also found in many other English counties; in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and other English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
countries; in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and, more rarely, in the Scandinavian countries. Large is also found in Latin America countries such as Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
where all families surnamed Large are related.
People with the name Large, or one of its variants, include:
People
- Sir Andrew LargeAndrew LargeSir Andrew McLeod Brooks Large was Deputy Governor of the Bank of England, and a member of its Monetary Policy Committee from September 2002 to January 2006....
(born 1942), British, Monetary Policy Committee member - Bonnie Large (born 1952), American, Playboy model
- Brian LargeBrian LargeBrian Large is a television director specializing in opera and classical music broadcasts.-Studies:...
(born 1939), British opera video director - Donald "Lofty" LargeLofty LargeDonald "Lofty" Large was a British soldier and author.Having joined the Army as a boy, Large fought in the Korean War and was wounded and taken prisoner at the Battle of Imjin. He spent two years in a prisoner-of-war camp, where his injuries went untreated and he lost more than a third of his body...
(born 1930), British soldier and author - Eddie LargeEddie LargeEddie Large is the stage name of Edward Hugh McGinnis, a British comedian. He is best known as a partner in the double act Little and Large, with Syd Little....
(born 1941), British comedian - John LargeJohn LargeJohn H. Large is an independent nuclear engineer and analyst primarily known for his work in assessing and reporting upon nuclear safety and nuclear related accidents and incidents...
(b. ?), British engineer - Josaphat-Robert LargeJosaphat-Robert LargeJosaphat-Robert Large is a Haitian-American poet, novelist and art critic. His novel Les terres entourées de larmes [Shore surrounded with tears] won the prestigious Prix littéraire des Caraïbes in 2003...
(born 1942), Haitian-American poet - Robert LargeRobert LargeRobert Large was a London merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers. He was served as one of the Mercers' four yearly wardens in 1427, was sheriff of London in 1430-1431. In 1437/8 he was the wealthy master to whom the young William Caxton was apprenticed. Robert Large also served...
(died 1441), English, Lord Mayor of London (1439-1440) and apprentice master of William CaxtonWilliam CaxtonWilliam Caxton was an English merchant, diplomat, writer and printer. As far as is known, he was the first English person to work as a printer and the first to introduce a printing press into England...
, England's first printer - Storm LargeStorm LargeStorm Large is a singer best known as a contestant on the CBS reality television show Rock Star: Supernova.-Personal life:...
(born 1969), American singer