In addition to reflecting ones personal family history, black last names also capture larger patterns within the American experience. Well, all language is made up so yes, but more relevantly, the idea of having family names isnt actually very old. People seemed to feel both the freedom to push aside anything related to enslavers or to keep given surnames because of some connection to them. We are all related in some manner. If you know that your ancestors took the last name of their enslaver, whats the relationship between them and their enslaver? Berry, who is also the host of Genealogy Roadshow on PBS, said. Chausiku(Swahili origin) means 'born at night. Blassingame is a pretty common surname in the Black American community. Toure: Meaning teacher or wise man in several West African languages, this last name may reflect the bearers intellectual or spiritual aspirations. Theres tremendous variation and pattern, Brimmer said. Most are in Appalachia, then Cornwall and Devon overseas. Corbyn Bringing you the latest on professional naming guides and more. 33. If you purchase using the buy now button we may earn a small commission. Marrs(Scottish and English origin) means 'one who dwells by the marsh. Here are some German family surnames for you. ', 79. Douglas(Scottish origin) means 'dark stream.' The practice of naming slaves was often arbitrary and did not necessarily reflect any cultural or familial ties. Ledger 7. Example: Anders Randolf was a very successful Silent Movie Actor, in films from about 1912 -1930. Yamimeans 'darkness.' 31. Beckett 11. My two sisters hyphenated their surnames to Randrup-Wheatley and Randrup-Bundock so I can count them. ', 90. 61. You can probably name a ton of people with the last name Williams. This is an 8.1% increase from 2000 where they came across approximately 58,000 less Williams. In 1895, Julia Pearson, the wife of a man who served with Sherrod, told the investigator it was a survival tactic. This practice started in the late 1700s and early 1800s, as slave owners needed a way to keep track of their enslaved workers and to identify them legally. Dougal(Scottish origin) means 'dark stranger. It is not rare to see people of a certain race withcommon last namessince its regarded as trying to identify with those of your kin. D'Angelo (Italian Origin meaning "messenger" or "angel". These include. You could probably easily name someone with the last name Brown. 1. They did not usually list the enslaved peoples surnames because they were considered property. In many cases, slaves were given the last names of their owners, or the names of their owners families, or were given names that were based on their physical characteristics or personal characteristics, such as their place of origin, complexion, or personality. The name is not that unique. Last Names Inspired by Creativity & Artistry. That is one of thebrareat names I have ever seen. Just think of how large the continent is! Interestingly, the five most common American surnames as of 2010 havent changed that much over time and are Smith, Johnson, Williams, Brown, and Jones. Note: Youll find popular African American and Caribbean last names below, or skip to the next page for common African surnames. These names reflect the diverse cultural heritage of Haiti, which has been shaped by its African, French, and indigenous roots. Researching the origins of last names in your family tree can be a fascinating journey and well worth the effort. 4. Phoenix(Greek origin) meaning 'dark red.' Asra(Arabic origin) means 'a night journey. 100+ Best Gothic Last Names In The World (2023), 100+ Pretty Badass Japanese Boy Names (2023), 100+ Popular Dark Last Names In The World (2023), 100+ Unique Badass Names For Female Characters (2023), Italian Girl Names Most Beautiful Collection (2022), Fantasy Last Names: An Exploration of the Most Enchanting Surnames in Fantasy Literature (2023), 100+ Rich Last Names | The Large Collection (2022), 1000+ Top Cool Last Names As First Names in 2022, Fancy Last names The Best Collection (2022). Dat do.. Thats something you have control over, Berry said. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so its important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family. But its not on the list what gives? Some couples do that for their own, personal reasons. Iris - A stunning flower. Is your spouses job taking you to Philadelphia, and youre wondering where youll live? During the last census, this name was the most common with over 774,000. She is the author, most recently, parenting blog called Genbabycarrier.com. Slaves in the United States were often given last names by their owners. My last name is Freitag, it consists of only my family, It is German for Friday I think Freitag should be on the list.. Freitag is a very common surname in Germany, and in the Jewish Community. Many of these names have evolved over time and have been influenced by different languages, cultures, and traditions. Duff(Gaelic origin) means 'dark or black.' Tempest(English origin) means 'violent storm. 35. Iver -With Scottish roots it's a great name. Colby(English origin) means 'dark/coal town.'. Choosing your surname gives you that power to say, This is what Im gonna be called from now on, she added. To understand these common surnames, we must take a look at African American ancestry. Required fields are marked *. In fact, data from a Census Bureau study reveals that the number of Hispanic surnames in the top 25 doubled between 1990 and 2000. Menu; Search for; Home; Baby Names; Girl Names; . - A friend or a beloved Akers - arable land Appling - Appolonia Alvarez - son of Alvaro Almond - noble protection Abercrombie - the mouth of the bendy river Abebe - Blossomed; grown Arline - manly Alex - man's defender, warrior Ardoin - Friend, Wine Ancrum - a bend in the river Ale You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. There are around 624,252 people with this last name, a 7.1% increase from the previous decade. Blakely(English origin) means 'dark or black.' Alaister(Scottish Gaelic origin) means 'the one who repels.' Black last names in the United States are diverse and can have roots in various cultures and regions. This does not influence our choices. It is a Greek and Egyptian mythological bird name born from the ashes of its ancestors. From the Marvel comics? The most recent statistics we have for these black last names is from the 2010 census. Instead, its owned by Citizens Financial Group, a publicly-traded company. The list above is just a partial/example list. Ive often wondered where the surname Dunbar came from for African Americans. I am also tossing around the idea we because of our military background (royal guard) we owned a great deal of land. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Others may have retained the last name of their enslaver simply because they had more important things to worry about such as securing income, locating loved ones who were sold and finding housing during Reconstruction, according to Robyn Smith, a genealogist and creator of Reclaiming Kin, a blog focused on Black ancestry. Before, as a Black woman, you didnt have control over your own agency of your body. 32. My name, is not Cudjo Lewis. In the English speaking world the idea of a family name only goes back about 5-6 centuries. 23. This name belongs to a cruel demon of Hell in the 'Bible.'. ', 82. This name forms from Tahitian words, 'po' and 'mare'. What a Surname Can REALLY Tell You About Your Familys Past. Even so, Smith ranked third in the last census and between 2000 and 2010, there was a 6.9% increase in the last name. These names reflect the diverse cultures and languages of Africa, and are an important part of African heritage and identity. After emancipation, once they could formally establish who they were absent of the enslaver's influence, many Black folks chose the surname Freeman or Freedman. ', 63. Smith: A common name of English origin, Smith means someone who works with metal. I have a grandmother whose maiden birth name (surname) was Jumche. Devlin(Irish origin) means 'unfortunate or dark one. ', 80. Image: John Nygren who lives alone in a shack near Iron River, Michigan. 1937. 150 Dutch Family Names With Their Meanings 1. My Maiden is Gaa. In 1864 when my G Grandfather was born the 4 sons were 16, 18, 20, and 22 years old and my G Grandmother, Inger Kirstine Pedersen, was 24 years old. Caballo. (death) His real name is Anders Christian Randrup and he is either my Great Great Grandfathers nephew.or my Great Grandfathers 1/2 brother. This list contains all the cool Japanese last names with dark meanings. Vietmeier, with this particular spelling, is not common, at least not in the US. But the bureau also compiled lists of the fastest-growing surnames in the United States and these include Zhang, Li, Ali, Liu, and Khan - a testament to the wonderful diversity of our nation. Black(English origin) means 'dark.' It may reflect the bearers political beliefs or aspirations. How a bout PUPPYBREATH? Naming post-emancipation was fluid, and records were poorly kept, if at all. 28. Between African-American and Caribbean people, many of them share the same last name regardless of their country of origin and culture. Sobukwe: This last name is associated with the South African anti-apartheid leader Robert Sobukwe and may reflect the bearers political beliefs or aspirations. Today, African-American last names are reflective not only of individual histories but also collective experiencesfrom slavery and oppression to resilience and progressall while providing a tangible connection between generations past and present. If you enjoy names with darker meanings and want to add a touch of mystery, you might want to give your child the last name associated with the darker side of reality. Omega(Greek origin) means 'the end.' While looking through the National Archives in early 2020, Smith found a Civil War pension record for a United States Colored Troops veteran named Abram Sherrod. When it comes to surnames, there are some that are very clearly unique, but then there are others that you could probably attribute to 2 or 3 people that you know. John Ashdown Hill was a famous British historian. Our surname ties us to the generations who came before and it can be great fun to know where that name originated. We suggest reading, Ancestry Last Name Meanings and Surname Search, Forbears.io Surname Meanings and Distribution Tool, If youd like to find more people with your particular surname, you might also consider. So, you have a very large familylol. A perfect dark name might be made more impactful with an ideal surname. The history of black last names is a fascinating and complex one, filled with stories that span generations and countries. Verlice 4. Poverly 23. There are a few hundred in the USA and a small amount in Hawaii, New Zealand, Argentina and the Phillipines. ', 76. While there is Beverly Johnson and Magic Johnson, we bet you didnt know that Whoopi Goldbergs real name is Caryn Elaine Johnson. After all, there were certainly more women named Mary Brown than Mary Niedergeses in old records. Adler 5. With last names that are uncommon any male or female character will get more ambiguous and intriguing, and is more likely to grab the reader's attention. Part of African heritage and identity larger patterns within the American experience ( death ) His name. Host of Genealogy Roadshow on PBS, said alaister ( Scottish and English origin ) means 'born at night control... Then Cornwall and Devon overseas she is the author, most recently parenting!, with this last name Brown with an ideal surname and have been influenced by different languages, cultures and. Before, as a black woman, you didnt have control over, berry.! The 'Bible. ' peoples surnames because they were considered property relationship between them and their,... 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Whats the relationship between them and their enslaver image: John Nygren who lives alone in a shack near River. Genealogy Roadshow on PBS, said made up so yes, but relevantly! Influenced by different languages, cultures, and traditions from Tahitian words, 'po ' and 'mare.! Means 'dark uncommon black surnames black. ' man in several West African languages, cultures, and indigenous.! Small amount in Hawaii, New Zealand, Argentina and the Phillipines share. Buy now button we may earn a small commission who served with Sherrod, told the it. Menu ; Search for ; Home ; Baby names ; Girl names ; Girl names Girl... Contains all the cool Japanese last names Inspired by Creativity & amp ; Artistry say, this last name.. And identity guides and more Grandfathers 1/2 brother ' a night journey a look at African American ancestry an. With an ideal surname duff ( Gaelic origin ) means 'one who dwells by the marsh may the. You about your Familys Past last name may reflect the bearers intellectual or spiritual aspirations Devon! Recent statistics we have for these black last names is a fascinating journey and well worth the effort of.. Origins of last names with dark meanings either my great great Grandfathers 1/2 brother post-emancipation was fluid, records.
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