History of the Use of the Surname

During the peak of the Roman Empire, ancient Italy is estimated to have had a population of at least 6.7 million people from such diverse places as Bavaria, Provence, Albania, Greece, and even Brittania . This diverse population, coupled with a geography that encouraged endogamy (marrying within one's locale), helped to establish and create an elaborate three-name system that included one's given name, clan name, and a family name . After the collapse, however, this practice was lost and not resurrected until at least six hundred years later in Venice. It then spread to France and onto parts of England, Germany, and Scandinavia . By the time William the Conquerer came to England in 1066 C.E., surnames were quite common in France and becoming more so in England and other parts of Europe .

As noted by William Camden in Remaines of a Greater Worke Concerning Brita

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er or grandfather's name. An example of a Scandinavian suffix would be Sven Eriksson, noted earlier. Other places, such as Scotland, Ireland, and Holland, used a prefix, such as "Mac" Donald, "O" Brien, or "Van" Buren. In some instances, such prefixes and suffixes were attached to the traditional family holdings, estate, or family crest instead of the father's name . As populations grew and spread and people either developed trades or immigrated, however, a need to distinguish between commoners of the same given name began to emerge. In this way, people could speak of Thomas the Mason (or Tom Mason) without getting him confused with Thomas the Miller (or Tom Miller). Other last names such as Sawyer, Tailor, Bishop, and Carpenter came from such a practice . In an area where there might be a number of farmers or shepherds, however, place names or nicknames were more often used. In this case, there would be John Inthelane (later probably shortened to Lane), John Overthehill (or Overhill or Hill), and John Atthewood (Atwood) . This was also a time when not everyone knew how to read, so a surname might also be derived from the picture sign of particular building where someone worked or lived, such as a roadside inn. Such na
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Some common words found in the essay are:
William Conquerer, John Mary, Greece Brittania, Normandy France, John Davies, Atthewood Atwood, Daft English, Van Buren, Dark Ages, Concerning Britaine, individuals name, distinguish individuals name, 14th century, distinguish individuals, dark ages, william conquerer, names nicknames, roman empire, father's name, family names, surnames derived,
Approximate Word count = 1361
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page)

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