How to Find The Origin Of Your Last Name
Give people from a given region a last name denoting their place of origin., Give a child a surname indicating who that child's father is., Give a person a last name denoting his or her occupation., Give someone a last name based on a personal...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Give people from a given region a last name denoting their place of origin.
Place-name-based last names, as a group, are the most popular source of last names for people in the United States, comprising about 43 percent of the population.
These are of several types:
Country of origin.
This class includes surnames taken from countries, such as LaFrance and Spain, and from residents of those countries, such as English, French, and German.
Region or province of origin.
This class includes surnames such Fleming, meaning from the Flanders region of Belgium, and Westphal, meaning from the German province of Westphalia.
Geographic features.
This class includes both names taken from general geographic features, such as Camp, Hill, Parks, or Woods, and names of specific geographic features, such as Shannon after the River Shannon in Ireland.
Estates. "Estates" here is used to mean residential property of any size, ranging from a small cottage to a manor surrounded by acres of land.
These estates normally passed from father to son, as did the surnames.
These surnames include last names such as Cheshire, Cunningham, Kent, and Preston.
Place-name-based surnames often begin with a prefix denoting "from" ("de" in French, "von" in German, "van" in Dutch), "of" (corrupted to "O'"), or "at" ("At" or "Atte," later corrupted to "a"), as well as the prefixes "By" (Bykirk means "by a church") and "Under" (Underwood).
They may also have a suffix indicating a geographic feature, such as "-ley," "-legh," or "-leigh," meaning near a pasture, or "-ea," "-ey," or "-ney," meaning near water. -
Step 2: Give a child a surname indicating who that child's father is.
Called patronymic surnames, these last names, as a group, are second to place-name-based last names in popularity, making up about 32 percent of last names in the United States.
Patronyms are usually found as either prefixes or suffixes in last names.
Common patronymic prefixes are "O'" in Irish last names and "Mac-" and "Mc-" in both Scottish and Irish surnames, meaning "son of." Other such prefixes are "Bar-" and "Ben-" in Hebrew, "Ibn-" in Arabic, and "Fitz-" in Irish surnames.
The most recognized patronymic suffixes are "-son," found in English, Scottish, and Swedish last names; and its variation "-sen," found in Norwegian and Danish names.
Other patronymic suffixes are "-az," found in Portuguese last names; "-ez," found in Spanish last names; "-ovich," found in Russian last names; and "-wicz," found in Polish last names.
The endings "-s" and "-es" in names of Welsh origin, such as Roberts and Hughes, also indicate descent from men with those first names.
While most patronymic prefixes and suffixes mean "son of," there have been patronyms for daughters as well.
At one time, prefixes such as "Ni-" and "Nic-" were used in Gaelic to mean "daughter of," and Icelandic women are still given last names ending in the suffix "-dottir." Originally, children each generation were given last names indicating their immediate parentage; thus Simon Johnson might be the son of John Frederickson, who was the son of Frederick Stephenson.
However, most countries today carry the original patronym to successive generations, with some exceptions. , This form of surname is the third most common in the United States, comprising almost 16 percent of its residents' last names.
Some last names obviously indicate the occupation, such as Baker, Miller, or Speakman, while others are less obvious:
Barker derives from the Old English word for tanning (as leather), Cooper was a barrel-maker, and Wainwright made wagons. , Just as people are given nicknames today based on an aspect of their appearance or personality, such as calling a redhead "Carrot-Top" or someone with a sunny disposition "Sunshine," last names have been assigned based on some characteristic.
This type of last name is least common in the United States, making up less than 10 percent of the population.
Some last names have neutral connotations, such as "Reid," "Roth," or "Russ" referring to a person who had red hair.
Some last names are mildly negative, such as "Peel" or "Peele" referring to someone who was bald.
Some last names may have been backhanded insults, such as giving the surname "Power" to someone who was poor, as opposed to being a forceful person.
Some last names were outright insults, such as giving the surname "Barrett" to a person known to be a liar.
Some such last names were given to suggest the characteristics of an animal, either real or imagined.
Richard the Lionheart was so named for his courage, while someone with the last name Adler (German for "eagle") may have had the keen sight (or insight) of an eagle or perhaps a nose like an eagle's. -
Step 3: Give a person a last name denoting his or her occupation.
-
Step 4: Give someone a last name based on a personal characteristic.
Detailed Guide
Place-name-based last names, as a group, are the most popular source of last names for people in the United States, comprising about 43 percent of the population.
These are of several types:
Country of origin.
This class includes surnames taken from countries, such as LaFrance and Spain, and from residents of those countries, such as English, French, and German.
Region or province of origin.
This class includes surnames such Fleming, meaning from the Flanders region of Belgium, and Westphal, meaning from the German province of Westphalia.
Geographic features.
This class includes both names taken from general geographic features, such as Camp, Hill, Parks, or Woods, and names of specific geographic features, such as Shannon after the River Shannon in Ireland.
Estates. "Estates" here is used to mean residential property of any size, ranging from a small cottage to a manor surrounded by acres of land.
These estates normally passed from father to son, as did the surnames.
These surnames include last names such as Cheshire, Cunningham, Kent, and Preston.
Place-name-based surnames often begin with a prefix denoting "from" ("de" in French, "von" in German, "van" in Dutch), "of" (corrupted to "O'"), or "at" ("At" or "Atte," later corrupted to "a"), as well as the prefixes "By" (Bykirk means "by a church") and "Under" (Underwood).
They may also have a suffix indicating a geographic feature, such as "-ley," "-legh," or "-leigh," meaning near a pasture, or "-ea," "-ey," or "-ney," meaning near water.
Called patronymic surnames, these last names, as a group, are second to place-name-based last names in popularity, making up about 32 percent of last names in the United States.
Patronyms are usually found as either prefixes or suffixes in last names.
Common patronymic prefixes are "O'" in Irish last names and "Mac-" and "Mc-" in both Scottish and Irish surnames, meaning "son of." Other such prefixes are "Bar-" and "Ben-" in Hebrew, "Ibn-" in Arabic, and "Fitz-" in Irish surnames.
The most recognized patronymic suffixes are "-son," found in English, Scottish, and Swedish last names; and its variation "-sen," found in Norwegian and Danish names.
Other patronymic suffixes are "-az," found in Portuguese last names; "-ez," found in Spanish last names; "-ovich," found in Russian last names; and "-wicz," found in Polish last names.
The endings "-s" and "-es" in names of Welsh origin, such as Roberts and Hughes, also indicate descent from men with those first names.
While most patronymic prefixes and suffixes mean "son of," there have been patronyms for daughters as well.
At one time, prefixes such as "Ni-" and "Nic-" were used in Gaelic to mean "daughter of," and Icelandic women are still given last names ending in the suffix "-dottir." Originally, children each generation were given last names indicating their immediate parentage; thus Simon Johnson might be the son of John Frederickson, who was the son of Frederick Stephenson.
However, most countries today carry the original patronym to successive generations, with some exceptions. , This form of surname is the third most common in the United States, comprising almost 16 percent of its residents' last names.
Some last names obviously indicate the occupation, such as Baker, Miller, or Speakman, while others are less obvious:
Barker derives from the Old English word for tanning (as leather), Cooper was a barrel-maker, and Wainwright made wagons. , Just as people are given nicknames today based on an aspect of their appearance or personality, such as calling a redhead "Carrot-Top" or someone with a sunny disposition "Sunshine," last names have been assigned based on some characteristic.
This type of last name is least common in the United States, making up less than 10 percent of the population.
Some last names have neutral connotations, such as "Reid," "Roth," or "Russ" referring to a person who had red hair.
Some last names are mildly negative, such as "Peel" or "Peele" referring to someone who was bald.
Some last names may have been backhanded insults, such as giving the surname "Power" to someone who was poor, as opposed to being a forceful person.
Some last names were outright insults, such as giving the surname "Barrett" to a person known to be a liar.
Some such last names were given to suggest the characteristics of an animal, either real or imagined.
Richard the Lionheart was so named for his courage, while someone with the last name Adler (German for "eagle") may have had the keen sight (or insight) of an eagle or perhaps a nose like an eagle's.
About the Author
Elizabeth Jackson
Specializes in breaking down complex creative arts topics into simple steps.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: