Name _____________________________________                               WESTERN STD.

                                                                                                                   Assignment

MEANING OF FAMILY NAMES

The use of surnames developed in Europe during the latter Middle Ages.  Prior to this individuals would only be identified by their first name which made it difficult to distinguish between people with the same names.  In order to solve this problem government and church officials began to write short descriptions of individuals next to their first names in the official records.  These descriptions were based on the following sources: place of residence (“by the river”), occupation (“the miller”), a parent’s name (“son of John”), or a nickname often based on a personal characteristic (“the white”).  Eventually these descriptions were simplified and passed on to other family members becoming the source of modern surnames.

ASSIGNMENT

A. Locate and research the origins and meaning of your surname.  A good resource contained is the school library is the New Dictionary of American Family Names.

B. Based on your research provide the following information:

1. Surname:

2. National Origin:

3. Meaning:

4. Source of Name:

C. Share the information you learned with someone in your family. 

1. Please have them sign below verifying that you completed this part of the assignment:

Signature ______________________________________________

Name _________________________________________________

2. What was their reaction to this information?

D. Conclusion: What does the development of surnames illustrate about history?