Given that the most common U.
S.
citizens' surnames are English, understanding how those names were originally created conveys upon their bearers a sense of personal history.
In general, most surnames are derived from seven general categories: Occupational - As societies began to self-organize and roles naturally emerged, people began identifying themselves by their positions within the collective.
Thus names such as 'Baker' and 'Carpenter' not only were descriptive but practical.
Smith is the most common surname in the UK likely due to this occupational origin.
However, over time, even if those occupations were no longer pursued by later generations, the names themselves remained.
Personal Description - Other names arose out of the simple need for distinction.
Whether describing size, color, or a personality trait, people began to use names like "Red", "Black", "Short", "Swift", etc.
Many of the earliest descriptive surnames used were actually meant to highlight unflattering characteristics such as lack of intelligence or size.
Often these names would begin as simple nicknames, bestowed by others, over time though they became permanent titles.
Land or Estate - Given the variety of villages and cities that grew over time, another means of distinction rose up from the actual locations themselves.
Initially, landowning families would adopt these names as a means of identifying their status and title.
In time, others took on the names of the towns or estates that they either owned, worked at, or simply lived on.
For example, the descendants of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip of England, the Queen's descendants carry the royal surname Windsor, as well as the name Mountbatten to reflect her husband Prince Philip's surname.
Windsor coming from Windsor Castle, a royal residence at Windsor in the English county of Berkshire.
Geography - Often people were named after distinctive physical features in the area they lived in.
So names like "Bridge", "Stone", "Wood", "Grove", and "Fields" emerged.
As with estate surnames, geographic or topographic surnames were first adopted by families who owned the land these features were located within.
As travel became more frequent though, these names began to be used when people began migrating from place to place on a regular basis.
Patrimonial or Matrimonial Ancestry - Patronymic names, defined as names clearly identifying male lineage, such as "Jackson" literally can be traced back to "son of Jack".
Other examples include "Benson", "Thompson", etc.
Matronymic names, those derived from female names, are also common as well such as "Madison" (derived from Maud).
Often times, matronymic names were passed down due to extenuating circumstances such as illegitimacy, unless culturally dictated otherwise.
Patronage - While some names are derived from estates or formal titles, others signify those who worked for those estates and nobles.
For example, "Kilpatrick" originally meant "follower of Patrick".
At the end of the day, all surname types share one thing in common.
They were all derived from practical, pragmatic needs.
As generations passed, those original needs either became obsolete or abandoned.
Yet the sense of identity remained with those who still bore the names.
It is by understanding these origins as much as possible though that one can learn to further appreciate their personal identity and the history that helped forge it.