Both are excellent researchers and historians. By the late 19th century, England was home to about 300 surnames with traceable genealogy. However, many African Americans faced a problem when they applied for their pensions. 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. But if Romeo and Venus are now deemed baby-appropriate, why not Apollo? Claudia Bautista,Santa Monica, Calif. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. "Injurious Names: Naming, Disavowal, and Recuperation in Contexts of Slavery and Emancipation." In The Anthropology of Names and Naming. Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts South Atlantic Creole Archipelagos ", "Case Overview: Ann Williams, Ann Maria Williams, Tobias Williams, & John Williams v. George Miller & George Miller Jr", "Augustine Tolton: From slavery to being the first black priest", "Cornish (and Other) Personal Names from the 10th Century Bodmin Manumissions", "Gospel-book with added Cornish records of manumissions ('The Bodmin Gospels' or 'St Petroc Gospels')", "Following Brigid's Way The Irish Catholic", Charity Folks, Lost Royalty, and the Bishop Family of Maryland and New York, "The Untold Story of How an Escaped Slave Helped Sir Francis Drake Circumnavigate the Globe", "Slave's 400-year-old grave in Dutch Jewish cemetery now a Black pilgrimage site" by Cnaan Lipshiz, Times of Israel, 6 February 2021, Roman Theater and Society: E. Togo Salmon Papers I, "Professor Says He Has Solved a Mystery Over a Slave's Novel", "Day of history to unfold in Muthill museum", "Cornelius Tacitus, The History, Book I, chapter 13", "An Old Actor's Memories; What Mt. Alfred "Teen" Blackburn (1842-1951), one of the last living survivors of slavery in the United States who had a clear recollection of it. They did so either to take on a surname for the first time, or to replace a name or surname given to them by a former master. It helps me to understand the complexity of surname variation I have found in researching the ancestral patterns of an African-American cemetery in my local area. Thank you for commenting, and continued luck to you in your research. They are recorded with the Ashby surname on subsequent documents. I took the name of Jackson for the reason that I preferred to go by my fathers name, rather than the name of my last owner.. Testimony of Mollie Russell (widow of Phillip Fry), September 19, 1911: Q. Rank. But there was also the detective Nero Wolfe, hero of many mystery stories. FamilySearch Centers. No superior alternative has yet been found." This financial assistance was available to all Civil War veterans and their families. See flier for more details. Cook Cook has an Old English origin, and it means 'one who cooks' or 'one who sold cooked meat'. Runaway ads illustrate how many slaveholders knew the surnames of their slaves. She was a Murphy.. . "More than half of the surnames are derived from the Christian or fore-name of the father," [1] and based on a total of 3,253,800 people, nearly 18 in every 100 persons was known by one of these fifty surnames. Along with Abraham and Prince, other early African American names currently in the US Top 1000 include Alonzo, Athena, Daphne, Elijah, Isaiah, Israel, King, Phoebe, and Titus. Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Proving their identity as former soldiers often revealed some of the most detailed explanations for former slaves choice of surnames. The name of the tragic mythological Trojan princess who was given the gift of prophecy by Apollo, but was condemned never to be believed, Cassandra has been used for striking characters in movies and soap operas. In the context of The Bahamas, the surname appears to originate with Denys Rolle, an American Loyalist who re-settled on Exuma, one of the so-called Out Islands of The Bahamas, sometime in the mid-1780s. Its knowledge that I think most Americans (not even just white Americans) dont have and it is endlessly fascinating and sobering both at the same time. Spencer is a name that has everything: it's both distinguished sounding and accessible, dignified but Spencer Tracy-like friendly. Drawing on extensive archival records, this digital memorial allows analysis of the ships, traders, and captives in the Atlantic slave trade. Olympic speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno might inspire some parents. Elaine Fantham, Helene Peet Foley, Natalie Boymel Kampen, Sarah B. Pomeroy, H. A. Shapiro. Facing History & Ourselves, "Changing Names," last updated May 12, 2020. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. A. I was first called by that name in the family of Col. Morrow in whose service I was in Louisville, Ky., just after the war. 41. When retained, a given name was generally changed to its full form: Thomas, not Tom; Elizabeth, not Bet. . Such resistance signified continual deep-rooted discontent with the condition of bondage and, in some places, such as the United States, resulted in ever-more-stringent mechanisms for social control and repression in slaveholding areas. No, I don't know to whom she belonged before she was brought from Virginia to Kentucky. Now, that parents surname could very well be the surname of the most recent slaveholder or an earlier slaveholder. Robyn. To date there are no book-length studies covering the naming of slaves across the Anglophone Atlantic, but Burton 1999 and Kaplan and Bernays 1997 provide useful entry-level discussions for the Caribbean and mainland United States, respectively. Miracle, (Old English and Latin Origin) Derived from the first name Mauritius meaning "dark". Through Reclaiming Kin, I share tips on genealogy skillbuilding for all genealogists, and on researching slavery and the enslaved. My Louisiana Creole ancestors who were free persons of color and former slaves practiced a unique naming tradition I think comes from Latin cultures. My hat goes off to you and your passionate efforts. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. The brothers were sold when they were very young and remained with their last owners nearly thirty years. Robyn. Interestingly, the five most common American surnames as of 2010 haven't changed that much over time and are Smith, Johnson, Williams, Brown, and Jones. Therefore, a few of the most common first names of the time such as Mary (rank 815) and Sarah (1010) will appear in the list and surnames which correspond to personal names (e.g. Nat Turner's Rebellion One of the most famous slave revolts in American history came in 1831 when Nat Turner led a bloody uprising in Southampton County, Virginia. This event is $20. The existence of those surnames in the area would help to verify, but also, you are fortunate to have the important oral history of that name change in the first place, since so many of us dont. Newly emancipated slaves also frequently chose new first names, discarding those associated with slavery. There are also a few problems with the original dataset in name transcription such that a small number of first names were transposed with last names. On all subsequent census records, he is listed as John Lewis. Daniel Odgen, Magic, Witchcraft, and Ghosts In The Greek and Roman Worlds, p. 119, Laurence Vidal, Los Amantes de Granada, Ed. Also largely unrecorded are the alternative names the enslaved used among themselves, sometimes called country names or basket names; they may also, according to African practice, have had multiple names over a lifetime. This event is $12. One ancestor was known as Baber Masse, Elizabeth SENET and Elisabeth Leveille in different documents. Plus, Jonah comes with a ready-made nursery-decorating motif. Wesley is one of a group of W-starting surname names reminiscent of the Old West that are making a comeback -- though it's not as well used as it was in the 1970s, when he ranked as high as Number 66. Born in Union County, South Carolina, he was sold to his last enslaver in 1858 and then brought to Mississippi. They cut it off from OCTAVIA. You can read about this in the following two posts on my blog. Q. It prohibited. A great and timely article. Bailey, Word Stories Surrounding African American Slavery. Just makes me sad for the human spirit that anyone, let alone hundreds of thousands of people could participate in it. The result was the birth of mulatto, quadroon, or mustee (mestee) children. ", "Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city;)", "Where does the family start? Students explore the legacies of the Reconstruction era today, reflect on the idea of democracy as a continuous process, and consider how they can best participate in the ongoing work of strengthening our democracy. Pinckney, Randolph, and Rutledgeappear only incidentally among any list of modern Black peoples names. 3. Augustin Meaning: a descendant of Augustine Origin: English 2. Isaiah derives from the Hebrew Yeshayahu, containing the elements. Genealogy becomes so much more than just names and dates, it really feels like a true passion indeed. Your insight is always welcome and I am glad you shared these posts for other readers to see. Gerald, however, is a Germanic name meaning ruler) 2. Last updated: November 1, 2003 "Dwelling No." The most common origin for surnames is that enslaved people initially used the surname of either their mother or their father, if they knew what those names were. Slavery in America was the legal institution of enslaving human beings, mainly Africans and African Americans. I want.to.know.where we (who are.descendants.of.freed.people.who.got sent.back.to Sierra Leone.from.maybe Nova Scotia.) 17. The name.Auber.is also.in.Haiti and.is of.French orign. . Thanks for your comment, A. Lottie Smith was my name and what they called me before I met Phillip and was married to him. I mean, really retro. I have gotten so many requests over the years from those who couldn't make the live webinars so I hope you enjoy this new feature. Because I like to let formerly enslaved people speak for themselves, here are several examples of freedmen and women discussing their surnames. South Atlantic Creole A Spanish America After Independence, 1825-1900, Tudor and Stuart Britain in the Wider World, 1485-1685, Warfare, Medicine, and Disease in the Atlantic World. Thomas Black Cobbs was owned by a small slave owner Catherine Black. The Language of Names. 2023 The Voice of the Black Community in California. Many names, whether African derived or English, refer to birth circumstances, including both the ubiquitous day-names, which derive from the West African Akan-Twi language group, and others such as birth order and time of birth (e.g., day of the week, month, or season). Search 31 million family names. Evie (F) (English origin) means "life" or "lively". Use the form below to get in touch with me and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. A small number of creoles in Louisiana also acquired surnames derived from ethnic identities in Senegal. Slaves were generally listed with just one name and thus with little to none of the genealogical information recorded for free whites. Renate, Throughout the colonial period, as many as one-fifth of the enslaved people in North Carolina retained African names; Quash, Cuffee, Mingo, Sambo, Mustapha, and Sukey were among the most common recorded. The box for father states unknown in law. Her marriage record states her name is Sarah Charlotte Gale, her father being John Sinclair Gale! For more information about the records covered in this index,please contact the History and Genealogy Department. One former slave Bill Scott from Wessyngton reported in his pension application for military service that when he enlisted in the Union Army officials put down his surname as Washington. Each is present in your body. They ran away, fought back, feigned illness, destroyed tools, and clung to their families. But the meanings of names certainly evolved over time, and some have argued that the principles according to which an individual name was given (e.g., after a relative or ancestor) are at least as important as its apparent meaning and type. Are you thinking this woman Eliza Ellis was married to Wash Ellis? Facing History & Ourselves uses lessons of history to challenge teachers and their students to stand up to bigotry and hate. Edited by Gabriele vom Bruck and Barbara Bodenhorn, 178199. Distinctively Black names were thought to have risen from the Civil Rights and Black Power Movements, which promoted the use of names with connections to Africa. Even that feels like something. And even though slave marriages were not legal, many enslaved people followed the practice of the wife taking her husbands surname: My mother was named Mary Bradley and my father was named Hilliard Bradley. If the former slave had been befriended or assisted in getting established after the Civil War, they might have taken that person's name. Robyn, youve done it again! I have done quite a bit of genealogy for my own family, and it was difficult enough, but what you are doing, is incredible work. Each is present in your body. Thanks for adding your very experienced voice to the conversation. Thats a goal that I am working towards. I make extensive use of tables for organization, analysis and citation in my research, and they have proven very popular with genealogists. Hi Susan, Slavery. 77th U.S. Col Inf and Co. D. U.S. Col H Art under the name Lewis Smith which was the name I wore before the days of slavery were over. One of the less well known aspects of the history of slavery is how many and how often non-whites owned and traded slaves in early America. John Lewis was born in 1831; in 1844 he and several family members were given to George A. Washington of Wessyngton. Well, I got to thinking about all us slaves that was going to take the name Fitzpatrick. Lori Wilson Picks Up Baton to Remove Slavery Language From Californias Constitution, New Assembly Bill Would Ban Use of Police Canines for Arrests, Crowd Control, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. One given name the childs family selected and kept secret and one the child was known by given by the slave owner. The poster on each page *provides the link to the handout* for that lecture, so be sure to copy it. Danish West Indies, Denmark, Records of Enslaved People, 1672-1917 [15] Alice Clifton (c. 1772-unknown), as an enslaved teenager, she was a defendant in an infanticide trial in 1787. With mythological names rising, the handsome son of Zeus and god of medicine, music, and poetry among many other things might offer an interesting, if high-pressure, option. Edmon S. Conner Recalls About His Career", "Law and the Cultural Production of Race and Racialized Systems of Oppression", "Runaway Slaves and Servants in Colonial Virginia", Slavery in the Courtroom: An Annotated Bibliography of American Cases, "Soldier of Furtune: John Smith before Jamestown", "YSTUMLLYN, JOHN ('Jack Black') (d. 1786), gardener and land steward | Dictionary of Welsh Biography", "Strong, Jonathan (c. 17471773), de facto freed slave", "Juan Francisco Manzano | Slave Narratives | The MoAD Salon | MoAD - Museum of the African Diaspora", "Relatos sobre la India Juliana. Hi Jann, Perhaps Wash Ellis registered under the name of one of his parents. Through a video-based activity, students examine Americas struggle for a stronger democracy during Reconstruction and today. Explore the most common surnames in England. ", "If you can't get rid of the skeleton in your closet, you might as well make it dance! Students consider how US history books, films, and other works of popular culture have misrepresented the history of the Reconstruction era. I would still recommend all of these books, except the first one listed for obvious reasons. For more information or to contact an Oxford Sales Representative click here. The surname issue really presents huge challenges for those of us doign this research, but you soulnd as though you are making headway. Join me as I present this NEW webinar that covers why we miss our ancestors in these records and presents numerous strategies to assist in finding every clue in census records. 1754 Excerpts from the Courant for June 22 to 29, 1754 at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library - contain the names of some "runaway slaves" or indentured servants, and information about them. See footnotes for source information. In fact, it's not even past." And you get to tell the story of Jean-Louiss life in slavery and also in freedom. This happened mostly on large plantations where several individuals had the same first names and a surname was used to distinguish them from one another. 2023 Nameberry.com.Nameberry is a registered trademark of Nameberry, LLC. Remember me. But I tell you, trying to document that all those names refer to the same person is hard, hard work! Edited by Gabriele vom Bruck and Barbara Bodenhorn, 178-199. I belonged to him until emancipation. Caps statement implies that choosing his own surname was a part of exercising his newfound freedom. My maternal grandmother was an Auber. Toussaint Louverture (1743-1803), a former slave, he enslaved a dozen people himself before becoming a general and a leader of the Haitian Revolution. Chery Meaning: derived from the Latin Cariacus, which means "land belonging to Cariu"; darling Origin: French 5. Over time, East Tennessee, hilly and dominated by small farms, retained the fewest number of slaves. This is common. Another interesting fact is that Creole surname use also evolved over time and varied from record to record with the same person. Users without a subscription are not able to see the full content on This database is a compilation of information on over four thousand slaves from Louisiana who were involved in manumission (the formal emancipation from slavery) between 1719 and 1820. Anouilh. James: (M) (Latin origin) means "heel" or "supplanter". Ninety percent of them were African-American, a far higher black percentage than for any other common name. The private name served as a form of Selfhood Armor (you cant take all of me, White man!); gave them a sense of power over their captors; and provided their children with a sense of heritage and pride. Place names that were disproportionately popular among Black Americans in history include Boston, Jamaica, York, and Africa. One thing I envy about the Catholic church is the baptisms available for even the enslaved people there. (Media Note: If you quote a post, please credit me by name, Robyn N. Our headquarters are located at: 89 South Street, Suite 401, Boston, MA 02111. My mothers name was Octavia Smith and it was from her that I got it but where the name came from to her I never knew. Most common last names names: 1-1000 | 1001-2000 | 2001-3000 | 3001-4000 | 4001-5000 I was only three years old when she died. Derived from the word anull that is the Catalan language dominantly used in southern France, Anouilh means 'slow worm'. Many took the surname of famous or celebrated people; such as Lincoln, Grant, and Washington was very popular. You can also look up Charleston Manifests by Slave Owner These records are also available through the National Archives Catalog (National Archives Identifier 2767350). However, a small change to searching on C?lbert, which accounts for the variations in spelling expands that initial list to 877 enslaved people owned by people with those names. Who called you by that name and where was it done? I did not even check the 1850 slave schedule. If the name is spelled Rodrigues, the name is Portuguese but has the same meaning) 3. I would appreciate any constructive comments on this question, which can be posted to me via my website address above.