But the bureau also compiled lists of the fastest-growing surnames in the United States and these include Zhang, Li, Ali, Liu, and Khan - a testament to the wonderful diversity of our nation. 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. Thank you for your comment, Thanks for all you to do keeps us all so enlightened! Smith.). And again, as a white Southerner whose ancesters were NOT slaveowners, your blog is helping me to understand the real and horrible legacy of the peculiar institution. Through Reclaiming Kin, I share tips on genealogy skillbuilding for all genealogists, and on researching slavery and the enslaved. So just a few things to be aware of when researching any African-American ancestors. ", "If you can't get rid of the skeleton in your closet, you might as well make it dance! In the 1930s, ex-slave Martin Jackson explained why he chose his last name after Emancipation: The master's name was usually adopted by a slave after he was set free. The naming of slaves has not been treated in dedicated monographs, but it often figures in general accounts of plantation culture and the practices of enslavement. St. Louis County Library. The given name Athena was derived from the city name Athens, which is of uncertain origins. Drawing on extensive archival records, this digital memorial allows analysis of the ships, traders, and captives in the Atlantic slave trade. ", "Call it a clan, call it a network, all it a tribe, call it a family. This article is from the Encyclopedia of North Carolina edited by William S. Powell. 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. In the early years, especially between the 1860 and 1880s, families even changed a surname several times until they settled on a certain one. I worked for him as nurse for his children, and my full and correct name was OCTAVIA, but the family could not "catch on" to that long name and called me "LOTTIE" for short. Phone: 314-994-3300, Hours & Locations Comments/Suggestions314-994-3300, Copyright 2023. Ref. A. Lottie Smith was my name and what they called me before I met Phillip and was married to him. Along with records from churches,manumission societies, enslavers, and estate settlements, these documents provide a vast pool of data from which to trace patterns and trends from the colonial period through emancipation. The campaign in Britain to abolish slavery began in the 1760s, supported by both black and white abolitionists. This causes many researchers to wrongly conclude that enslaved people did not have surnames until after emancipation, which was not the case. Frederick Douglass (1818-1895), born into slavery in Maryland and escaped to the Northeast in 1838, where he became an internationally renowned abolitionist writer, speaker, and diplomat. Hi Jim, He stated that he had always been known by his fathers surname Scott, even before he was freed. Anthropologist Meyer Fortes's observation that the naming practices of any society "epitomize personal experiences, historical happenings, attitudes to life, and cultural ideas and values" holds particularly true for African American enslaved people. 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. Picked by several celebrities (a couple of times even for a girl), adding up to an enthusiastically recommended choice. Turner was deeply religious,. 18. This old French surname has Germanic origin, and means 'noble'. 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. Location the owner of ones ancestor is crucial for an African American genealogist to trace his family before 1870. In these cases, unless the name change had been passed down in the family by oral history, it would be impossible to trace the family back any further. Allard. 7. For more details, see the flier here, and you can purchase them here. Archambeau. My mother's name was Octavia Smith and it was from her that I got it but where the name came from to her I never knew. Copyright 2023 Facing History & Ourselves. Robyn. While Smith remains the most common U.S. surname, for the first time, two Hispanic namesGarcia and Rodriguezmade the top 10. Baptiste Meaning: derived from the name Bautista; the Spanish form of Baptist Origin: Spanish 3. Others were more promiscuous. Who called you by that name and where was it done? Were there any famous slaves? CLICK HERE TO SAVE YOUR SEAT! If the name is spelled Rodrigues, the name is Portuguese but has the same meaning) 3. There has been much debate among scholars, historians and genealogists whether enslaved African Americans used the surnames of their last owners, previous owners, or a surname that had no connection to slavery. Some of these individuals probably lived through the Civil War to become named citizens in Ashley County, Arkansas and may have taken the last name of Hollaway/Holaway or Terry/Tery. American slave owners or slaveholders were owners of slaves in the United States which typically worked either as agriculture laborers or house servants. 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. Q. One thing I envy about the Catholic church is the baptisms available for even the enslaved people there. Part of what drives me in this research, I think, is the feeling that I am reclaiming their stories, their names, and their very being, even if what I uncover is just a tiny bit. For descendants, I would add the substantial emotional impact of seeing an ancestor's name attached to a dollar value, or being valued in a list with silverware and cattle. Although enslavers often assigned names to newly acquired enslaved peoplethat were whimsical, satirical, or condescending in intent, the frequent appearance of classical names-Venus, Cato, Hercules, Bacchus, Pompey-reflect enslavers' own educations and libraries. Names from the Bible were another common practice, for given and surnames. But once freed most immediately chose surnames, with or without keeping their accustomed name. (Media Note: If you quote a post, please credit me by name, Robyn N. 63 Italian Last Names That Are *Chef's Kiss* Bellissimo! - Scary Mommy You are the continuation of each of these people.". Thank you for your kind comment and I am glad my post helped some with the complicated reasons behind the surnames enslaved people had. They cut it off from OCTAVIA. Copeland This last name comes from Old Norse origin. . It is not uncommon to see an African American family listed with one surname in 1870 and another in 1880. Here are some common black last names: Jackson Davis Brown Wilson Harris Lewis Clark Walker Hall Thomas Young Allen King Wright Scott Baker Adams Nelson Carter Mitchell Perez Roberts Turner Phillips Campbell Parker Evans Edwards Green Hall Baker Bell Coleman Crawford James Reyes Most Common Black Last Names Oxford Bibliographies Online is available by subscription and perpetual access to institutions. The idea was for the children to enter the inhumane system of slavery protected by a sense of Selfhood and history. Another slave named Bill who attended the sheep became Bill Shepherd. One ancestor was known as Baber Masse, Elizabeth SENET and Elisabeth Leveille in different documents. . Robinson: A patronymic of the name Robin. In 1911, Barnett and Frys widow, Mollie, both applied for pensions from the government. Former slaves often made up surnames based on their occupations. Slave name index - next1000.com Another common practice was to select a surname that fit the personality of an individual, such as Hardy or Rambler. Finding the Slave Who Bore Philomene Daurat. There is also another historian, Gwendolyn Midlo Hall who did work on African ethnicities in Louisiana, you can read more of that here if you havent seen that yet: http://whitneyplantation.com/the-louisiana-slave-database.html, Again, I applaud you for doing the research on the history of the areas where your ancestors livedmany researchers dont realize how crucial that understanding is. In 1836, William Turbeville died leaving an estate with several slaves who were brothers: Turner, Nelson, Simon, Jordan, and Jacob. 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. 12 Lost American Slangisms From The 1800s : NPR History Dept. : NPR common last names in the 1800s - stmatthewsbc.org 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. Top 100 Best Names From The 1800s | Kidadl It means 'clerk' or 'secretary'. Thank you for posing your question. All children of a female slave were automatically slaves, considered as belonging to the owner of the mother. If the former slave had been befriended or assisted in getting established after the Civil War, they might have taken that person's name. By examining periods of violence during the Reconstruction era, students learn about the potential backlash to political and social change. Following the emancipation of approximately 360,000 enslaved people in North Carolina, changes in African American names became indicative of a new value system and sense of self-identity among freedpeople. A small number of creoles in Louisiana also acquired surnames derived from ethnic identities in Senegal. It can be a difficult path, but just might be reachable. The result was the birth of mulatto, quadroon, or mustee (mestee) children. Some scholars of slavery have come to view the names and naming of enslaved people as agauge of many aspects oflife and culture during enslavement and of howcustoms changed over time. Nonetheless, this is a situation where two brothers selected different surnames. 1850 US Census Name Frequencies - buckbd.com Robyn, youve done it again! Places; Login. When I was born my mother was known as Phillis Smith and I took the name of Smith too. 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. It is certainly possible that Wilsons siblings could have been sold away or owned by others. This is such a well-written and informative post one that I know will open many eyes to the complexity of slave surnames, as well as many other aspects of the lives of the enslaved. Rodriguez (Rodriguez is Spanish for the son of Rodrigo. He decided that he didnt want to be known as Cap Sherrod and that he would vote and marry under his choice of names. Aruba Congo Bob D'Sean Latoya Dilsy Lopez Lunah African Emmaline Ebo Mema Milla Kyser Ibo Medwin Oilsay Cupad Viney Centere Minta Zoruba Tyzer Nefar Phiba LaVaughn Congo Bob Ladia Ikbo Abah Medger Bossy Shand Cufee Uri Zulu jenee Sorce Tomm Dedib Slave Names Of The 1800's Cena Billah Quarker Lamoney Minba Geto Tonesia Zulu Jana Brutis A valuable and incisive discussion, both theoretically and historically informed, of slave naming in two African societies, the Caribbean, and the American South. Thomas: Thomas is a common surname of biblical origin meaning twin. Marking an 'X': Exploring the History of Grenada's Surnames The origins of this last name date back to the pre-medieval period. Robyn. It means 'raven'. One frequently occurring name is Rolle. David Nicolle, Graham Turner: Poitiers AD 732: Charles Martel Turns the Islamic Tide. Thank you, my dear friend, for adding this about enslaved people owned in the Caribbean is really important, as some of the customs were certainly different. They called me "OCK". Most Popular African Last Names Or Surnames. Students learn about the violent responses to the transformation of US democracy that occurred as a result of Radical Reconstruction. Private names used in the quarters included Abah, Bilah, Comba, Dibb, Juba, Kauchee, Mima, and Sena. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation: Stories of My Familys Journey to Freedom is proudly powered by WordPress Entries (RSS) and Comments (RSS). Others who wanted no connection to their former owners used surnames like Freeman or Freedman. How did you ever come by the name of "Mollie"? 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. I first wrote about this in this 2009 post: http://justthinking130.blogspot.com/2009/09/calvin-r-yarborough-where-it-all-began.html, And,then, more recently in 2013, here: http://justthinking130.blogspot.com/2013/11/many-rivers-to-cross-my-priscilla.html. Are you thinking this woman Eliza Ellis was married to Wash Ellis? I have been a researcher, writer, and lecturer for over twenty-five years. After I had returned to Louisville from Danville, My sister, Lizzie White, got to calling me Mollie, and it was with her that the name started. 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. 1760-1810 Persons declared to be "white by law" or "free" (part 1), (part 2) at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. As a result, many slaves used the surnames of their owners wifes family. Robyn. 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S. | Name Census You can read about this in the following two posts on my blog. Isaac evolved from the name Yitzchaq, derived from the Hebrew word, Lysander is a distinctive Greek name that could be thought of as a more creative cousin of Alexander. Choose the best name for your child. 19. Slave Ship Manifests filed at New Orleans, 1807-1860 | National Archives Please share, in the comments below, examplesyou have come across of the surnames of enslaved people, especially if it was different from their last slaveholder. A. Rounding out the Top 40, here are the next 30 most common names among African-Americans and Caribbean people: Taylor (Jayceon Terrel Taylor "The Game") Wilson (Charlie Wilson) Moore (Shemar Moore) White (Barry White) Lewis (Carl Lewis) Walker (Jimmie J. J. Walker) Green (Al Green) Thompson (Kenan Thompson) Washington (Denzel Washington) Names and Naming, African Africans arriving in the American colonies and later the United States continued to give their children African names well into the nineteenth century. John C. Inscoe, "Carolina Slave Names: An Index to Acculturation," Journal of Southern History 59 (November 1983). My fathers name was Gilbert Jackson, and after I was set free I took the name of my father, and have been known by the name Smith Jackson. It starts with a young man falling in love with a girl. Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. 1-86-NARA-NARA or 1-866-272-6272, Finding Aids for the National Archives at Atlanta, National Archives Catalog (National Archives Identifier 2767350). by John C. Inscoe, 2006; Revised May 2022 by NC Government & Heritage Library. Practices undoubtedly varied, and different archival sources may yield different conclusions. My father once told me his grandfather ran away from the Carrington place and changed his name to Williams. Phillis Wheatley (May 8, 1753 - December 5, 1784) Source = Wikimedia. Olympic speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno might inspire some parents. Most Common Black Last Names in the United States - Name Census -Unknown, "Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city;)" They are held at The National Archives (Kew, England). Popular English baby names by decade - 1840s - 1990s 1840s 5 Robert - 53 Margaret - 47 The 1860s first saw the Rimmers' use of 1870s Boys Girls Total registered births - 1,944 1 John - 160 Mary - 151 The 1870s first saw the Rimmers' use of What was the first girl's name in the 1900s? The difficulties include using records that provide no surnames, the constant sale and breakup of families, and the lack of identification of fathers. My hat goes off to you and your passionate efforts. Each name was a clue to her origins. After the war ended and slavery was abolished, they exercised their freedom by changing their names. 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. In 2001, I began a process of transcribing names of some of the largest slaveholders and matching the surnames with numbers of African Americans on the 1870 . 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. I belonged to him until emancipation. Many of these were names of heroesbut not Lincoln. It is from this myth that the plant genus, Phoebe is the Latin variation of the Greek name Phoibe, which derived from. The Language of Names. The, For descendants, I would add the substantial emotional impact of seeing an ancestor's name attached to a dollar value, or being valued in a list with silverware and cattle. > | Index main page>| Index by slave owner's name, Index to "Descriptive Recruitment Lists of Volunteers for the United States Colored Troops for the State of Missouri, 1863-1865"(NARA Microfilm Publication M1894 - 6 rolls). Surnames (not always those of former owners) would then be adopted as family names by former slaves and their descendants. This event is $25. A great and timely article. In doing slave research in Barbados, I have found one group of enslaved Chase ancestors who were manumitted (freed) and given the last name of the former slave owner. ", "No matter what you've done for yourself or for humanity, if you can't look back on having given love and attention to your own family, what have you really accomplished? 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. I want.to.know.where we (who are.descendants.of.freed.people.who.got sent.back.to Sierra Leone.from.maybe Nova Scotia.) On another branch, members of the Griffin family from around Campbell County VA all stuck together and are believed to have kept family bonds & name of their father after Emancipation. Enslaved women were raped, creating children with white fathers who in most cases did not claim them and even sold them away. The name James has been a popular Victorian male names in the 1800s. Of the 972 names of male Slaves recorded between 1619 and 1799 the leading ones were Jack, Tom, Harry, Sam, Will, Caesar, Dick, John, Robin, Frank, Charles, Joe and Prince. FamilySearch Centers. Brief, but stimulating and thoughtful for students coming new to the subject. See more details in the flier here and they are available for purchase for $10 . 1. Former slaves also interchanged surnames on census records. Label vector designed by Ibrandify - Freepik.com, https://nmaahc.si.edu/object/nmaahc_2014.174.8?destination=/explore/collection/search%3Fedan_q%3Denslaved%26edan_fq%255B0%255D%3Dobject_type%253A%2522Photographs%2522. 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). Hi Donna, 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. Bradley was the last man owned em. Q. No superior alternative has yet been found." Most Common English Surnames & Meanings - Forebears Some of the most common or popular last names in the 1800s included Robinson, Clark, and Smith. Here, our list of notable early African American names. She was the great patroness-goddess of the city of Athens. 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. The Missouri Compromisealso referred to as the Compromise of 1820was an agreement between the pro- and anti-slavery factions regulating slavery in the western territories. I presume no death certificate for her survives? People of the Atlantic Slave Trade - Database Enslaved people resisted in ways large and small. Free black slave holders could be found at one time or . Slavery's reach is still with us, and part of the gift of doing African-American genealogy, "The past is not dead. I would still recommend all of these books, except the first one listed for obvious reasons. Recently, I was looking for more information on Wesley Thompson, who was born about 1835 and who was living in Morgan County, Alabama with his wife, Nellie, and five children in 1880. Samuel had only two slaves: the man that could be Wilson and a 42-year-old woman. CAs Push to Restore Voting Rights to System-Impacted Individuals Still in Custody, Eli Lilly to Cap Out-of-Pocket Insulin Costs, Asm. Edited by Gabriele vom Bruck and Barbara Bodenhorn, 178-199. No, I dont know to whom she belonged before she was brought from Virginia to Kentucky. 9 'Facts' About Slavery They Don't Want You to Know | Snopes.com 2. African Americans tended to use surnames associated with their own families instead of the last slave owner. Names. 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. An accessible introduction to the field. These require Microsoft Word and a Windows platform. Percy is an adorable old name that is finally shedding its pampered Little Lord Fauntleroy image in this new era of boys with soft yet traditionally, Titus, once seen as a slightly forbidding Roman, New Testament, and Shakespearean name, was brought back to contemporary life in the USA by the TV series, French surname from place name Perci-en-Auge, Latin, meaning unknown, possibly "title of honour".