The History of Surnames
Prior to the Norman Conquest in 1066 the British population used only personal names or nicknames. The Norman barons introduced the use of surnames to distinguish between individuals and, with an increasing population, most English and Lowland Scottish families had adopted the practice of hereditary surnames by c1400.
The majority of surnames are derived from one of the following sources:
- Parent's name
- Occupation
- Place name
- Nickname
Parent's Name
By far, the majority of surnames are patronymic in origin, whereby they were derived from the name of a father or ancestor, although occasionally surnames are matronymic (derived from the name of a mother or maternal ancestor). This includes surnames derived from shortened versions or pet forms of personal names.
Patronymic and matronymic surnames are often indicated by the addition of a suffix or prefix to indicate descent, such as the addition of s or son. In Ireland patronymic names are denoted by the prefix O', in Wales by the prefix ap, whilst the Gaelic equivalent is the addition of Mc or Mac.
The following surnames are all based upon a parent's name and mean son of:
- Richards: Son of Richard (Patronymic)
- Megson: Son of Meg or Margaret (Matronymic)
- McDonald: Son of Donald (Gaelic)
- Ap Howell: Son of Howell (Welsh)
- O'Reilly: Son of Reilly (Irish)
Many Scottish and Irish surnames developed from the ancient system of clan and sept names. These were originally patronymic, where men had assumed the names of their chieftains or feudal superiors. However, with the adoption of a Clan name, migration from one estate to another often led to a change of surname.
Usage of the patronymic system saw surnames change from generation to generation, however this practice was gradually superceded by the adoption of hereditary surnames (keeping the same surname from generation to the next).
Place Name
Many surnames originate from the name of a place (such as village or town) or a geographic feature (such as a river or hill).
Some Norman surnames included de, de la or del (meaning of or of the), which indicates a name derived from a location. Other surnames based upon place names include those with the suffixes ford, ham, ley and ton.
Clearly many individuals, and ultimately of families, could originate in the same place, and take their names from it, without being related to each other. Besides, the same or similar names were given to different places, and so individuals or families who came from different parts of the country, and shared neither blood nor territorial affinity, could nevertheless have the same surname.
- Bailey: Lived near the outermost wall of the castle
- Fordham: From the village by the ford
- Pickering: From the town of that name
Occupation
The derivation of occupational names as surnames appears to have begun with the adoption of official titles followed by the gradual adoption of trade and craft names:
- Chancellor, Mayor: Official titles
- Brewster: Brewer
- Webster: Weaver
- Leech: Physician
- Jenner: Engineer
Nickname
Nicknames based upon physical or character attributes were also adopted as hereditary surnames. Some surnames were derived from moral qualities, however others were a form of ridicule or contempt.
- Goodfellow: A congenial companion
- Grubbe: A derogatory nickname for a small person
- Rudd: Nickname for a person with red hair or a ruddy complexion
The Evolution of Surnames
Although of importance, the study of surnames cannot be relied upon solely when tracing a family's history because many families or individuals changed their names.
Until the 19th century there were few, if any, rules of spelling, and with many people unable to read or write the recording of surnames was dependent upon the interpretation of the spoken word.
Family surnames may also have been altered for legal reasons or through choice. Towards the end of the 18th century many families in Scotland, Ireland and Wales chose to anglicise their surnames.
