Etymograph

English

Upjohn

Upjohn comes from Welsh ap ‘son of’, and goes back to Proto-Celtic *makʷos.

  1. Proto-Celticc. 1300–800 BCE*makʷos‘son’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Brythonicc. 100 BCE–500 CE*mab‘son’reconstructed
  3. Old Welshc. 800–1150map‘son’
  4. Welshc. 1500–presentmab‘son’
  5. Welsh, derivedc. 1500–presentap‘son of’soft mutation of mab
  6. EnglishtodayUpjohn

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Earlier history uncertain.

Lineage

  1. Proto-Celticc. 1300–800 BCE*makʷos‘son’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Brythonicc. 100 BCE–500 CE*mab‘son’reconstructed
  3. Old Welshc. 800–1150map‘son’
  4. Welshc. 1500–presentmab‘son’
  5. Welsh, derivedc. 1500–presentap‘son of’soft mutation of mab
  6. EnglishtodayUpjohn

The story

Anglicized form of Welsh ap (‘son of’) + John.

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *meh₂ḱ- ‘to raise, grow’

macro, machete, meager, meagre, 14 more

Today it means

name A surname from Welsh.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Celtic *makʷos / Upjohn

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