what is the origin of last names?

Question

how did last names come to be? like i know a friend with the same last name as me, we met over the internet, i say we must be related down the line somewhere, but how did last names come to be?

Answer 1

Hard to tell you without any details whether there is any likelihood of a shared ancestor with your last name (or an earlier form of it). Some names, and the ways of making them, are so common this is unlikely. But others are quite distinctive and rare... in which case you might well be related.

There is no ONE origin of last names -- though there are perhaps four basic types -from: place, father, occupation, personal characteristic [='nickname'] See more in third section below.

The basic concept BEHIND "last names" (to more specifically identify people) is ancient.

The practice of adopting "last names" or "surnames" as we know it (that is as a hereditary family name) has developed independently in various times and places.

Note this distinction -- not all last names or additional names [which is what "surname" means] are hereditary. In fact, they were at first simply applied to an individual to specify "which John" was meant. Only later did they became hereditary, and so the true FAMILY name- last names we know today.
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The earliest known case of established hereditary surnames was in China, where the use of family names was decreed around 2852 B.C. But there is no evidence the Chinese practice had any influence on the development of surnames elsewhere.

In the West there are two significant historical instances of surnames developing. The first was at the height of the Roman Empire, but it died out toward the end. It was NOT the origin of modern European surnames; they arose again independently.

The "modern" use of hereditary surnames in Europe began around AD 1000 in Venice, and gradually spread across Europe through the next few centuries (though some countries, such as the Scandinavian lands, did not fully adopt the practice till the 19th century).

Much of the reason for this is simple practical necessity. For example, as urban areas grew there was more need to distinguish "which John" was being referred to. Beyond simple conversation though, there was LEGAL & governmental need - to specify ownership of property, for the proper collection of debts and taxes, things no one wanted there to be confusion about! (unless you like paying someone else's taxes and having them claim title to your property!)

Not surprisingly, it was people of wealth and status -- major landowners and those claiming authority by descent -- who were the first to pass on their 'last names'. (But note that this did/does not always work as it does with modern family surnames. Some of these were TITLES, such as "Lord of [ESTATE NAME]" which for various reasons [e.g., lack of a son!] might be passed to someone else outside the immediate family.)
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There are four common sources for our surnames:

1) place names - place of origin of individual or family - in Europe this was probably the first type of HEREDITARY surname. (Since people did not move around a lot it was easy for this name to be 'passed on' to offspring.)

2) patronymics - name of father (occasionally matronymics); at first used only for one's own immediate father, only later did it become hereditary (so referring to a more distant ancestor), though people of station might use "son of [NAME OF ANCESTOR]" in order to make a claim.

3) occupation - again, used first for the individual, though the fact that many sons adopted their father's profession made it workable as a hereditary name.

4) nickname - a catchall category, including descriptions of all sorts, esp. of physical and personality traits. (Again, such names would apply best to an individual, though some of the features might well continue to be found in his offspring.)

Note that all these sorts of naming practices have been used for millennia by various cultures, even when there is no established or hereditary (family) surname. Some simple examples may be found in the New Testament, where we find the "Jesus" of the gospels (keep in mind that this was a COMMON Hebrew name) called "Jesus son of Joseph", "Jesus of Nazareth" "Jesus the carpenter [or 'the carpenter's son']" (many other examples of the first two, esp. "son of", cf. "Mary of Magdala" (later "Mary Magdalene")). (There is also the use of an ancestor's name -- "son of David" -- to identify him as a descendant of King David, which is important to the claim that promises made to David are given to him.)
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Good overviews of the history, including how and when surnames were adopted in various places
http://www.mayrand.org/meaning-e.htm
(includes helpful HISTORY of giving of surnames, naming practices in various countries)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_name

Briefer discussions, with interesting tidbits (including examples of various types of surnames, common names' lists):
http://surnames.behindthename.com/
http://www.searchforancestors.com/surnames/origin/
http://www.francesfarmersrevenge.com/stuff/archive/oldnews2/surname.htm
http://www.last-names.net/Articles/Anatomy.asp
http://www.allinaname.com/art004.html
http://dusty.dyndns.org/genealogy/text/surnames.htm

If you want a good book on the subject -not just dictionary entries but explanations of how last names developed - look for the following at your local public library:
*American Surnames* by Elsdon Coles Smith

Answer 2

Surnames were first used in the Chinese census in 2582 BC?. Surnames usually come from occupations, dwellings, Emperor granted their own surnames to those who have merited, name of the "nation" that you were born/lived in: Ancient China was split up into different tiny "nations", name of land/nation granted to you by Emperor. In ancient China, you cannot have the same surname as the Emperor: If you do, that means you want to usurp the throne, with the exception that it's granted by the Emperor, part of the father's name, or grandfather's name. Change of names occur due to societal problems (to hide from enemies or if you've offended the Emperor.), and adopted surnames [original surname needs to be changed to assimilate with society or if it's hard to pronounce, especially for a non-Chinese].

Answer 3

Last names, from what I understand, started out as being one's occupation, or they would point out characteristics of someone. I know quite a bit about German last names, so I'll use them for examples.

Müller, or Mueller would be the last name of a miller; Bauer, the last name of a farmer; Wiesmann, a shepard.

It could be that someone was really proud of their accomplishments, so people would call them Stolz, or proud.

Answer 4

They come from many different things, for example mine is Browne, maybe because the first Browne had brown hair, brown skin or dressed brown, but then I found out that it came from the last name "Brown" (originally British) and The Irish version was Browne, but there's also the French version (Le Brun)

Answer 5

In Slovakia & Czech Republics many 'family names' not only are derivatives of work, but other 'noun' based objects!

Answer 6

last names were originally meant to announce your job title. Cook, Baker, Minor, etc.