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Surname Meaning. Discover who you are and where you come from. What is a surname? 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. It’s a way to link generations of the same family together.
Jan 24, 2020 · Discover what your name means, including its original form, a short history of its use, spelling variations, and pet forms. Click your last name to learn more about its origin and meaning as well. This experience is available in English, Spanish, and French.
- Origin and Meaning of Surnames
- Patronymic Surnames
- Place Names Or Local Names
- Descriptive Names
- Occupational Names
- Surnames That Can't Be Classified
During the middle ages, as families got bigger and villages got a bit more crowded, individual names became inadequate to distinguish friends and neighbors from one another. One John might be called "John son of William" to distinguish him from his neighbor, "John the smith," or his friend "John of the dale." These secondary names, weren't quite ye...
Patronymics—last names derived from a father's name—were widely used in forming surnames, especially in the Scandinavian countries. Occasionally, the name of the mother contributed the surname, referred to as a matronymic surname. Such names were formed by adding a prefix or suffix denoting either "son of" or "daughter of." English and Scandinavian...
One of the most common ways to differentiate one man from his neighbor was to describe him in terms of his geographic surroundings or location (similar to describing a friend as the "one who lives down the street"). Such local names denoted some of the earliest instances of surnames in France, and were quickly introduced into England by the Norman ...
Another class of surnames, those derived from a physical or other characteristic of the first bearer, make up an estimated 10% of all surname or family names. These descriptive surnames are thought to have originally evolved as nicknames during the Middle Ages when men created nicknames or pet names for his neighbors and friends based on personali...
The last class of surnames to develop reflect the occupation or status of the first bearer. These occupational last names, derived from the specialty crafts and trades of the medieval period, are fairly self-explanatory. A Miller was essential for grinding flour from grain, a Wainwright was a wagon builder, and Bishop was in the employ of a Bishop....
Despite these basic surname classifications, many last names or surnames of today seem to defy explanation. The majority of these are probably corruptions of the original surnames—variations that have become disguised almost beyond recognition. Surname spelling and pronunciation has evolved over many centuries, often making it hard for current gene...
Search for and discover information on your last name.
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- Determining if You Have a Family-Related Surname Download Article Look at the prefix in your surname. The prefix is the first two or three letters of your surname.
- Checking if You Have an Occupational or Geographical Surname Download Article Notice if your surname refers to a particular occupation. In some cases, our last name reflects the occupation or status of your ancestors.
- Determining if You Have a Descriptive Surname Download Article Check if your surname refers to your ancestor’s physical appearance. Some last names come from the physical characteristics of your ancestors.
- Download Article Use an online genealogy service. Look online for a genealogy service that will trace back the origin of your last name for you.
Feb 22, 2024 · Tracing my family lineage involves investigating my last name and understanding its origin and meaning. To do this, I can use online tools and resources, such as genealogy websites or ancestry databases. I can start by entering my last name into specialized websites that provide information on surname origins, etymology, and popularity.
What's in a name? When it comes to surnames, often a lot of meaning and history. Find out the origins of your last name, search for the surnames in your family tree, or learn how surnames have developed and changed over time.
