Last name etymology

Do you like social studies? Learning about the past can be so much fun.

A surname , family name , or last name is the mostly hereditary portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family. Depending on culture, the surname may be placed at either the start of a person's name, or at the end. The number of surnames given to an individual also varies: in most cases it is just one, but in many Spanish-speaking countries, two surnames are used for legal purposes. Depending on culture, not all members of a family unit are required to have identical surnames. In some countries, surnames are modified depending on gender and family membership status of a person. Compound surnames can be composed of separate names. Using names has been documented in even the oldest historical records.

Last name etymology

Throughout history humans have been known by more than one name to distinguish them from other people with the same name. As societies became more complex or were colonised by more complex societies these distinguishing names became fixed and were passed on to the next generation. The nature of the surnames depends on what was important to the society at the time surnames were adopted. Thus hunter-gatherer societies often distinguished individuals by an event, a characteristic or a religious connotation. More technically advanced cultures with a settled society typically derived surnames from occupations, social status or place of residence. Surnames derived from a father's name are common, particularly in societies that were less developed when they adopted surnames. Thus John 'the tailor', who was son of Peter 'the Bald' and grandson of Henry 'of the green' passed his distinguishing name Tailor to his children, even though none of them may have been tailors. Hundreds of years later this tells you that someone with the surname, Tailor or Taylor, had a ancestor on their paternal line who practiced that profession. The earliest surnames in Western Europe grew out of existing methods of distinguishing people. Thus, a noble ruling from Savoy may have been known as Umberto de Savoy, a blacksmith may have been known as John le Smith and a bald man may be known as William the Bald; much in the same way we refer to people in similar ways today, such as John the Gob or Rachel the Bean Counter. These names were not necessarily hereditary, but were dictated by circumstance. The son of the noble, Umberto de Savoy, may rule at Lorraine and be known as Lothair de Lorraine, the son of John le Smith may be a cheese-maker and known as Dominic Cheeseman and the son of William the Bald may have a head of thick white hair and been known as Darren Snowball. Surnames only arose when families decided they were going to stick to a 'pseudo-surname''. This change occurred at different periods in different regions.

Turkey challenged prohibitions on women using their surname as the family name, an option only available to men.

A surname is also known as a last name, family name, or even an inherited name. A surname can tell us where a person came from, their ancestry, and even what kind of trade they practiced. Surnames are also a way of preserving cultural heritage and can be unique to certain geographic regions, ethnic groups, or even religions. But where do last names come from? Knowing the surname origin can give us insight into their family history and where they come from. Many countries have different traditions surrounding surnames, with some having more traditional methods for assigning them than others. For example, the reason behind the surname Smith is typically associated with generations of blacksmiths or other metalworkers in a particular area.

By signing in, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. We'll see you in your inbox soon. In smaller civilizations, last names were not necessary because it was unusual to have a large number of people bearing the same given name first name. However, as time went on, those first names became more common, and the need for last names became apparent. In practical terms, if there were five Johns in one town, people needed to describe which John from which family they were talking about.

Last name etymology

The word is modeled or Englished from on Anglo-French surnoun "surname" early 14c. Also compare nickname. Usually derived from a quality, achievement, or place, the surnames tended to be passed down and become family names. Hence the word took the sense of "a family name, a last name" by late 14c. Hereditary surnames existed among Norman nobility in England in early 12c. The process was later in the north of England than the south.

Best eats tucson

Occupational or status names were also common. SUNY Press. Examples of Old English elements are frequently found in the second element of habitational names. We're glad that you liked this Wonder, Ethan! How do I figure this out? Archived from the original on 3 April Archived PDF from the original on 22 November Issues of family name arise especially on the passing of a name to a newborn child, the adoption of a common family name on marriage, the renunciation of a family name, and the changing of a family name. Since in Portugal and in Brazil, a husband can also adopt his wife's surname. That's a great question, Ana! This change occurred at different periods in different regions. Some Chinese surnames use more than one character. Retrieved 17 October

A surname is also known as a last name, family name, or even an inherited name.

We are undergoing some spring clearing site maintenance and need to temporarily disable the commenting feature. Vilniaus universitetas. Religious Adherence in. Be the first to know! I'd always wondered that. How do I figure this out? I know Mueggenborg means something,but I can't remember what. We're glad you enjoyed it, elena! Several American surnames are a result of corruption or phonetic misappropriations of European surnames, perhaps as a result of the registration process at the immigration entry points. Feb 23, Switzerland challenged a prohibition on foreign men married to Swiss women keeping their surname if this option was provided in their national law, an option available to women. We've added this Wonder to the list of those that require review.