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I just asked WHEN the usage of two names started, not why and the PC of the whole thing. I asked because I was trying to research someone with only one name.I wanted to know if I should try to find the second name, or go with what I have. Sorry, if I'm stepping on something "again".
I just asked WHEN the usage of two names started, not why and the PC of the whole thing. I asked because I was trying to research someone with only one name.I wanted to know if I should try to find the second name, or go with what I have. Sorry, if I'm stepping on something "again".
My post was clearly in response to Tribalcat's, not yours.
About what time did the use of first and last names come about? Or first names? Or two names?
I'm trying to research someone by the name of Heoreston, born about 900 AD. That's the only name I can find, I assume its a last name---Oh, from England, or whatever it was called back then.
Two names for one person was first given in the beginning of all things
and during the creation of man and woman according the The Bible.
The first man was named Adam, and the first woman was named Eve Adam.
Gen:5:1: This is the book of the generations of Adam.
In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;
2: Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.
.
About what time did the use of first and last names come about? Or first names? Or two names?
I'm trying to research someone by the name of Heoreston, born about 900 AD. That's the only name I can find, I assume its a last name---Oh, from England, or whatever it was called back then.
They started to use last names right around 900 AD -- 1000AD around in there. Sometimes the last name was the name of the village the person was from. In some parts of the world, people still don't use last names. But in Europe it was right around in that period, approaching the new millenium, AFAIK.
I traced my maternal grandmother's ancestry back to the Frisbys of .... Frisby, Lancastershire. They arrived originally from Frisia (Fris-by = Frisian town), but wouldn't have had that last name before arriving in England, obviously. Probably before they migrated from the European continent, they didn't have last names, so the trail gets lost.
They started to use last names right around 900 AD -- 1000AD around in there. Sometimes the last name was the name of the village the person was from. In some parts of the world, people still don't use last names. But in Europe it was right around in that period, approaching the new millenium, AFAIK.
I traced my maternal grandmother's ancestry back to the Frisbys of .... Frisby, Lancastershire. They arrived originally from Frisia (Fris-by = Frisian town), but wouldn't have had that last name before arriving in England, obviously. Probably before they migrated from the European continent, they didn't have last names, so the trail gets lost.
You would enjoy the PBS series I mentioned. I'll bet they shared much of the experiences that the town in question that's focused on. I believe that is the same area.
I just asked WHEN the usage of two names started, not why and the PC of the whole thing. I asked because I was trying to research someone with only one name.I wanted to know if I should try to find the second name, or go with what I have. Sorry, if I'm stepping on something "again".
No need to be sorry. Lots of good information has been given that applies to others too. And as the 'when' varies you need to look at it in terms of where they were. And what if you know. Early on if there was a last name they were likely not pesants. About the time when records began and you needed to distinguish John of a from John of B it could be any class. If you know about the place and the time, old town records or church records would be a good place to start. In medieval towns, there was a master book of everything which happened kept track of once records became important (usually for a land tax). Thus even if not a property owner, John of A would be listed as a tenant in the owners property list.
Well, it looks like since no one has brought it up yet so far, for England, there's the Domesday Book, the famous first survey and census for the country from 1086.
Last names were just becoming popular around that time, although it's pretty much landowners and people with property, and really common family/hereditary last names for everybody would come rather later, there are still many English last names that can be traced to this famous record document.
True -- but there would have had to be altering of some sort. My great grandmothers maiden name is Romoen -- but in German, the o and e are smashed up together as one letter. I have no idea what's that called.... but it's pronounced the same way that Rebecca Romjin says her name -- like the lettuce Romaine.
True -- but there would have had to be altering of some sort. My great grandmothers maiden name is Romoen -- but in German, the o and e are smashed up together as one letter. I have no idea what's that called.... but it's pronounced the same way that Rebecca Romjin says her name -- like the lettuce Romaine.
Of course names were Anglicized, but that doesn't mean they occurred at Ellis Island (or other ports of entry, Ellis Island was not the only one) by ignorant immigration workers and against the immigrants will. Immigrants typically chose to Anglicize their names, well after immigration. And more importantly, it's a myth that immigration workers didn't speak other languages, had no documentation to work off of and had to guess at how to spell foreign names. Additionally, even if a spelling error did occur, that's just what it was: an error. It didn't necessarily mean one's name was legally and permanently changed.
The combined O and E is a Latin letter: Å’ - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - these types of letters, since they are no longer used in English, were generally quickly dropped but again, that does not mean it occurred at the port of entry against the immigrants will. One of my Norwegian branches used the letter ӕ but it was quickly dropped and replaced with just an A, but not at their port of entry, not by ignorant Americans, and not against their will.
If you do the research and find your ancestors immigration/passenger list documents, they are likely to be accurate, original spellings.
But I will step off my soapbox now since this is rather off topic.
In Scotland and Wales it was to determine land ownership, after the middle ages. That is why there are so many people with the surname "Lake" "Woods", "Field", or "Hill". And some occupations, like "Baker," "Carpenter," or "Cooper." I believe African Americans, following emancipation, chose their own, and many liked Washington, who freed his slaves on his deathbed.
Last edited by pvande55; 07-17-2012 at 06:26 AM..
Reason: Add line
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Oh, from England, or whatever it was called back then.
