Where Did Your Family Name Come From?

My sister and her husband spent years doing a family history on my fathers side. They found that dad's forefathers immigrated to Upstate New York from Northern Ireland. I often wondered where my maiden name originated, so I'm so glad they did the work involved to find out. I, on the other hand, decided to do some research to find out where our last names came from. I found that they came from one of the following areas:

1.) Nicknames: My maiden name is Young. This could mean that one of my ancestors didn't age as quickly as some or maybe his hair never turned gray. Sad to say, I've had gray hair for years. I must have gotten it from my mother's side of the family! Other possible nicknames given as a surname may be (I am thinking of people who I know) Lovejoy- full of love and joy, Overcash- a good name to have; having an overabundance of cash, or my sisters last name- Banks. This is also a pretty good indication that there was money in the family.

2.) The place where someone lived: People took on the name of a city or village where they lived, or a river, mountain or some other geographical area that was important to them. My sister's last name is Seaman. This suggests that her husband's ancestors could have lived near the sea, or possibly there were sailors in the family. Another example may be Ash- the family lived near a wooded area where a lot of ash trees grew.

3.) Father's first name: I know someone whose last name is Peterson. This name could have been taken from a father, grandfather or uncle whose first name was Peter. Over the years first names became last names, spellings changed and endings were added.

4. Occupations:The Weavers, Taylors and Shoemakers were all families who lived on a road not far from where I lived as a child. These were probably the occupations of their ancestors. There are many examples of names that were taken from occupations that I've heard of including Farmer, Shepherd, or Miner.

Last names have not always existed. You may be able to trace your roots back to when they had no last name! Knowing about your heritage is exciting. You can learn about your family, either your mom or dads side, by asking your parents and grandparents for information about the family they remember as children, or by going to the county court house where they live and check birth, marriage and death records. There are also many websites that are helpful, although they are not free. But neither is going to the courthouse or library. You don't have to pay to view the information but probably will have to pay to travel to your county birth place or the old family cemetary. After gathering your information, put all of your info in a booklet to share with your children and your children's children. Don't set any deadlines; family histories can take years to put together! But it will be worth the effort! You never know what you will find. Your family may have been rich or famous! They may had a giant estate or a notable career! Go ahead and dig in. Find out more about your family by doing a family history, tracing your roots back centuries.