The Name of Baragwanath

Benjamin Baragwanath, @1885

This is Benjamin Baragwanath, born 11 Jul 1862 in St. Ives, Cornwall, England, the first photo of any of our Baragwanath ancestors. 

"Baragwanath" is a Cornish surname originating in west Cornwall in the United Kingdom. Due to emigration the name can be found in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, the United States and the United Kingdom.

"Bara gwanath" means "wheaten bread" or possibly "the top of the wheat field." Legend says the first of that name came from Wales. The early Baragwanath men were likely millers or bakers. The name first appears in Cornwall, England in the early 1600s when John Baragwanath married Eleanor Jenkin, and they had eight children.

1954 Jamie Forman's Christening (Ben is on the far right)

Baragwanath family members in photo: 
Left: Annie Elizabeth Baragwanath Forman holding Jamie Forman, Edgar Charles Forman, Florence May Baragwanath, Ben Baragwanath, Ross Forman, Ivan Forman.

As one who bears the name - Kathleen Baragwanath Forman Van Natter, I have always had mixed emotions about it. I was named after my father's mother, Annie Elizabeth Baragwanath Forman. My mother always said she thought it was such a lovely name, and spoken with her Scottish brogue, it isn't too bad. But with a flat American accent, it's small wonder that my friends would say, "Your middle name is Iguana?" This past Christmas season though I had a new awakening to this name as I pondered on the meaning of the name Bethlehem: House of Bread. How similar in meaning that was to Baragwanath. Which led me to consider Jesus Christ - The Bread of Life. All three have that staple of life in common: bread.

“Jesus teaches us, His disciples, that we should look to God each day for the bread—the help and sustenance—we require in that particular day,” said Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Bible Video here: I Am the Bread of Life - Jesus Christ

A version of this story was originally published at Family Search Memories 11 Feb 2018