where can i get a history list of last names/?

Answer 1

There are a lot of resources out there on onomastics. It really depends on what last names you are looking for.

For English, try Reaney & Wilsons "The Origin of English Surnames" It gives dates when the name first appeared, derivations/meanings, historical examples, and alternate forms.

For Irish, find Woulfe's "Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall: Irish Names and Surnames" or Edward MacLysaght's "The Surnames of Ireland."

For Scotland, Black, George F. The Surnames of Scotland.

For German, Bahlow, Hans. Dictionary of German Names (translated by Edda Gentry).

For French, Dauzat, Albert. Les Noms de Famille en France.

For Italian, de Felice, Emidio. Dizionario dei Cognomi Italiani.

For Spanish, Melcón, R. P. Gonzalo Díez. Apellidos Castellano-Leoneses

For Polish, Hoffman, William F. Polish Surname: Origins and Meanings.

For Eastern European Jews, Beider, Alexander. A Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from the Russian Empire

For Russian, Unbegaun, B.O. Russian Surnames.

For Hungarian, Kázmér, Miklós. Régi Magyar családnevek szótára. XIV-XVII. század.

Unfortunately, I don't know a good source for Greek names, and I'm really not much help for non-European names.

Answer 2

Surnames were not taken in Europe until the last millennium. In England most had one by the end of the 14th century. Still it was a couple of more centuries, in many cases, before the same surname was passed down to subsequent generations. They were based on a)being the son of someone b)their occupation c)where they lived d)some characteristic about them. When they got through it wasn't impossible for legitimate sons of the same man to have a different surname and still each could have shared his surname with others unrelated. They were not started to identify a man as a member of a family but for taxation purposes. They had to know which Joe was which. We might be all related if we go back far enough. However, the root person of your surname will not necessarily be the root person of someone else with your surname. Jones and Johnson indicate a man's father was John. You can imagine how many men named John that had sons.

Answer 3

go to encyclopedia or history or white pages
www.encyclopedia.com
www.history.com
type in the search bar surnames in history or just surnames