Common American Surnames and Their Origins

When it comes to studying American genealogy, many find the stories behind American Surnames to be a fascinating and useful part of their research. The history behind many of these names is certainly worth pursing.

When it comes to common American surnames and their origins, typical names tend to fall under four different categories: familial names, vocational names, names based on location, and surnames that have been forced upon the person, either due to their status as a slave or as an immigrant.

A few good examples of familial names tend to be surnames such as Abrahamson or Richardson. When taken literally, these names mean “son of Abraham” or “son of Richard”. Similarly, there are surnames to describe what day of the week a particular child was born on, such as “Monday”.

Sometimes American surnames are used to indicate a specific location. For example, “Brownlow”, when split into two parts, describes a family hill that was both brown and low. Similarly, “Underwood” is commonly used to portray a person who lived at the border of a forest.

Another interesting branch of North American genealogy would have to be surnames that indicate vocation. “Abbot” for example, meant priest. “Waller” described someone who built walls for a living.

Finally, there are names that were forced upon others. The context of these names varies. Sometimes during the immigration process, those who were in charge of the registration didn’t know how to spell or pronounce an immigrant’s last name.

In order to get past this obstacle, many were renamed “Smith” or “Jones”. This is part of the reason why these names became so common.

In other cases, slaves were often renamed when they were bought. However, it was rare when they were given surnames. Most, when freed, adopted entirely new surnames, though some stuck with the names of their former owners as well.

The names they chose for themselves varied. Sometimes they named themselves after famous American figures who fought against slavery. Other times they preferred names that described their location or vocation.

When researching common American surnames and their origins, there are a variety of tools at your disposal. To learn the exact meaning or spelling of a name, invest in a name book or a site specializing in surnames.

You can also learn more about your family’s surname by looking up census records, birth and death certificates, marriage certificates, and other official documents. 

However, when conducting your US genealogy search, it’s important not to rely solely on the surname. While the meaning behind your name can lead to some interesting revelations, if your name is common, you may find yourself running in circles. Research specific aspects of your family line to prevent this.