Where did African American's last names come from? Don't they have there own original names?

Answer 1

When Africans were introduced to America they were an owned commodity. The only way to identify ownership was to give them the last name of their owners. No records were kept of their native names because no one knew them anyway.When the African tribes had wars and sold the captured warriors to white slave traders they were sold by the numbers not the names.Finding an original family name would be an almost impossible task.

Answer 2

If not able to keep origin of name,it came from the slave owner. This is why the name X may be used or other names by African Americans. Thanks for asking and I encourage you to look this up on the net or any African American literature. Many of us are not able to trace our roots and our begining appears to be in the middle.

Answer 3

I am not a historian--by any means--but MANY Afirican-American names originated from the slave-owner's last name--and from the slaves themselves

Answer 4

african americans? how's this possible? it's americans and yes they have their.. "american" names like the rest of us americans.

never understood this african american propaganda that still is going on today.

we don't say 'german americans' or 'native indian american-americans' 'irish americans' blah blah blah.


you're american or.... not?

correctamundo?

Answer 5

when they were free, alot of them took on there masters names. for they knew not there given ones, yes its a very sad part oh history