About Tavis Coor

About Tavis Coor

Tavis, Tavis or Taus is considered, and accepted in multiple sources, as the progenitor, epytom and founder of Clan MacTavish. The name of Tavis, Taviss or Taus, appears to be an Anglocized variant of the Gaelic Thamais, Thamhais, or Thamhais, just as MacTavish is the Englished, and modernly accepted surname of the Chief and Clan of the same name. Another version appears as, Tammas.

Source: Surnames of Scotland, Black, New York Public Library, 1946.

We have been lead to believe in some writings that the name Thamhais is derived from Thomas the Twin, Disciple of Jesus, and comes from the Bibilcal text of John 11:16. But therein we find that the word Twin is NOT taken from Thomas at all. The GREEK word for Twin is Didymus used as the Surname of Thomas. Thomas is the ARAMAIC given name, which has no connection to Twin [Didymus] at all.

(References: Nave's Topical Bible page 298, Moody Publishing, Chicago, and Nave's Concise Topical Bible online, Page 481

http://remnantprophecy.sdaglobal.org/Librarypdf/Bible%20Reference/Naves-Topical.PDF)

Text of John 11:16

-English: Thomas therefore, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples: Let us also go, that we may die with him.

-Orignal Greek: Dixit ergo Thomas qui dicitur Didymus ad condiscipulos eamus et nos ut moriamur cum eo

(New American BIble, Catholic Book Publishing)

JOHN

11:16 dixit ergo Thomas qui dicitur 11:16. Then said Thomas, which is called

Didymus ad condiscipulos eamus et nos Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let

ut moriamur cum eo us also go, that we may die with him.

(Above Side-by-Side original Greek to Englsih translation of John 11:16 from Abiliene Christian University

http://faculty.acu.edu/~goebeld/vulgata/newtest/john/vjo11.htm)

The Gaelic word for twin is leth-aon [leth-uan], which does not look or sound anything like Thomas or Thamhais.

(Sources: An Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language, MacBain, Alexander Gairm Publications, 1982, and Webster's On-line Dictionary

http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org/definition/leth-aon)

We have shown that the name Thomas does not derive from the word twin, and can conclude that Professor George F. Black in his, The Surnames of Scotland, is correct when he says: "MACTAVISH. G. Mac Ta¢mhais, a form of MacThamhais, "son of Tammas', the lowland form of Thomas." It would thus hold true that Thamhais in Gaelic would derive from the Biblical Saint Thomas surnamed Didymus. Consequently, Thamhais, Tavish, or Thomas does not literally mean Twin. Such surnames as are derived from the Biblical Thomas the Twin, logically take their meaning from the Aramaic forename (given name) of Thomas.

Name books, like baby name books, describe names like Tavish, Tom, Thomas, etc. with the meaing of Twin, which is wholly incorrect. Thomas, has been confused with Didymus, and construed to mean twin, when nothing of the sort is shown historically.

Taviss is often referred to with the by name of Coor or Coir, a name likely influenced by Latin, English Breul, Erse or other early Britannic dialects, and perhaps Braid Scots. It may also be a contrived addition to his name. He is described as the son of Colin Maol Maith and a daughter of Sween the Red, Thane of Argyll, who was born either in the 12th or 13th century, depending on the text referenced.

His byname Coor, alternately seen as Coir has multiple meanings:

[còir] a. decent, honest, just, civil
[còir] for : comhair, nf. vicinity, contiguity
[còir] nf. g. còrach; pl. còraichean, right, justice, claim, title : is còir dhuit, bu chòir dhuit, you ought

[corr] nf. g.+a; pl.+an, heron, crane
[còrr] nf.ind. overplus, excess, odds : a' chòrr, the rest, remainder
[còrr] a. odd, eminent, extraordinary; corra, when prefixed : corra h-aon, an odd one : còrr uair, at odd times

[cor] nm. g. coir, condition, state, situation : air chor 'sam bith, on any condition.

Note: I have read in Craignish that ' cor ' might be derived from ' car ' with the meaning ' a relative '.

Taviss' byname could describe him as, Taviss the just, or Taviss the eminent, or perhaps any of the other defintions above. We may never know the meaning of this byname as it was meant in early times. All references found in historic texts, so far, are well meaning probablities, but provide no authentication of the meaning.

Definitions for Coir or Coor obtained from MacFarlane's (Scottish) Gaelic-English Dictionary, 1912, Malcolm MacFarlane, Eneas MacKay, Bookseller 43 Murray Place, Stirling.

--Now out of Print--

Other sources consulted:

The Manuscript History of Craignish, ca 1720, Alexander Campbell, edited by Herbert Campbell for the Scottish History Society

Highland Papers - a genealogy of the Campbells, Scottish History Society

The House of Argyll and the Collateral Branches of the Clan Campbell, from the Year 420 to the Present Time, 1871, John Tweed, Glasgow

The Highland Clans of Scotland : their history and traditions, 1923, George Eyre Todd, London: Heath, Cranton

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				*About Tavis Coor*



	Home \| Writing History \| About Tavis Coor \| Manuscript History of Craignish \| Tweed's House of Argyll and Branches \| Buchanan's Origin of the Highland Clans \| Campbeltonian \| The Right to Clan Membership \| The Chief, the clan and its organization \| The Scottish Chief \| Joining a Clan or Clan Society? \| Clan MacTavish Incorporated \| Accepted Names and Septs \| Resurrection of the Clan MacTavish \| MacTavish - A Distinct Clan \| MacTavish Chiefs \| MacTamhais Mor, Chief of Clan MacTavish \| MacTavish Arms \| Crest Badge of Clan MacTavish \| MacTavish Tartans \| About the Lands of Dunardry and of Knapdale \| Frequently Asked Questions \| Baron MacTavish \| Clan MacTavish - A Brief History \| A MacTavish History Tutorial \| A Myth Vanquished \| Three Legends about Clan MacTavish \| A Humorous Highland Song \| Simon McTavish of Garthbeg \| Their Country was the Cradle of Scotland \| Clan MacTavish - Who We Are \| Officially Sanctioned Clan MacTavish Websites \| What is Your Tartan Pages \| Officers of the Chief's Household \| LINKS


		Tavis, Tavis or Taus is considered, and accepted in multiple sources, as the progenitor, epytom and founder of Clan MacTavish. The name of Tavis, Taviss or Taus, appears to be an Anglocized variant of the Gaelic Thamais, Thamhais, or Thamhais, just as MacTavish is the Englished, and modernly accepted surname of the Chief and Clan of the same name. Another version appears as, Tammas. Source: Surnames of Scotland, Black, New York Public Library, 1946. We have been lead to believe in some writings that the name Thamhais is derived from Thomas the Twin, Disciple of Jesus, and comes from the Bibilcal text of John 11:16. But therein we find that the word Twin is NOT taken from Thomas at all. The GREEK word for Twin is Didymus used as the Surname of Thomas. Thomas is the ARAMAIC given name, which has no connection to Twin [Didymus] at all. (References: Nave's Topical Bible page 298, Moody Publishing, Chicago, and Nave's Concise Topical Bible online, Page 481 http://remnantprophecy.sdaglobal.org/Librarypdf/Bible%20Reference/Naves-Topical.PDF) Text of John 11:16 -English: Thomas therefore, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples: Let us also go, that we may die with him. -Orignal Greek: Dixit ergo Thomas qui dicitur Didymus ad condiscipulos eamus et nos ut moriamur cum eo (New American BIble, Catholic Book Publishing) JOHN 11:16 dixit ergo Thomas qui dicitur 11:16. Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus ad condiscipulos eamus et nos Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let ut moriamur cum eo us also go, that we may die with him. (Above Side-by-Side original Greek to Englsih translation of John 11:16 from Abiliene Christian University http://faculty.acu.edu/~goebeld/vulgata/newtest/john/vjo11.htm) The Gaelic word for twin is leth-aon [leth-uan], which does not look or sound anything like Thomas or Thamhais. (Sources: An Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language, MacBain, Alexander Gairm Publications, 1982, and Webster's On-line Dictionary http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org/definition/leth-aon) We have shown that the name Thomas does not derive from the word twin, and can conclude that Professor George F. Black in his, The Surnames of Scotland, is correct when he says: "MACTAVISH. G. Mac Ta¢mhais, a form of MacThamhais, "son of Tammas', the lowland form of Thomas." It would thus hold true that Thamhais in Gaelic would derive from the Biblical Saint Thomas surnamed Didymus. Consequently, Thamhais, Tavish, or Thomas does not literally mean Twin. Such surnames as are derived from the Biblical Thomas the Twin, logically take their meaning from the Aramaic forename (given name) of Thomas. Name books, like baby name books, describe names like Tavish, Tom, Thomas, etc. with the meaing of Twin, which is wholly incorrect. Thomas, has been confused with Didymus, and construed to mean twin, when nothing of the sort is shown historically. Taviss is often referred to with the by name of Coor or Coir, a name likely influenced by Latin, English Breul, Erse or other early Britannic dialects, and perhaps Braid Scots. It may also be a contrived addition to his name. He is described as the son of Colin Maol Maith and a daughter of Sween the Red, Thane of Argyll, who was born either in the 12th or 13th century, depending on the text referenced. His byname Coor, alternately seen as Coir has multiple meanings: [còir] a. decent, honest, just, civil [còir] for : comhair, nf. vicinity, contiguity [còir] nf. g. còrach; pl. còraichean, right, justice, claim, title : is còir dhuit, bu chòir dhuit, you ought or [corr] nf. g.+a; pl.+an, heron, crane [còrr] nf.ind. overplus, excess, odds : a' chòrr, the rest, remainder [còrr] a. odd, eminent, extraordinary; corra, when prefixed : corra h-aon, an odd one : còrr uair, at odd times or perhaps [cor] nm. g. coir, condition, state, situation : air chor 'sam bith, on any condition. Note: I have read in Craignish that ' cor ' might be derived from ' car ' with the meaning ' a relative '. Taviss' byname could describe him as, Taviss the just, or Taviss the eminent, or perhaps any of the other defintions above. We may never know the meaning of this byname as it was meant in early times. All references found in historic texts, so far, are well meaning probablities, but provide no authentication of the meaning. Definitions for Coir or Coor obtained from MacFarlane's (Scottish) Gaelic-English Dictionary, 1912, Malcolm MacFarlane, Eneas MacKay, Bookseller 43 Murray Place, Stirling. --Now out of Print-- Other sources consulted: The Manuscript History of Craignish, ca 1720, Alexander Campbell, edited by Herbert Campbell for the Scottish History Society Highland Papers - a genealogy of the Campbells, Scottish History Society The House of Argyll and the Collateral Branches of the Clan Campbell, from the Year 420 to the Present Time, 1871, John Tweed, Glasgow The Highland Clans of Scotland : their history and traditions, 1923, George Eyre Todd, London: Heath, Cranton







		COPYRIGHT NOTICE: COPYRIGHT © Title 17, US CODE All Rights Reserved Contents of this Clan MacTavish Seannachie *website are copyright protected.* Permission to use, copy, reproduce, republish, or store, in any form or manner, or upon an electronic system of any kind, requires the prior written approval of the 27th Chief of Clan MacTavish, and/or the web author, unless otherwise specified.