Menzies

Menzies is a Scottish surname. It is probably derived, like its Gaelic form Méinnearach, from the Norman name Mesnières from the town of Mesnières-en-Bray in Normandy.[1][2][3]

For other uses, see Menzies (disambiguation).

Pronunciation

The name is traditionally pronounced — and still is in Scotland — /ˈmɪŋɪs/ (listen) MING-iss, since the letter ⟨z⟩ was used as a substitute for the now obsolete ⟨ȝ⟩ (yogh) in the Scots language (Menȝies). However, in modern English it is often given the spelling-pronunciation /ˈmɛnziːz/ MEN-zeez. A Scottish limerick plays on the traditional pronunciation:

There wis a young lassie named Menzies,
That askit her aunt whit this thenzies.
Said her aunt wi a gasp,
"Ma dear, it's a wasp,
An you're haudin the end whaur the stenzies!"

The second and fifth lines are pronounced as though the <z> were a <ȝ>, making "thing is" and "sting is", to rhyme with "Menzies". "Wasp" rhymes with "gasp" in Scots.

As a surname

As a given name

See also

References
  1. David Hey, Clan Menzies website
  2. BBC Alba - Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh (554)
  3. Family names and family history, pp 37-38
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