Perhaps Wash Ellis registered under the name of one of his parents. In Greek mythology, Daphne was the nymph daughter of Peneus, a river god. Although it is not widely known, some African Americans used surnames before they were emancipated. 13 March 2022, 1-2:30pm [PAST EVENT], Eastern Standard Time: Cant find some of your ancestors in the census? Benson 2006 is one of the few general discussions of slave names. Gerald, however, is a Germanic name meaning ruler) 2. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one" 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. Harriet Tubman and some of the slaves she helped free. ", "Families are like fudge; mostly sweet with a few nuts. After the war ended and slavery was abolished, they exercised their freedom by changing their names. FamilySearch Centers. In the late 1830s, Nathaniel Terry of Todd County, Kentucky died leaving a plantation of fifty slaves. Here, our list of notable early African American names. Abel, the name of Adam and Eve's unfortunate younger son, compensates with positive connotations: capable, competent, ready and willing. "Injurious Names: Naming, Disavowal, and Recuperation in Contexts of Slavery and Emancipation." In The Anthropology of Names and Naming. I am sure your father would also be very proud of your interest in family history. The resources Im getting from my colleagues through Facing History have been just invaluable. Several names have been added under the letter representing the person's last name. Florence, Fiorella, Fleur, and Flower are translations, but we like Flora best of all. E. Togo Salmon Conference, E. Togo Salmon Conference 1993 Mcmaster University: Goodyear III, Frank H. "Photography changes the way we record and respond to social issues". 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. Students learn about the violent responses to the transformation of US democracy that occurred as a result of Radical Reconstruction. Proving their identity as former soldiers often revealed some of the most detailed explanations for former slaves choice of surnames. James: (M) (Latin origin) means "heel" or "supplanter". Bernard Meaning: brave warrior Origin: French 4. Although it is not widely known, some African Americans used surnames before they were emancipated. 5. Thank you for commenting, and continued luck to you in your research. 1. But the Slaves generally had two namesthe one given by the slave owner (e.g. Students consider how US history books, films, and other works of popular culture have misrepresented the history of the Reconstruction era. If the name is spelled Rodrigues, the name is Portuguese but has the same meaning) 3. 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. On Anglican (Church of England) baptisms records the child legally and officially is documented with the surname of the mother if she and the father were not married. Unfortunately, I am not knowledgeable enough about African and Caribbean research in the areas you 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. Q. Thank you for your kind comment and I am glad my post helped some with the complicated reasons behind the surnames enslaved people had. This is common. Political Participation in the Nineteenth Century Atlantic Portugal and Brazile in the Age of Revolutions, Poverty in the Early Modern English Atlantic, Reconstruction, Democracy, and United States Imperialism, Settlement and Region in British America, 1607-1763, Slavery in British and American Literature, Slavery in Dutch America and the West Indies, Slavery in North America, The Growth and Decline of. David Nicolle, Graham Turner: Poitiers AD 732: Charles Martel Turns the Islamic Tide. They called me OCK. The population was more than 16 million and the industrial revolution was under way, which debunks any perception of a broadly colonial society. Geographic names were common, as were the names of ships or distant ports for enslaved peopleborn in places such as Wilmington or New Bern. After emancipation, he became William Smith. Well, I got to thinking about all us slaves that was going to take the name Fitzpatrick. Flora, the name of the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, who enjoyed eternal youth, is one of the gently old-fashioned girls' flower names we think is due for a comebackalongside cousins Cora and Dora. Recognizable patterns of change in names and naming practices are evident from the mid-eighteenth century to the early nineteenth century and on through the 1860s. I am awar eof the different naming traditions practiced in that area and I thank you for sharing them here for my readers. Relish, (Old French Origin) Derived from relaisse meaning "flavor or taste". When slave owners married, they often received slaves as wedding gifts and inheritances from their wifes family. Allard. We had to register as someone, so we could be citizens. Louisiana, U.S., Slave Manumission Records, 1719-1820. Here are an even dozen, pretty much forgotten slanglike words or sayings from the 19th century, rediscovered while delving in the archives and with added guidance from James Maitman's 1891 . Some last names recognize certain histories or describe important events or narratives that mean a lot to the family. Elijah is derived from the Hebrew name Eliyahu, composed of the elements. The battle was long and hard-fought, with pro-slavery campaigners arguing that the slave trade was important for the British economy and claiming that enslaved Africans were happy and well-treated. It starts with a young man falling in love with a girl. This meant that army records documented their service with their old names instead of their new ones. This may reveal your family used the surname of the slave owners wifes family. He identified father, mother and siblings in a Freedmans bank deposit in 1873, when he was already in New York City. Garcia (The Spanish form of Gerald, Garcia would be the son of Gerald. Most Popular Names. Runaway ads illustrate how many slaveholders knew the surnames of their slaves. Isaiah derives from the Hebrew Yeshayahu, containing the elements. ", "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? . CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW! One of the largest sources are the Civil War pension records of the almost 200,000 black men who served in the US Army and Navy. that lists the slaves along with their surnames. My father once told me his grandfather ran away from the Carrington place and changed his name to Williams. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2006. The Voice of the Black Community in California, Last Updated on October 14, 2010 by Paulette Brown-Hinds. I belonged to him until emancipation. 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. Phillis Wheatley (May 8, 1753 - December 5, 1784) Source = Wikimedia. Through DNA matches, I believe I have recently found a brother of my mothers great grandfather. It means 'clerk' or 'secretary'. 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. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. I made up my mind I'd find me a different one. Robyn. ", "Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city;)", "Where does the family start? LOTTIE had been the name of the nurse before me and so they just continued that same name. I focused on surnames but many of these books also discuss first names. Robyn. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Plus, Jonah comes with a ready-made nursery-decorating motif. Rather than being derived from the supernatural world, European given names were a mere handle or tag. This is true in some cases but not all. New surnames were created from a local regions name such as Smithfield the name taken might be Smith or Field. > | 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). These cookies do not store any personal information. Wide-ranging survey of naming practices in the (mainly Anglophone) Atlantic world both during and after slavery. My father would be 105 if he were alive. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. My mother then told me my fathers name was John Barnett, a white man, and I took up the name Barnett., My mothers name was Jane and she was called Jane Nunn because she belonged to the Nunns. Join my mailing list below to learn about upcoming webinars. 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 Rodney, 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. When I was born my mother was known as Phillis Smith and I took the name of Smith too. This topic interests me greatly and Id like to do more research. This old French surname has Germanic origin, and means 'noble'. -Unknown, "If you can't get rid of the skeleton in your closet, you might as well make it dance!" I was called by that name all the time I was with the Morrows. Lastly,emancipation itself often provoked many to choose new surnames, one of the few actual freedoms freedmen had. -George Burns, "Where does the family start? Three formerly enslaved people discuss their names and the changes they underwent after Emancipation. You can find many more examples of the above in my post, The Mind of the Slaveowner. It comes from the same Greek root as 'ambrosia', the food of the gods, said to confer immortality. Jackson: This name is a patronymic of Jack. Melvin, Hello Augustin Meaning: a descendant of Augustine Origin: English 2. In 1800, Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman were able to escape their terrible life of enslavement and were able to help other slaves trapped in a world of forced labour and grant them freedom once again due to the Underground Railroads that helped him, his partner Anna Murray Douglas and many other fugitives sneak away from the horrible My surname of SAM originated from Sem or Sam FUSELIER, a free man of color who freed my ancestor,Jean-Louis, out of slavery in 1811. The name.Auber.is also.in.Haiti and.is of.French orign. An enslaved child sold away from their parents at a young age to the Deep South would probably have a different sense of naming than enslaved children who were able to grow up in the presence of their parents and extended family. If you can identify your ancestor's master, this source will prove of tremendous value to your research. I am an engineer by day, but my true passion lies in genealogy. He took his last enslaver surname. -Thich Nhat Hanh, evolve theme by Theme4PressPowered by WordPress, Maryland Genealogical Society Holiday Luncheon, December 2017-2, Washington FHC Annual Conference, May 2011, Baltimore Family History Conference, October 2017-2, International Black Genealogy Summit, September 2016-2, Carroll County Genealogical Society Dinner, June 2018, Baltimore Family History Conference, October 2017, Reginald Lewis Museum, September 2011-2.jpg, Maryland State Archives Family History Festival, October 2014-2, Central Maryland AAHGS Meeting, March 2013, Robyn, Vonda, Andrea and Glenn, NGS Conf., May 2014, Maryland Genealogical Society Holiday Luncheon, December 2017-1, Howard Comm. Table 7. Or, the Slaves were given numbers or classical Greek names. I would also recommend Elizabeth Shown Mills various case studies on enslaved people in Louisiana, which you can find at her website at https://www.historicpathways.com/articles.html. Ive taken back reclaimed some of that lost memory, especially that of my enslaved ancestors. 2023 Nameberry.com.Nameberry is a registered trademark of Nameberry, LLC. There are issues, too, about how to interpret the recorded names, which have been classified in different ways depending on researchers interests. Brief, but stimulating and thoughtful for students coming new to the subject. I did a post sometime ago about Slavery Studies, where I named some of the top books on the subject. The campaign in Britain to abolish slavery began in the 1760s, supported by both black and white abolitionists. Baptiste Meaning: derived from the name Bautista; the Spanish form of Baptist Origin: Spanish 3. I just cannot imagine (thankfully) the idea of my name being changed with every new owner, with not having any idea of what my parents surnames were, of having a white father but not being able to have a father/child relationship with himand all the other myriad of circumstances that enslaved people faced. 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. It is these single names that have been most often studied. I love to hear from my readers. I hope youll sign up to receive my postsif you do, youll get a free PDF with some of my favorite tips! Elaine Fantham, Helene Peet Foley, Natalie Boymel Kampen, Sarah B. Pomeroy, H. A. Shapiro. Another slave named Bill who attended the sheep became Bill Shepherd. Slavery. Q. Drawing on extensive archival records, this digital memorial allows analysis of the ships, traders, and captives in the Atlantic slave trade. In ancient history, Lysander was the name of an esteemed Spartan naval commander and his literary cred comes from one of the two star-struck young men in Shakespeare's. 41. The link was not copied. Who called you by that name and where was it done? It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. It means 'raven'. One given name the childs family selected and kept secret and one the child was known by given by the slave owner. Many of these were names of heroesbut not Lincoln. . Spanish areas had male Slave names as Francisco, Pedro, and Antonio; and for females: Maria, Isabella, and Juana. Slavery existed in the United States from its founding in 1776 and became the main . Hi Susan, Students learn about President Andrew Johnson and the Congressional Republican's conflicting visions of how to rebuild the nation after the Civil War. The brothers were sold when they were very young and remained with their last owners nearly thirty years. A. Mr. Thomas Jefferson of Louisville, bought me when I was three years of age from Mr. Dearing. A Wessyngton slave named Bill who was the plantations blacksmith was known as Billy the Smith during slavery. Maria Aparecida Schumaher, Erico teixeira Vital Brazil. 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. 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. Col. Joshua John Ward of Georgetown, South Carolina: 1,130 Known as "King of the Rice Planters," Ward had 1,130 enslaved Blacks on the Brookgreen plantation in South Carolina. A. Numerous historical sources confirm that enslaved people had surnames that they used among themselves and in many cases were known by their slaveholder. European, Javanese and African and Indentured Servitude in First Contact and Early Colonization of Brazil, France and its Empire in the Indian Ocean, France and the British Isles from 1640 to 1789, George Montagu Dunk, Second Earl of Halifax, Green Atlantic: the Irish in the Atlantic World, Histories and Historiographies of the Atlantic World, Impact of the French Revolution on the Caribbean, The, Indentured Servitude in the Atlantic World, Indian, Internal Slave Migrations in the Americas, Interracial Marriage in the Atlantic World, Liverpool in The Atlantic World 1500-1833, Maritime Atlantic in the Age of Revolutions, The, Marriage and Family in the Atlantic World, Material Culture of Slavery in the British Atlantic, Money and Banking in the Atlantic Economy, Napolon Bonaparte and the Atlantic World, Nation and Empire in Northern Atlantic History, Native American Histories in North America, Native Americans and the American Revolution, People of African Descent in Early Modern Europe, Pets and Domesticated Animals in the Atlantic World. Testimony of Dick Lewis Barnett, May 17, 1911: I am 65 years of age; my post office address is Okmulgee Okla. Several of the other slaves were sold to various slave owners. This phenomena makes research very complicated when you dont know the mothers surname. Many enslaved people were allowed to keep their original African names or names assigned them elsewhere (as reflected by the frequency of Spanish and Portuguese names among the first generation of enslaved people in the Carolinas.) 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. Copy this link, or click below to email it to a friend. Other common surnames included Jones, Matthews, Sinclair, and Bennett, Price, and Gray.. Former slaves often made up surnames based on their occupations. But I tell you, trying to document that all those names refer to the same person is hard, hard work! Also included here are common names among slaves, many of which were classical and had ties to the Bible or mythology, such as Keziah and Venus. -Kendall Hailey, "If you look deeply into the palm of your hand, you will see your parents and all the generations of your ancestors. Many took the surname of famous or celebrated people; such as Lincoln, Grant, and Washington was very popular. Data from the 2010 Census tells a different story. 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. Q. 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. Love you, Through a video-based activity, students explore how Radical Reconstruction changed the nature of voting rights and democracy in the South. In his pension file, my great great grandmother his widow expressed that he chose his former enslaver surname because his father had been enslaved by them, too. You can also look up Charleston Manifests by Slave Owner These records are also available through the National Archives Catalog (National Archives Identifier 2767350). 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. Copyright 2023 Facing History & Ourselves. Like most of the architecture and towns in Italy, they can also tell a story. 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. In another case Sukey Ann and he 4 children were manumitted by their Ashby owner with only their first names. They established and held on to their own cultural traditions in the small spaces that slavery afforded them. Through Reclaiming Kin, I share tips on genealogy skillbuilding for all genealogists, and on researching slavery and the enslaved. The surname Williams occurs roughly 550 times per 100,000 people in the U.S. You can find explanations for each of the table columns below, or use the following links to view more last names for different ancestries. See more details in the flier here and they are available for purchase for $10 . Feel free to contact me directly if you have more questions or need some assistance. Both are excellent researchers and historians. Thanks for this very thoughtful article. A favorite of British novelists including Evelyn Waugh and P. G. Wodehouse, Ambrose has an air of blooming well-being and upper-class erudition. Place names that were disproportionately popular among Black Americans in history include Boston, Jamaica, York, and Africa. College Advanced AA Gen. Class, November 2012, Robyn, Aaron, Karen, Katherine and Michael, October 2014, African-American Family History Conference, February 2015, African-American Genealogy Group Conference, October 2016, Central Maryland AAHGS, with Alice Harris, September 2015, Howard Comm. So far Ive found no one who can give me any information about how these people assumed the Culbert surname. Brown: A common last name derived from an ancestor's complexion or the color of their hair. It gives the age and sex of the slave and the number of slaves of each age and sex. 1. Analyzing Creole names, especially those of African origin, demands a combination of historical and linguistic expertise that has not yet been systematically applied to slave names. I'll illustrate transcribing deeds, show you how to find your county deed records on FamilySearch, and you will receive my PDF Beginner's Guide to Using Deed Records, a $12 value! Kaplan, Justin, and Anne Bernays. . In 1911, Barnett and Frys widow, Mollie, both applied for pensions from the government. How did you ever come by the name of "Mollie"? But there was also the detective Nero Wolfe, hero of many mystery stories. Im very familiar with the work of Gwendolyn Hall and Elizabeth Shown Mills. At your request I have finally made available for viewing past popular webinars! You are the continuation of each of these people.". The 2000 U.S. Census counted 163,036 people with the surname Washington. This page is currently showing names ranked from 1 to 1000. Burton, Richard D.E. Names and Naming in Afro-Caribbean Culture. New West Indian Guide/Nieuwe West-Indische Gids 73 (1999): 3558. 18. 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. This potential brother had been sold to a local and remained there in SC. John Lewis was born in 1831; in 1844 he and several family members were given to George A. Washington of Wessyngton. ", "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. Fortunately, the French and Latin were excellent record keepers and the Catholics were obsessed with knowing the kinship of everyone. Q. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2006. Enslaved people resisted in ways large and small. Now, that parent's surname could very well be the surname of the most recent slaveholder or an earlier slaveholder. 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.
common last names for slaves in the 1800s
- Published in is versace or prada more expensive