Baragwanath
Baragwanath is a Cornish language surname originating in west Cornwall in the UK. As a result of emigration members of the Baragwanath family can now be found in South Africa, the UK, Australia and New Zealand. In Johannesburg, Gauteng, is a hospital whose name derives from a local storekeeper, John Albert Baragwanath: the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, Soweto. This hospital has over 3,000 beds.
Variants of the name are Baragwaneth, Baragwnath and Baragwanoth; the meaning of bara gwaneth is wheaten bread (though Charnock prefers bar gwaneth, the top of the wheat field). It is particularly common in Penwith and is recorded as early as the year 1590 (John Baragwanath 1590 to 1660 Married to Eleanor Baragwanath survived by their 8 children, John, Emblem, Elizabeth, Catherine, Joan, Mary, Jane & Richard.)
Baragwanath is often confused as having Indian heritage as it can be loosely translated to "Glorious owner" or "Owner of Glory" in Hindi, or presumed to be Welsh because of the more familiar 'Bara Brith' ('speckled bread'; a traditional Welsh fruit bread) due to the close relationship of the two languages sharing the same word for 'bread'.
In Australia the Baragwanath Transform and the fossil plant Baragwanathia were named after the geologist William Baragwanath (d. 1966).
References in other media
- The song by Australian band TISM, Mr.Ches Baragwanath, State Auditor - General, from their controversial EP Australia the Lucky Cunt deals with the then Auditor-General of Victoria, Ches Baragwanath.
References
- Baragwanath History in South Africa The Baragwanath family history in South Africa.
- Baragwanath Family of Towednack, Cornwall Baragwanath Family of Towednack, Cornwall.