What s In A Name?

By davidbunch

Mr܂ Todd and Mr܂ Lawrie are walking down ´the street܂ They see Mr܂ Fuchs and Mr܂ Renard coming ´toward ´them܂ If such a statement seems ´to invite ´the popular "So what?" let us put it in a different way܂ Mr܂ Fox and Mr܂ Fox are walking down the street܂ They see Mr܂ Fox and Mr܂ Fox coming ´toward ´them܂ Both statements say ´the same ´thing܂ The first‚ however‚ indicates ´that Mr܂ Todd´s paternal ancestors probably lived in northern England several centuries ago‚ when surnames came into being; ´that Mr܂ Lawrie´s people lived in Scotland; the forebears of Mr܂ Fuchs in Germany܂ Mr܂ Renard´s forefathers were French܂ Let us not jump ´to conclusions܂ Today all Todds‚ Lawries‚ Fuchs and Renards are not necessarily of British‚ German‚ or French origin܂

Todd‚ for instance‚ could also mean a Holland fishing boat܂ Also‚ people are sometimes dissatisfied with ´their own names and wish‚ legally ´to change ´them܂ Considering ´the word "surname" itself‚ ´the first part‚ sur‚ means upon‚ above‚ on top of܂ "Last" names were placed on ´top of "first" names about eight or nine centuries ago ´to distinguish ´the various Toms‚ Dicks‚ and Harrys of ´that day‚ one from ´the other܂ Surnames originated as ´the simple result of necessity܂ Population groups were increasing܂ Commerce was spreading܂ Rural areas were becoming villages܂ Villages were growing into ´towns܂ When Tom‚ Dick‚ and Harry moved from one place to another ´they needed some means of identifying ´themselves from resident Toms‚ Dicks‚ and Harrys܂ In England ´these family names did not become hereditary until after ´the Norman Conquest܂ Previously‚ ´they scarcely existed܂

Once in a while some important person came down in history with a nickname‚ such as Edmund Ironside܂ This was exceptional܂ During ´the eleventh and ´twelfth centuries a change ´took place among all ´the more populated and civil´ European societies܂ Man´s new and distinguishing name became part of his property܂ It passed on ´to his direct descendants with his other possessions܂ There are various ways in which surnames originated܂ Sometimes ´they designated property owned܂ At other ´times ´they were assumed by‚ or applied ´to‚ an individual as ´the result of some local peculiarity or distinguishing feature marking his place of residence܂ Nature generously furnished sources for many of ´today´s popular surnames܂ Not only geographic and ´topographic features‚ but‚ also‚ natural resources‚ ´trees‚ and plants came in for ´their share of name-giving܂ Birds and animals contributed ´to ´the nickname group܂ There are a few other classes܂ The occupative group includes ´those derived from occupations܂ And‚ since it is natural ´that young people be known as ´the children of ´their parents‚ patronymic surnames arose܂

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