common last names for slaves in the 1800s

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.) 1. 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. He decided that he didnt want to be known as Cap Sherrod and that he would vote and marry under his choice of names. Where did you get the maiden name of Smith from? 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". My hat goes off to you and your passionate efforts. Jonah, the name of the Old Testament prophet who was swallowed by the whale, only to emerge unharmed three days later, is increasingly appreciated by parents looking for a biblical name less common than Jacob or Joshua, yet not too obscure. There has been disagreement about whether it was slaveholders or the enslaved who gave the recorded names. Slavery. . The link was not copied. Names from the Bible were another common practice, for given and surnames. Now, that parents surname could very well be the surname of the most recent slaveholder or an earlier slaveholder. The idea was for the children to enter the inhumane system of slavery protected by a sense of Selfhood and history. Danish West Indies, Denmark, Records of Enslaved People, 1672-1917 In 1850, Ward. Dick Lewis Barnett and Phillip Fry were African American veterans of the Union Army during the Civil War. I am awar eof the different naming traditions practiced in that area and I thank you for sharing them here for my readers. College, Advanced AA Gen Class, September 2011, AAHGS Annual Genealogy Conference, November 2008, Howard Comm. Several names have been added under the letter representing the person's last name. Here, our list of notable early African American names. 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. (Media Note: If you quote a post, please credit me by name, Robyn N. All of them are alive in this moment. Like most of the architecture and towns in Italy, they can also tell a story. Besides the Morrows, whom else did you live with in Louisville? 5. Brief, but stimulating and thoughtful for students coming new to the subject. Trinidad and Tobago. Although it is not widely known, some African Americans used surnames before they were emancipated. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Eliza Moore (1843 - January 21, 1948) Source = Pinimg. Through a video-based activity, students examine Americas struggle for a stronger democracy during Reconstruction and today. Q. Another slave named Bill who attended the sheep became Bill Shepherd. Table 7. Gradually, to show contempt for Slaves, the captors used Buck and Wench for naming the genders till they became trade terms, like Filly and Shoat.Contempt for the male was removing his honorific attachment to fatherhood and manhood by being addressed as Boy. Once the vigorous years of his prime were passed, he was allowed to assume the title of Uncle. Females were called Gal, girl, or the name of some animal. It comes from the same Greek root as 'ambrosia', the food of the gods, said to confer immortality. I belonged to him until emancipation. Others who wanted no connection to their former owners used surnames like Freeman or Freedman. At your request I have finally made available for viewing past popular webinars! You can also look up Charleston Manifests by Slave Owner These records are also available through the National Archives Catalog (National Archives Identifier 2767350). 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. Although it is not widely known, some African Americans used surnames before they were emancipated. 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. It starts with a young man falling in love with a girl. Wood were recorded as slave. . Daniel Odgen, Magic, Witchcraft, and Ghosts In The Greek and Roman Worlds, p. 119, Laurence Vidal, Los Amantes de Granada, Ed. Evidence indicates that many enslaved parents named their children after the first generation or so of family members brought to America. The following is a list of historical people who were enslaved at some point during their lives, in alphabetical order by first name. Renate, In Greek mythology, Athena is the name of the daughter of Zeus who was the goddess of wisdom, warfare, handicrafts, mathematics, and courage, among others. In the late 1830s, Nathaniel Terry of Todd County, Kentucky died leaving a plantation of fifty slaves. 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. 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. Slavery existed in the United States from its founding in 1776 and became the main . There are 15 tables, blank and editable for you to populate, as well as samples of using each. No superior alternative has yet been found." The campaign in Britain to abolish slavery began in the 1760s, supported by both black and white abolitionists. Q. On the U.S. Federal census that year, Wesley's birthplace was recorded as Alabama, the same as his father, and his mother's birthplace was South Carolina . Ethereal and delicate, Cassandra was in the Top 70 throughout the 1990s but is now descending in popularity. Clark is a common surname of Anglo-Scottish origin. This financial assistance was available to all Civil War veterans and their families. 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. It was after emancipation on that I went back to work for Col. Morrow and where I got the name Lottie, as already explained. This is common. Robyn. If we consider the diverse circumstances that the tragedy of slavery created, we can understand the reasons why. You can use the links below to view more common surnames. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. The name.Auber.is also.in.Haiti and.is of.French orign. They were all sold to different owners: Connell, Rose, Johnson, and Hughes respectively. Turner was deeply religious,. 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. 1760-1810 Persons declared to be "white by law" or "free" (part 1), (part 2) at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library. I love that your example shows two brothers, who came to different conclusions about their surnames. They called me OCK. 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. Emphasizes the giving and repeated use of names as a performative act of domination. 42. After Emancipation, many former slaves adopted new names and surnames. In Greek mythology, Daphne was the nymph daughter of Peneus, a river god. Hi Rodney, According to the latest search data available, Italian last names and their meanings are searched for nearly, 40,500 times per month. Choose the best name for your child. 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. Another myth is once African Americans were sold they never saw their families again. For more information or to contact an Oxford Sales Representative click here. 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! It can be a difficult path, but just might be reachable. Bradley was the last man owned em. In small communities when slaves were sold, they were often bought by someone in the area. Robyn. . Other common surnames included Jones, Matthews, Sinclair, and Bennett, Price, and Gray.. Thomas: Thomas is a common surname of biblical origin meaning twin. Thank you for commenting, and continued luck to you in your research. Numerous historical sources confirm that enslaved people had surnames that they used among themselves and in many cases were known by their slaveholder. 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. It was after emancipation on that I went back to work for Col. Morrow and where I got the name Lottie, as already explained. This had a profound impact on the Selfhood of each of the enslaveddisrupting ones presumed Mission in life, as indicated by ones name; shattering the sharing of personal and historical experiences, attitudes, and spirits towards life; and putting in disarray the philosophy of life framework and common sense values by which all Africans lived. A. Lottie Smith was my name and what they called me before I met Phillip and was married to him. Many Welsh surnames follow this pattern, with Jones (from 'John's son) being the most common. 3. I presume no death certificate for her survives? 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 The fifty most common Victorian surnames in England and Wales for 1853 are listed in alphabetical order below. This may reveal your family used the surname of the slave owners wifes family. The new surnames, usually not taken from a former slave owner, included: Williams, Jones, Johnson, Smith, Jackson, Thomas, Brown, Walker, Davis, Green, Robinson, Scott, Harris, Turner, and Anderson. James) will have . 1. 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. Anouilh. LOTTIE had been the name of the nurse before me and so they just continued that same name. My great grandfather Wilson Percival was born in South Carolina and I believe he took his surname from last slave owners family. 18. The last U.S.census slave schedules were enumerated by County in 1860 and included 393,975 named persons holding 3,950,546 unnamed slaves, or an average of about ten slaves per holder. The highest percentage of African names was found among male slaves in the eighteenth century, when . Last updated: November 1, 2003 "Dwelling No." We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Ones occupation also set the naming method, such as Sheperd, Cooper, or Smith. But I tell you, trying to document that all those names refer to the same person is hard, hard work! A. Mr. Thomas Jefferson of Louisville, bought me when I was three years of age from Mr. Dearing. 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. ", "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. I also meant to email you and tell you how I enjoyed your article in the last NGSQ. 6. Names. . This article is from the Encyclopedia of North Carolina edited by William S. Powell. Kaplan, Justin, and Anne Bernays. 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. Surnames like Chantimel have disappeared, while names like Horsford and Ackie, coming from Antigua (where they are common), or Quarless, Dowden, Chandler, and Dottin from Barbados, have enriched Grenada's family history and cultural identity. However, the common practice by slaveholders was to only use the given names of enslaved people in documents such as estate papers, court and deed records. Nat Turner's Rebellion One of the most famous slave revolts in American history came in 1831 when Nat Turner led a bloody uprising in Southampton County, Virginia. -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. Manifests - Alphabetical by Slave Names Return to Slave Manifests main page Click on each Slave name to view information on that voyage. If a surname was needed, the slave owners family name might be used. Place names that were disproportionately popular among Black Americans in history include Boston, Jamaica, York, and Africa. John Lewis was born in 1831; in 1844 he and several family members were given to George A. Washington of Wessyngton. The second hour is hands-on, and I want you to bring the deeds you've found along with your questions. .When I got home after the war, I was wearing the name of Lewis Smith, but I found that the negroes after freedom, were taking the names of their father like the white folks. Used by permission of the publisher. Each is present in your body. This event is $25. Thanks LaBrenda! I would appreciate any constructive comments on this question, which can be posted to me via my website address above. I liked the name better than Octavia, and so I took it with me to Danville, and was never called anything else there than that name. Some of the most common or popular last names in the 1800s included Robinson, Clark, and Smith. . Q. Even that feels like something. ", "Families are like fudge; mostly sweet with a few nuts. Bernacki: Teatr; Mamontowicz-ojek: Szkoa Tyzenhauza s. 53, 54, 70, 86-89, 92; Wierzbicka: Sze studiw; Muzyka 1969 nr 2 (J. Prosnak). Thanks for all you to do keeps us all so enlightened! common last names for slaves in the 1800s. Leo (M) (Russian origin) means "lion". 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. -Unknown, "Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city;)" Robyn. Almost every major tome on slavery discusses slave naming practices in some form or fashion. Tags: African American Names, African American Surnames, African Names, Black Surnames, Last Slave Owner, Plantation Owners, plantation slavery, Slave Family, Slave Naming Patterns, slave trade. St. Louis County Library. Letter to Armistead Burt of September 1, 1831, sfn error: no target: CITEREFCalhoun1837 (. By country & year of birth. 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". A favorite of British novelists including Evelyn Waugh and P. G. Wodehouse, Ambrose has an air of blooming well-being and upper-class erudition. However, a small change to searching on C?lbert, which accounts for the variations in spelling expands that initial list to 877 enslaved people owned by people with those names. ", "If you can't get rid of the skeleton in your closet, you might as well make it dance! Slavery's reach is still with us, and part of the gift of doing African-American genealogy, "The past is not dead. The Genealogy Source Table Collection includes 10 blank, editable source tables for death certificates, city directories, obituaries and funeral programs. Got.the name.Auber.. Hi Roxana, Your insight is always welcome and I am glad you shared these posts for other readers to see. Enslaved people suffered constant sale, where children were frequently torn away from parents at young ages and spouses were often separated. Best of luck to you in your research, The given name Athena was derived from the city name Athens, which is of uncertain origins. Melvin, In 1870, all of them were listed with the surnames of their last owner; however, each one of them named their sons for one of their brothers. For example, I know of one Louisiana family whose surname of Poulard evolved from a ancestor of the Poular nation(aka Fulani). Thomas Black Cobbs was owned by a small slave owner Catherine Black. . But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. 6. One of my grandfathers in Africa was called Jeaceo, and so I decided to be Jackson. I was called by that name all the time I was with the Morrows. African Americans were known by these surnames in the slave community and often recorded by slave owners on plantation documents. Edmon S. Conner Recalls About His Career", "Law and the Cultural Production of Race and Racialized Systems of Oppression", "Runaway Slaves and Servants in Colonial Virginia", Slavery in the Courtroom: An Annotated Bibliography of American Cases, "Soldier of Furtune: John Smith before Jamestown", "YSTUMLLYN, JOHN ('Jack Black') (d. 1786), gardener and land steward | Dictionary of Welsh Biography", "Strong, Jonathan (c. 17471773), de facto freed slave", "Juan Francisco Manzano | Slave Narratives | The MoAD Salon | MoAD - Museum of the African Diaspora", "Relatos sobre la India Juliana. 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. Abebe: The genesis of this Ethiopian name is Amharic, and it means 'flower' or 'blossom'. Bailey, Word Stories Surrounding African American Slavery. Testimony of Dick Lewis Barnett, May 17, 1911: I am 65 years of age; my post office address is Okmulgee Okla. Harriet Tubman and some of the slaves she helped free. In my own family history, on my Yarborough side, I believe I have uncovered a pattern that my formerly-enslaved great-grandparents, Calvin and Precilla YARBOROUGH may have used in naming their children. Q. Slaveholders often renamed newly acquired slaves; but self-naming by slaves, which also occurred, is likely to be underreported in the records, which were mainly created by and for slaveholders. New surnames were created from a local regions name such as Smithfield the name taken might be Smith or Field. 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. Robyn. Five of the slaves were sold to the Washingtons and brought to Wessyngton. 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. Corbin Corbin has an Old English origin. 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. Of course my mother wasnt a Bradley fore she married. But, my mtdna also said I share ancestry with the Kru people of Liberia and the Mende from Sierra Leonne! Perhaps this caused some Slaves to ask: Am I my new name or am I still my old name? They established and held on to their own cultural traditions in the small spaces that slavery afforded them. No, I dont know to whom she belonged before she was brought from Virginia to Kentucky. When Wessyngtons owner George A. Washington married Margaret Lewis in 1849 her father gave the couple twenty-nine slaves. Theres always more to learn!

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