In last week’s “Family History Detectives” class for my students, we talked about surnames and how they developed. I used their last names to show how that surname could have happened. Needless to say, they were intrigued.
The application of surnames did not come about until around 1066 during the Norman Conquest. The population was expanding, and there was a growing need to distinguish people. Surnames originated from various sources.
For instance, people could come from what they did, “Cook,” “Farmer,” “Carpenter,” or from where they lived, “Hill,” “Woods,” “Ford,” or, like mine, Logan, Gaelic lagán (a little hollow), a diminutive form of lag (a hollow): hence, “dweller at a little hollow.”
They could also be based on common names, so the son of John would be “Johnson.” Lars’ daughter would be “Larsdoetter.” Or, Joseph the Tailor became “Joseph Taylor.” John, the son of James, became “John Jameson,” and so on. In Scotland, the prefix “Mac” meant paternity as well. MacGregor means Gregor’s son.
Names could also be descriptive, such as “White,” “Strong,” “Young,” “Black,” or “Long,” and “Longfellow.” Or geographical, such as “London,” “Street,” “West,” and “Holland.” A lot of Irish and some Scottish surnames came from the names of legendary clans such as “Abercromby,” Agnew,” Buchanan,” “Stewart,” “Kelly,” “Duffy,” “Wallace,” and “Quinn.”
There are even surnames that have a religious factor, such as “Abbey,” “Bishop,” “Deacon,” “Parsons,” and “Sexton.”
Every country and even place within a country has its own surname practices. Of course, now names do not change as much as they used to.
You will find many places online that want to sell you a Coat of Arms with your surname or a plaque, but make sure you do your homework first. How do you know what’s real? Stick to the most reputable sites like Ancestry, forebears.io, or surnamedb.com. And, for Irish and Scottish names, they have many clan sites that have researched for you.
The most important thing about studying your family history and surnames is not to get hung up on an exact spelling. Names evolved and changed over time due to travel, language, and understanding. Be flexible and understand that Stephanz could also be Steffens, Stefanc, and Steffans.
Make sure you check out Ancestry’s surname message boards. Here, you can see different spellings of the same name and connect with others who are researching the same ancestors you are.
Surnames have now become standard practice, but it behooves you to learn the origin of your surname. To know what your ancestors’ naming practices are and were. It just may lead you to your roots.
Ancestry DNA can also connect you to others with the surname you are researching as well as 23andMe.
Some books that may be helpful are:
Surnames of Scotland: Their Origin, Meaning, and History
Polish Surnames: Origins and Meanings, Second Edition, Revised
A Dictionary of English Surnames (Oxford Paperback Reference S)
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