last names??

Question

how did last names first get started, when the world first begin where did last names come from?

Answer 1

Last names developed when it became necessary to identify different people, with similiar names, in the same area. The first "last names" were usually derived from your father's job. IE Jared "the Baker", or Simon "the Tanner", or Julius "the Priest". etc. Sometimes a family would be associated with a certain geographical feature, and the clan would assume that feature as a clan-name ( Howard Vale, Ronald Lake, Jeremy ThreeOaks, etc. )

Sometimes a last name was simply your father's name with "son" tacked on the end "Jacob-son, Erik -son, Robert-son" etc. It indicated that you were that man's son!

Answer 2

Last names came from this:
In a town, there were many people called John. They did work and some did taxes. One day, the king said since so many people were named John, he didn't know who was doing their taxes or not. So he declared everyone to have a last name. John White was named White because his hair was white. John Hill and John Lake lived by lakes and hills. If names end with son, like Johnson, one of your ancestors was named John, as declared Johnson.
I got this from a book so please don't sue me if it's wrong.

Answer 3

Going back in time, before the 10th century, takes us to an era where people were usually only referred to by their first name. The Romans, and their society, were the exceptions and this is further explained by the above definition of a cognomen. The vast majority of people did not travel a great deal and lived in small communities where their first name distinguished them from each other. First names were not duplicated within a village so there was no confusion. Increases in population, travel and different cultures influenced this custom and second names, or surnames, were slowly introduced. The oldest surnames recorded anywhere in Europe can be found in Irish historical records dating back to the year 916. According to Friar Woulfe, an authority on the Irish Last Name, the first recorded text details O'Clery (Ó Cleirigh) detailing the death of Tigherneach Ua Cleirigh, lord of Aidhne in County Galway.

Answer 4

Last names began as a descriptive way of differentiating between people. Actually, descriptions could be before and/or after the given name, like Little John of Sherwood Forest :-) . I'm a medieval recreationist, and my name for it is Merewen of Cottesmore. That would differentiate between me and any other Merewens if I were living back then, unless there were two in Cottesmore. Then it might be Merewen Needlescraft or Merewen Brown--I have brown hair. See? And descriptive words added to names have probably been around as long as two people with the same name have lived in the same place or were known by many people.

Answer 5

Its hard to say over the centuries ago as was stated descriptive names came into the picture because of others having the same first name the Scottish and English Lords were famous for their part in history like
the name Dow we are all familiar with this name.
Means in ancient times 'patient one',
You can use the web to find out further.

Answer 6

In ancient times, last names referred to your father's name. I'm not sure when the last names like we have today got started. A lot of names have meanings. Ex, I somone w/ the last name Rundoff because a long time ago their family "run'd off" from somewhere...

Answer 7

Last names began as occupation names (Joe Carpenter), or the place a person was born or lived (Joe of West Frontbottom), or a descriptive of some sort (Joe Longnose), or the name of their parent (Joe Adamson) Different cultures had their own preferrences for which of these was most common.

(Why is this a religion and spirituality question?)

Answer 8

I would imagine last names started when two people realized they had the same first name. One probably said, "I'm Jude." And the other guy said, "Hey, I'm Jude too. David's son" - and he became Jude Davidson. I think some last names also came from the professions of people (such as Miller).

Answer 9

As far as I know they originated with the last name being the son of so and so from where ever

Son of JESSIE of Bethlehem (example)



But I am no scholar on this by any means... just some tid bit of information I have picked up

Answer 10

Not as early as you want, but most Scandinavian last names came from the fathers name. Eg: Larson = son of Lars
Hanson = son of Hans,etc.