Your Name: What Does it Tell About You
By Cristopher Fowers Our name is a big part of our identity. It is what other people know us by and something that distinguishes us from everyone else. Whats In a Last Name? The use of last names, or surnames, became much more prevalent in 1066, after the Norman Conquest. Since this time, surnames have become the norm in societywith a few exceptions, Maddona, Prince and Cher. The origin of your last name largely depends on the ethnic background of your ancestors. For example, Spanish people commonly use Catholic Saints names, Orthodox Jews are required by religious law to name one of their babies after a deceased relative and the Chinese usually have three names, a family name, a generation name and an individual name. English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish last names are typically grouped into one of four categories: occupations, localities, nicknames or first names. Many people acquired their last name due to their trade or occupation. These names are self-explanatory: Farmer, Baker, Mason and so on. Some people were named after where they were from, localities, or after geological characteristics of the land. Marsh, Hill and Sydney are examples of surnames of this type. People were often named after nicknames; these are some of the most interesting last names. Kennedy, for example, is Gaelic for ugly head, Gotobed, stemmed from someone who was lazy. Last names based on first names were very common in the history of Britain and Ireland. Often a suffix or prefix was added to indicate the relationship of the individual with the person after whom the individual was named. For example, the suffixes son, means son of and kin, is a diminutive. The prefixes Fitz, often indicated illegitimacy, O means grandson and Mac and Mc mean son of. These suffixes and prefixes combined with the first name of the father created names like Johnson, Stevenson, Perkin, Fitzgerald, OBrien and MacDonald. Does Your First Name Have Significance? Your first name is one of the most important gifts your parents gave you. Most first names have a meaning and you can easily find the meaning of your first name on the Internet through sites like behindthename.com. The most popular boys name in 2004 in the United States was Jacob, which in Hebrew means holder of the heel. It comes from the biblical Jacob who was born holding his twin brother Esaus heel. The most popular girls name in 2004 in the United States was Emily, the medieval feminine form of Aemilius. Aemilius, derived from Latin aemulus meaning rival. As you can see, first names come from many different roots. Our names are much more than a word that identifies us. So take some time and investigate your heritage and your nameyou might be surprised. References Benes, Clarence H, & Steinbrink, John E, Social Studies: Living up to your name (1996) Kennedy, John. Brittish Surnames: First-names, Localities, Occupaitons, Nicknames. [2005] 23 Sept. 2005 Powell, Kimberly. Glossary of Last Name Meanings and Origins [2003] 23 Sept 2005 genealogy.about.com/library/surnames/bl_meaning.htm Cristopher Fowers Cristopher Fowers is a Writer/Reviewer for TopTenREVIEWS.com. TopTenREVIEWS features expert reviews for technology and entertainment products and services. For more information and an in-depth review on genealogy search websites, see the TopTenREVIEWS Genealogy Search Review Site. We do the research so you dont have to. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cristopher_Fowers http://EzineArticles.com/?Your-Name:-What-Does-it-Tell-About-You&id=342398 super being taboo did doujin that dads all fuckin under dauters did dad about daughter should incest my daughter could incest of incest their the each hindu much andhra any pradesh be news he incest after victim make exploited them since but