# when did we choose our lastname??? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 31, 2005, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-we-choose-our-lastname/319401 "2005-08-31T10:20:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![scottcook123456](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@scottcook123456](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scottcook123456)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-we-choose-our-lastname/319401/1 "2005-08-31T10:20:33Z")
its a silly question but im dying to know i did not choose my last name nor did my father nor did he when did last names appear sure some came from the immerigrants cant spell but why choose what they choose can not beleive that somebody said whats your last name and he said wood or any of the million last names most of them silly so my quuestion is when did people stop getting a choice in their last name thanks scottcook123456 ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-we-choose-our-lastname/319401/2 "2005-08-31T10:25:21Z")
A very comprehensive entry in Wikipedia on how different regions came up with surnames: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surnames](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surnames) Too much to effectively summarize, but while some of them may seem silly at the surface, most indeed do have some meaning - if the relevancy has been lost over time. ---
**Author:** ![CBCD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@CBCD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBCD)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-we-choose-our-lastname/319401/3 "2005-08-31T11:41:05Z")
> [@scottcook123456](#): > > its a silly question but im dying to know > > i did not choose my last name nor did my father nor did he > > when did last names appear > > sure some came from the immerigrants cant spell but why choose what they choose > > can not beleive that somebody said whats your last name and he said wood or any of the million last names most of them silly > > so my quuestion is when did people stop getting a choice in their last name > > thanks scottcook123456 Your name might be, for example, Scottcook Cannot-punctuate. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![scm1001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@scm1001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scm1001)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-we-choose-our-lastname/319401/4 "2005-08-31T12:21:16Z")
It probably arose sometime in English speaking countries sometme in the 12th-14 century. In small villages only one name was needed e.g. “see john down the road”. If there were two johns it might be “see john the butcher”. As families tended to pass their occupations down from father to son and as villages became bigger the “the” was dropped e.g “see John Butcher” or perhaps “Butcher John”. Other names arose due to colouration e.g. Eric the Red or position “John near the Hill” or some other factor ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-we-choose-our-lastname/319401/5 "2005-08-31T12:26:04Z")
> [@scm1001](#): > > Other names arose due to colouration e.g. Eric the Red … I was actually thinking about colors as surnames the other day. In English we have Black, White, Brown, Gray … and Green. (Also Gold and Silver, but those seem likely to refer to the metals). German has Blau, but English doesn’t do Blue. We also don’t do Yellow, Red, Purple, or Orange. Anyone know why? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-we-choose-our-lastname/319401/6 "2005-08-31T13:00:53Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > I was actually thinking about colors as surnames the other day. In English we have Black, White, Brown, Gray … and Green. (Also Gold and Silver, but those seem likely to refer to the metals). German has Blau, but English doesn’t do Blue. We also don’t do Yellow, Red, Purple, or Orange. > > Anyone know why? I knew I guy whose family name was Blue. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that “Orange” is also used as a family name – especially with the history of the Dutch House of Orange. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-we-choose-our-lastname/319401/7 "2005-08-31T13:14:47Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > I was actually thinking about colors as surnames the other day. In English we have Black, White, Brown, Gray … and Green. (Also Gold and Silver, but those seem likely to refer to the metals). German has Blau, but English doesn’t do Blue. We also don’t do Yellow, Red, Purple, or Orange. > > Anyone know why? Using [switchboard.com](http://switchboard.com), I found loads of people with those surnames, including one unfortunate person named “Canary Yellow” (I couldn’t make that up). ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-we-choose-our-lastname/319401/8 "2005-08-31T13:22:55Z")
> [@TellMeI'mNotCrazy](#): > > Using [switchboard.com](http://switchboard.com), I found loads of people with those surnames, including one unfortunate person named “Canary Yellow” (I couldn’t make that up). Yeah, but the person using that name might have. Seriously, people will often use fake names in listings to protect their privacy. We’ll take **ascenray** pal Blue to be counterevidence on that one – but has anyone actually _met_ anyone surnamed Purple? ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-we-choose-our-lastname/319401/9 "2005-08-31T13:28:44Z")
> [@TellMeI'mNotCrazy](#): > > Using [switchboard.com](http://switchboard.com), I found loads of people with those surnames, including one unfortunate person named “Canary Yellow” (I couldn’t make that up). He prefers to go by “Goldenrod”. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-we-choose-our-lastname/319401/10 "2005-08-31T13:32:42Z")
> [@TellMeI'mNotCrazy](#): > > A very comprehensive entry in Wikipedia on how different regions came up with surnames: > > [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surnames](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surnames) > > Too much to effectively summarize, but while some of them may seem silly at the surface, most indeed do have some meaning - if the relevancy has been lost over time. Wow! They even have a section on Indian names…thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-we-choose-our-lastname/319401/11 "2005-08-31T13:36:55Z")
My ancestors didn’t have any say in what their last names were going to be. You know, being slaves and all. Really makes things difficult when trying to do genealogy research! ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-we-choose-our-lastname/319401/12 "2005-08-31T14:18:59Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > We’ll take **ascenray** pal Blue to be counterevidence on that one More detail – His name was Jim Blue and he was a reporter for WHIO-TV in Dayton, Ohio. Now he’s an anchorman at [WNWO-TV](http://www.nbc24.com/Global/story.asp?S=977539) in Toledo. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-we-choose-our-lastname/319401/13 "2005-08-31T14:22:35Z")
> [@Dorjän](#): > > My ancestors didn’t have any say in what their last names were going to be. You know, being slaves and all. Really makes things difficult when trying to do genealogy research! Even though you wouldn’t guess it to look at me this applies to me as well. My direct patrilineal ancestor (I’m uncertain how far back) had his (and mine) last name hung on him because of his African hair. And it’s stuck even since. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-we-choose-our-lastname/319401/14 "2005-08-31T14:24:56Z")
Former professional hockey goalie [John Blue](http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php3?pid=00000431). ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-we-choose-our-lastname/319401/15 "2005-08-31T14:28:27Z")
My last name is Green and it was shortened, IIRC, from Greenspoon. I have no idea how that name would have originated. The family was from Russia/Ukraine. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-we-choose-our-lastname/319401/16 "2005-08-31T14:44:13Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Wow! They even have a section on Indian names…thanks! Not a very informative or accurate section though. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-we-choose-our-lastname/319401/17 "2005-08-31T14:53:25Z")
> [@](#): > > but has anyone actually met anyone surnamed Purple? I never met him in person, but I’ve seen [his footprints](http://faculty.virginia.edu/ejus/NYaug15.htm) (go to the last paragraph). ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-we-choose-our-lastname/319401/18 "2005-08-31T15:27:22Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > I knew I guy whose family name was Blue. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that “Orange” is also used as a family name – especially with the history of the Dutch House of Orange. I know a Mr Orange, so it’s definitely used. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-we-choose-our-lastname/319401/19 "2005-08-31T16:25:14Z")
And of course, you can still choose your last name, no one will stop you as long as you aren’t using your new name for fradulent purposes. You can even go to the courthouse and get your name changed legally although this isn’t required. Families got last names at different times for different reasons, there are still countries like Indonesia where people don’t have last names. My last name “Shannon” comes from a region of Ireland. Lots of people have this form of name, especially immigrants with unpronouncable eastern european names. My mother-in-law’s family had their name changed to “Lippski” at Ellis Island, since they were from the town of Lipps in Poland. Place names, occupation names, and descriptive names are the traditional english last names, and lots of people have non-english last names that are places, occupations or descriptions, if only they knew it. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-we-choose-our-lastname/319401/20 "2005-08-31T16:39:05Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > And of course, you can still choose your last name, no one will stop you as long as you aren’t using your new name for fradulent purposes. You can even go to the courthouse and get your name changed legally although this isn’t required. Apparently, according to a recent thread, family names in certain countries (Denmark?) convey a certain status and cache, so you can be prevented from changing your family name. > [@](#): > > Place names, occupation names, and descriptive names are the traditional english last names, You forgot patronymics, which I believe is the most common – Jones, Johnson, Jameson, Adkins, Hodgson, Walters, Phillips, Peterson, Davis, etc. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-we-choose-our-lastname/319401.md?page=2)