What does Wauchope mean?
Several plausible theories as to the surname s meaning abound, all relying on the suffix being from the Gaelic hope (i.e., valley). Theories for the prefix are as follows, with the first three having essentially the same meaning of a small secluded valley: • Scottish Gaelic ig (i.e., nook or cove, which is wau in Celtic ) referring to a dweller at a hill-recess. • Scottish Gaelic uaimh (i.e., cave or den [pronounced as oo-a], wagh in Celtic). The Scots Border name of Home or Hume is thought to be so derived. • Old English wealg (i.e., warm or lukewarm) [i.e., valg-r or volg-r in Icelandic], thus signifying a shut-in valley. • Old English walh meaning the valley of the foreigner. The Scots Border name of Wallace is thought to be so derived. • Scots wark (i.e., earthwork or fort). The entire name would then signify the valley with the fort in it.
