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There are approximately 1,842 people named Body in the UK. That makes it the 4,803rd most common surname overall. Out of every million people in the UK, approximately 29 are named Body.

Region of origin

British Isles

Country of origin

Scotland

Language of origin

Gaelic

Religion of origin

Christian

Classification

Celtic


Related and similar surnames

Boddy
Bodie
Bode
Boddie
Boady
Bodey
Bodi
Bodis
Boday
Bodde
Boda
Bodo
Lightbody
Boddey
Boddye
Bodd
Boduy
Boadey
Bod
Boddi
Boadi
Boddys
Bodeys
Boadie
Boad
Bodiz
Boddyw
Bodiya
Bodizs
Bods
Bodia
Boadis
Boddis

The Body surname in historical dictionaries

Patronymica Britannica (1860)

BODY. Boda, (latinized Bodus,) occurs in Domesd. as a previous tenant, and therefore probably a Saxon. Now hoda is ASax., and hodi O.-Norse, for a messenger, and, in a subordinate sense, a preacher. It follows, therefore, that Truebody is equivalent to 'faithful messenger,' Lightbody to 'active messenger,' and Freebody to 'ambassador of peace.' (A-Sax. frith, peace.) Again Handsomebody (the original meaning of handsome being handy, active) is a 'useful messenger,' while Goodbody, originally written Godebodi, may be no other than God's messenger — a preacher of the Gospel. The Gr. ayytkoQ is used in the double sense of messenger and preacher in Mark, i. 2. See Ferguson for further conjectures.

Lower, Mark A (1860) Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom. London: J.R. Smith. Public Domain.

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