# Origin of surnames **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 14, 2007, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-surnames/387921 "2007-01-14T09:21:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![blinkingblinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@blinkingblinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blinkingblinking)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-surnames/387921/1 "2007-01-14T09:21:25Z")
Many surnames come from the person’s occupation when surnames were derived. Thus we have many people called Smith,Cooper,Tanner,Draper. Are there some occupations that no surname was derived ? I am thinking cobbler. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-surnames/387921/2 "2007-01-14T09:44:05Z")
Another term for a cobbler is “shoemaker”. Last I knew, that was a surname too. ---
**Author:** ![blinkingblinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@blinkingblinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blinkingblinking)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-surnames/387921/3 "2007-01-14T09:51:35Z")
I thought they were different. I thought a cobbler only mended shoes ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-surnames/387921/4 "2007-01-14T09:55:29Z")
Yeah, sorry. You’re right. “Cobbler” got tangled up with the “shoemaker” references I found. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-surnames/387921/5 "2007-01-14T10:00:24Z")
I do see some references to “Sandler”, though, referring to being both cobblers _and_ shoemakers. Might’ve been where I got that. [Here.](http://www.serve.com/shea/germusa/surnames.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Sonia\_Montdore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Sonia\_Montdore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sonia_Montdore)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-surnames/387921/6 "2007-01-14T14:27:27Z")
Speaking of occupational names, it’s always surprised me that “Priest,” “Nunn” and “Monk” are surnames. Surnames are passed down in families, and weren’t those folks celibate? ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-surnames/387921/7 "2007-01-14T15:06:20Z")
There is a John Cobbler in _THE FAMOUS VICTORIES OF HENRY THE FIFTH_ which is often posited as being written by Shakespear. I did a quick search on [http://www.theultimates.com/white/](http://www.theultimates.com/white/) for Cobbler and found several in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-surnames/387921/8 "2007-01-14T15:07:53Z")
Well, there _is_ the oldest profession. . .while ‘Hooker’ is common enough, I don’t think that’s where it came from. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-surnames/387921/9 "2007-01-14T15:10:12Z")
Cobblers. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-surnames/387921/10 "2007-01-14T17:39:25Z")
[QUOTE=Chefguy] Well, there _is_ the oldest profession. . .while ‘Hooker’ is common enough, I don’t think that’s where it came from. [/QUOTE] You’re right – it’s to do with [“makers of hooks”.](http://www.genealogymagazine.com/suorasin.html) ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-surnames/387921/11 "2007-01-14T17:59:09Z")
[QUOTE=Sonia Montdore] Speaking of occupational names, it’s always surprised me that “Priest,” “Nunn” and “Monk” are surnames. Surnames are passed down in families, and weren’t those folks celibate? [/QUOTE] Celibacy wasn’t always a requisite in the clergy. And in any case, such surnames could be descriptive of a person’s character (‘priest-like’) rather than their vocation. Similar to surnames such as Small, Gray, etc. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-surnames/387921/12 "2007-01-14T18:01:04Z")
(Afterthough/WAG: Priest could be of the same origin as Price, deriving from the Welsh ‘ap Rhys’.) ---
**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-surnames/387921/13 "2007-01-14T18:29:58Z")
[QUOTE=GorillaMan] (Afterthough/WAG: Priest could be of the same origin as Price, deriving from the Welsh ‘ap Rhys’.) [/QUOTE] Seems like a stretch. The surname Price is said to be common in Ireland. And I know from genealogical research that the German Preisch and variants were anglicized in America to Price. (For those not familiar with Welsh naming practices, “ap Rhys” means “son of Rhys” [the Welsh retained the no-surname custom longer than most folks].) I’m not having much luck with the OP’s question. All I can think of is “aerospace worker”, which is of too recent origin to be a valid answer. Candlestick maker?? Nah, that’s probably what a Chandler is. [looks at watch to see how quickly this statement is shot down. . . .] ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-surnames/387921/14 "2007-01-14T18:40:51Z")
[QUOTE=BJMoose] Candlestick maker?? Nah, that’s probably what a Chandler is. [looks at watch to see how quickly this statement is shot down. . . .] [/QUOTE] No, you’re right: “1. A maker or seller of candles.” [http://www.dictionary.net/chandler](http://www.dictionary.net/chandler) I don’t think I’ve ever run across “Healer” or “Midwife” as a surname, though I do know a Dr. Doctor and Nurse is not unheard of (although it probably referred to a child’s nanny, not a medical professional). ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-surnames/387921/15 "2007-01-14T18:50:58Z")
[QUOTE=GorillaMan] Celibacy wasn’t always a requisite in the clergy. And in any case, such surnames could be descriptive of a person’s character (‘priest-like’) rather than their vocation. Similar to surnames such as Small, Gray, etc. [/QUOTE] Priestly celibacy has only been mandatory for (a) those priests in celibate religious orders, and (b) since 1139 (2nd Lateran Council) on the Roman (main) rite of the Catholic Church. Orthodox, Anglican, and Eastern rite Catholic priests have happily married and begotten offspring. ---
**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-surnames/387921/16 "2007-01-14T19:19:58Z")
Dr. Doctor? Reminds me of Heller’s Major Major Major Major. Wait, I think I have one: Fishmonger! ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-surnames/387921/17 "2007-01-14T19:28:20Z")
[QUOTE=BJMoose] Wait, I think I have one: Fishmonger! [/QUOTE] Which is a type of monger (one of my ancestors was a cheesemonger). “Monger”, itself, is a surname. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-surnames/387921/18 "2007-01-14T19:29:43Z")
[QUOTE=BJMoose] Wait, I think I have one: Fishmonger! [/QUOTE] Were fishermen and fishmongers distinct and separate occupations? ---
**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-surnames/387921/19 "2007-01-14T19:32:24Z")
Well, I may have chortled too soon. While a search for the surname Fishmonger at [RootsWeb.com](http://RootsWeb.com) turned up nothing, [Ancestry.com](http://Ancestry.com) has two references to a Paul Fishmonger in Wisconsin a century and a half back (but that could be a misreading of the original, a common problem with Ancestry’s census databases; were it an actual surname, it should show up more). ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-surnames/387921/20 "2007-01-14T19:35:13Z")
Aha - creative googling turns up a few Poissonniers, mostly French Canadian. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-surnames/387921.md?page=2)