why do many African Americans have the same last name?

Answer 1

This could be because many blacks took the surname of their owners during the 1800's and even before then, during the times of slavery. Since one plantation owner could hold hundreds of slaves, those hundreds of slaves would have the same name. Many plantation owners were also perhaps family, sharing the same surname and passing it on to their slaves. The slaves would then sometimes be sold, or escape, or marry, carrying their name with them into their descendants. The ones who were freed and still without a last name would then use whatever words they knew, which wasn't much because they weren't educated, and use those as their last name.

Answer 2

Why do many non-African Americans have the same last name?

Answer 3

Theres a couple reasons. But the only answer I can give you is kinda racial. Its cuz many african people took there masters name during the time of slavery. Another reason is cuz some last names happen to be extremely popular amongst many people.

I just learned that a couple days ago cuz my history class is studying the Civil War and that jazz.

Answer 4

Because when there were still slaves, they were identified by the slave owners last name. When the slaves were freed, some of them kept their former owner's name, and some of them made new names. That's one of the reasons Freeman is a common last name in the African American community.

Answer 5

because many got there owners last names when they were freed back in the day. So you could have a hundered or so freed african americans with the same last name

Answer 6

Why do many white Americans have the same last name? I am sure the reason is the same in both cases.

Answer 7

It is a legacy of slavery. Slaves were registered under the name of the plantation owner, their African and Arabic names were stripped from them like a Yoruba princess' loincloth at the slave market.

Answer 8

Same could be asked about whites, Hispanics, native Americans, think before you ask.
Go through your phone book, more Hispanics have the same last name than any other culture where I live.

Answer 9

specific that's obtainable which you have Irish ancestors, yet in simple terms on account which you have an Irish surname does no longer mean you're of Irish ancestry. somebody on your loved ones could have been accompanied via a kinfolk with an Irish surname. And as you particularly understand many Black people descend from slaves. Many slaves took their white masters' surnames even although there grew to become into no kinfolk relation. In different cases slaves have been in reality the descendants of whites. you will locate out in case you're of direct male line Irish descent via partaking in a kinfolk DNA learn. maximum Irish people belong to the R1b haplotype. In my kinfolk's surname learn maximum people belong to R1b1a (southern eire) yet some people have E1b1a that's from western Africa. there's a fave Black basketball celebrity with a version of this surname.

Answer 10

y ask such a stupid question. They came here without wanting to! They were named after their slave owners last name! I bet you already knew the answer to that. They can't ever know what their original name would be, because they were taken from Africa and shipped here to be sold as slaves. Ask the slave owners why?