how did last names begin?

Answer 1

I think they began because too many people were named the same thing, from the same town. In the beginning, people were named for the place they were born in, or for their parents, like...Jesus of Nazareth, or Mary Magdelene (Mary FROM Magdelene)...and in Scandinavian countries you were named after your parents...like, Eric, son of John, or Helga, daughter of Anna. After a while, there were too many Mary's from Magdelene and calling people Eric, son of John became a pain. They had to come up with a surname to distinguish who was who...

so...Eric, son of John became Eric Johnson. The Scandinavian girls EVENTUALLY took their father's name but for a while, they really did call them things like Helga Annadaughter, and Mary Magdelene would probably have been named after whatever profession her father was in, like...Mary Tailor (or Taylor). There would have been William Carpenter, or Sally Farmer, and things like that.

Answer 2

Hey mrs_prince71,

A couple of ways. Did you ever hear of Jesus of Nazareth? Saying the place where a person originated from stuck as part of their name, and became a last name. Leonardo DeVince, is Leonardo of Venice (the city in Italy).

The other way is by their profession. A Baker named John was John Baker. A Black Smith named Sam became Sam Smith.

My Branch of Washburns are explained as they lived near the Washboard river (yes laundry). It was called Wasseboard or something like that, but you get the point.

Those are the ways that I have seen. The names morph also, as they immigrate from one place to another. Names take on a different spelling, too. In New York the Irish could not get jobs, so the put an a in Mc to make Mac - which appears to be Scottish, and means - "the son of".

In India, they have a whole technique of handing down their genealogy by the name you get - please look that one up, I will get it wrong.

I am sure there are other ways too. Hope that answers the question somewhat.

Answer 3

a million. Jessica Yves 2/3. Annabel Madyson & Katharine Jayme (Jamie) 4. Michael Noah 5/6. Denver Kiyera & Dakota Felix 7. Kristopher Simon 8. Liliah Claire 9/10. Melissa Anna & Jason William

Answer 4

The origin of last names is not a universal given. In Japan for example there evolved Clan and Local Region Names as well as names from family hero worship. East and West sometime last names were indications of professions which were often carried from generation to generation. Irish names like Mc and O' and like usage for Ben in the middle east are all comming about as the son of references. In southern Europe locations from villages to rivers were common identifiers and Moors who were assimilated were often given refereces to colour. Another choice but more rarely was patron saints. The notion that some names are poking fun is not so clear, ergo Lack land is flat sea-level land and there is in fact a region called Lackland. Crookshank can as well be a reference to a knive maker or user who was known forthe kind of curvature found in Japanese and North Africa before the saber was evolved.

Answer 5

As a way to distinguish one Michael from that other Michael down the road or red-headed Susan from blonde-haired Susan.

Last names were often descriptive of the person. Example: John Grey or Albert Black -- the grey-haired John or Albert with black hair or dark skin. Or they could refer to the job that the person did. Example: Robert Smith or Edwin Cooper (Robert who owned the blacksmithing shop or Edwin who made barrels.)

Some last names derive from the place that the person lived. Example: Stephen Lake or Elizabeth Riverton (Stephen who lived near the lake, or Libby who was from the town by the river.)

Some expressed family relationships. Example: William Johnson (Bill, son of John.) or Simon Bar Joseph (Simon, son of Joseph.) And some last names were originally intended to poke fun at the person. Example: John Lackland (John who doesn't have any property to speak of) or Henry Crookshanks (Henry with the crooked legs.)

Those are some of the ways that last names started. I'm sure that there are others that I don't remember, too. But place, family relationships, job description, or personal characteristics are some of the basic sources of last names.

Edit:

I'm sure the person who posted below this knows what they're talking about. I have no clue about Japanese and other oriental name practices. Our area of study was primarily European names, and that's where I take my examples from.

The reference to Johnny Lackland is from an English king who lost much of his lands and was afterwords referred to as "Lackland." Crookshanks (plural) was a common English name for someone with bandy or crooked legs.

Answer 6

Depending on the society in question determines the answer. Some folk were named after the place they came from, others from the job they performed (Baker/Cook etc) and others were given a "clan" name, a collective to describe the group that they belonged to. In other more biblical instances, people were named after their fathers or mothers, as in Ben Gurion or Bat Shiba.

Answer 7

Well, they came from who their parents were -or- what occupation they had. then it turned into more of a way to identify people.
John-son = Johnnson for example

look it up on the internet an you'll find a lot more information.

Some people changed their last name over tiome, don't forget, so it would sound better or be easier to pronounce! I know someone who actualy did this so people would say their name right.

Answer 8

Originally people only had one name, but if you have three people named "Joe" in a small village, pretty soon you're going to have to start saying "Joe the Miller" or "Joe the Doctor's Son" or "Joe with the Brown Hair." Eventually you end up with people keeping the same name in the family (especially if it's a family trade, like Miller) and you end up with Joe Miller, Joe Doctorson, and Joe Brown.

Answer 9

English last names,, .Family names began by people being named by there profession such as Smith ( blacksmith) Farmer ,Herd, etc and sometimes by the district they came from. Or by being the son of someone Robertson, Jackson etc ... Interesting question . I will look it up on google.

Answer 10

It came about as a result of letting someone know who your father is, usually with the word bin or ben between the names which means "son of". For example and I don't like the name but Osama bin Laden means Osama "son of" Laden. Laden was his father. So that is how last names began.