Former slaves often used surnames names of historical figures such as Washington, Jefferson or Jackson. 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. Q. The poster on each page *provides the link to the handout* for that lecture, so be sure to copy it. Tell me the name you were called before you met Phillip Fry? 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. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2006. ", "If you look deeply into the palm of your hand, you will see your parents and all the generations of your ancestors. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. They cut it off from OCTAVIA. 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. 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". Where did you get the maiden name of Smith from? The following is a list of historical people who were enslaved at some point during their lives, in alphabetical order by first name. 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. this page. Burton, Richard D.E. Names and Naming in Afro-Caribbean Culture. New West Indian Guide/Nieuwe West-Indische Gids 73 (1999): 3558. 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. On all subsequent census records, he is listed as John Lewis. 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. Another slave named Bill who attended the sheep became Bill Shepherd. 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. Of course my mother wasnt a Bradley fore she married. 2. The given name Athena was derived from the city name Athens, which is of uncertain origins. Farley, (English Origin) Victorian-era last names meaning "fern woodland". Danish West Indies, Denmark, Records of Enslaved People, 1672-1917 When Wessyngtons owner George A. Washington married Margaret Lewis in 1849 her father gave the couple twenty-nine slaves. Sabe, Anque, Bumbo, Jobah, Quamana, Taynay, and Yearie) used in the Slave quarters. 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. 42. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997. A. Lottie Smith was my name and what they called me before I met Phillip and was married to him. Users without a subscription are not able to see the full content on . Each is present in your body. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. 1. A small number of creoles in Louisiana also acquired surnames derived from ethnic identities in Senegal. 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. They were all sold to different owners: Connell, Rose, Johnson, and Hughes respectively. Enslaved women were raped, creating children with white fathers who in most cases did not claim them and even sold them away. I also have a Slavery and Freedom Collection available for $20. My maternal grandmother was an Auber. Cheryll Cody, "'There Was No Absalom on the Ball Plantation': Slave-Naming Practices in the South Carolina Low Country, 1720-1865," American Historical Review 92 (June 1987). This mini-lesson helps students define the term, learn what forms reparations can take, and consider what reparations should be offered for slavery and other racist policies. Have you visited the Whitney Plantation yet? Kindest regards, Love you, That is why you will find a lot of families in Louisiana with surnames like Baptiste, Narcisse, Jean-Louis, Nanette-Louise, Rene, Jacques etc Ive come across very few former slaves and fpoc using the surnames of their former owner. Melvin, EDHASA, 2006, 359 pages, (. Whereas names withAfrican, classical, or other unique origins were popular during enslavement, --- often continuingfrom one generation to the next and creating a distinctive nomenclature unlike that of southern whites -- free black peopleoften used more traditionally Anglicized versions of their first names. Enslaved people resisted in ways large and small. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one" New surnames were created from a local regions name such as Smithfield the name taken might be Smith or Field. This financial assistance was available to all Civil War veterans and their families. If we consider the diverse circumstances that the tragedy of slavery created, we can understand the reasons why. That alone can make if difficult to research an African- American family during those years. Each name was a clue to her origins. James: (M) (Latin origin) means "heel" or "supplanter". Just from the detail in your first comment, I knew there was a good chance you were already familiar with those authors. Q. In 1836, William Turbeville died leaving an estate with several slaves who were brothers: Turner, Nelson, Simon, Jordan, and Jacob. I belonged to him until emancipation. 19. 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. Currently, the most popular Black last name in America is Williams, with a total count of 774,920 people who have the surname. 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) For more information about the records covered in this index, please contact the History and Genealogy Department. This lifelong quest has helped me to better know my familys past. 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. Join me as I present this NEW webinar that covers why we miss our ancestors in these records and presents numerous strategies to assist in finding every clue in census records. I belonged to him until emancipation. 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. Renate, Brief, but stimulating and thoughtful for students coming new to the subject. Thanks for adding your very experienced voice to the conversation. Wood were recorded as slave. No, I dont know to whom she belonged before she was brought from Virginia to Kentucky. 26 September 2021 [PAST EVENT]: Acclaimed genealogist Melvin Collier and I will be presenting an all-new 2-hour lecture titled More Than Just Names: Incorporating Social and Community History Into Your Research from 1:00-3:30 EST (please note it is Eastern Standard Time). 6. He took his last enslaver surname. Alfred "Teen" Blackburn (1842-1951), one of the last living survivors of slavery in the United States who had a clear recollection of it. I hope you dont mind my sharing those posts. 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. At your request I have finally made available for viewing past popular webinars! Gerald, however, is a Germanic name meaning ruler) 2. -Winston Churchill, "The great gift of family life is to be intimately acquainted with people you might never ever introduce yourself to had life not done it for you." Where did you get the maiden name of Smith from? After emancipation, he became William Smith. It can be a difficult path, but just might be reachable. . 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. Fortunately, the French and Latin were excellent record keepers and the Catholics were obsessed with knowing the kinship of everyone. Newly emancipated slaves also frequently chose new first names, discarding those associated with slavery. ", "The great gift of family life is to be intimately acquainted with people you might never ever introduce yourself to had life not done it for you. CLARKE - The name comes from 'clerk, a clergyman, a scholar, one who can read and write' and is most prevalent in England, where some 89,337 people are recorded with this surname. A krio from.Freetown Sierra Leone. The highest percentage of African names was found among male slaves in the eighteenth century, when . 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). The second hour is hands-on, and I want you to bring the deeds you've found along with your questions. Q. This lively Old Testament nature name (belonging to one of the three beautiful daughters of Job) may be missing from the current US Top 1000 list, but it ranks highly here on Nameberry making it one to watch! 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 So just a few things to be aware of when researching any African-American ancestors. I truly believe they used surnames of each of their former owners for some of their childrens middle names. Can you steer me in the right direction? The slave schedules of 1860 Arkansas do not give the names of the slaves. Pinckney, Randolph, and Rutledgeappear only incidentally among any list of modern Black peoples names. Minerva is the long-neglected name of the Roman goddess of wisdom and invention, the arts and martial strength, one of the. In the early years, especially between the 1860 and 1880s, families even changed a surname several times until they settled on a certain one. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Expand or collapse the "in this article" section, Slave Names and Naming in the Anglophone Atlantic, Slave Names on Emancipation and after Slavery, Expand or collapse the "related articles" section, Expand or collapse the "forthcoming articles" section, African Retailers and Small Artisans in the Atlantic World, Alexander von Humboldt and Transatlantic Studies, Atlantic New Orleans: 18th and 19th Centuries, Black Atlantic in the Age of Revolutions, The, Chinese Indentured Servitude in the Atlantic World, Cities and Urbanization in Portuguese America, Colonial Governance in the Atlantic World, Comparative Indigenous History of the Americas, Criminal Transportation in the Atlantic World, Domestic Production and Consumption in the Atlantic World, Economy and Consumption in the Atlantic World. Another slave named Bill who attended the sheep became Bill Shepherd. -George Burns, "Where does the family start? Lastly,emancipation itself often provoked many to choose new surnames, one of the few actual freedoms freedmen had. I was only three years old when she died. Q. And my goodness, how kind of you to suggest a TED talk, maybe one of these days;) Genealogys pull is what initially pulled me into studying slavery, and also introduced me to the new understanding that historians are uncovering. 3. See footnotes for source information. The surname issue really presents huge challenges for those of us doign this research, but you soulnd as though you are making headway. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Emphasizes the giving and repeated use of names as a performative act of domination. Edited by Gabriele vom Bruck and Barbara Bodenhorn, 178-199. I was called mostly Lewis Smith till after the war, although I was named Dick Lewis Smith After the War, I was wearing the name Lewis Smith, but I found the negroes were taking the names of their fathers, like the white folks. I hope this post also helps us to think about how the surnames former slaves had were connected to their experiences in slavery. ", "If you can't get rid of the skeleton in your closet, you might as well make it dance! It is certainly possible that Wilsons siblings could have been sold away or owned by others. 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. In another case Sukey Ann and he 4 children were manumitted by their Ashby owner with only their first names. Derived from the word anull that is the Catalan language dominantly used in southern France, Anouilh means 'slow worm'. Thanks LaBrenda! 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. Some of the most common or popular last names in the 1800s included Robinson, Clark, and Smith. Best of luck to you, 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. Phone: 314-994-3300, Hours & Locations Comments/Suggestions314-994-3300, Copyright 2023. Ones occupation also set the naming method, such as Sheperd, Cooper, or Smith. Thank you so much for your kind words. Allard. One former slave Bill Scott from Wessyngton reported in his pension application for military service that when he enlisted in the Union Army officials put down his surname as Washington. If the former slave had been befriended or assisted in getting established after the Civil War, they might have taken that persons name. My Vimeo ON Demand video page lists six videos you can choose from to watch for 3 months ($15 each): -Finding the Last Slaveowner: Guidance and Case Studies, -Cluster Research: Using Groups of People to Find Your People, -Using Deed Records to Uncover Your Family, -Putting it All Together: Making Sense of All the Research You've Done and, -More Than Just a Name: Incorporating Social and Community History Into Your Research. For him, this meant claiming his new identity as a freedman and a citizen. Benson 2006 is one of the few general discussions of slave names. Another common way of distinguishing people would be 'son of', for example Johnson (son of John), Richardson, Wilson, Harrison etc. "Albumen print of enslaved women and their children near Alexandria, Virginia." College, Advanced AA Gen Class, September 2011, AAHGS Annual Genealogy Conference, November 2008, Howard Comm. 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. Robyn. Former slaves also interchanged surnames on census records. In small communities when slaves were sold, they were often bought by someone in the area. One thing I envy about the Catholic church is the baptisms available for even the enslaved people there. . . CAs Push to Restore Voting Rights to System-Impacted Individuals Still in Custody, Eli Lilly to Cap Out-of-Pocket Insulin Costs, Asm. They called me "OCK". . In 1870, he is listed as John Washington. Famous name bearers: many King Louis of France, Sandra Bullock's son and actor Louis Partridge. Another myth is once African Americans were sold they never saw their families again. John C. Inscoe, "Carolina Slave Names: An Index to Acculturation," Journal of Southern History 59 (November 1983). Florence, Fiorella, Fleur, and Flower are translations, but we like Flora best of all. Samuel had only two slaves: the man that could be Wilson and a 42-year-old woman. 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. I dont know what became of his parents. 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 Cook Cook has an Old English origin, and it means 'one who cooks' or 'one who sold cooked meat'. . Our headquarters are located at: 89 South Street, Suite 401, Boston, MA 02111. Another interesting fact is that Creole surname use also evolved over time and varied from record to record with the same person. This may reveal your family used the surname of the slave owners wifes family. Garcia (The Spanish form of Gerald, Garcia would be the son of Gerald. But once freed most immediately chose surnames, with or without keeping their accustomed name. Robyn. 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. CLICK HERE TO SAVE YOUR SEAT! The names that were brought together to form "Geffery" were "Gaufrid" (territory-peace), "Godafrid" (god-peace), and "Galfridus" (song-peace). But there was also the detective Nero Wolfe, hero of many mystery stories. 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. Remember me. 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. Bradley was the last man owned em. An accessible introduction to the field. This page is currently showing names ranked from 1 to 1000. how the surnames former slaves had were connected to their experiences in slavery. It is these single names that have been most often studied. I did a post sometime ago about Slavery Studies, where I named some of the top books on the subject. Robyn N. Smith, [insert post title], Reclaiming Kin (https://reclaimingkin.com: accessed [insert date you read the post]), [insert the date the post was written]. Q. Since those are the countries from which many of America's original settlers came, it's hardly surprising. This article is from the Encyclopedia of North Carolina edited by William S. Powell. Until recently, scholarly consensus was that early African American names did not differ significantly from those of white Americans. By examining periods of violence during the Reconstruction era, students learn about the potential backlash to political and social change. They are held at The National Archives (Kew, England). Q. Place names that were disproportionately popular among Black Americans in history include Boston, Jamaica, York, and Africa. Places; Login. 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. 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. Copyright 2006 by the University of North Carolina Press. These people are referred to as slaves, or as enslaved people. Im very familiar with the work of Gwendolyn Hall and Elizabeth Shown Mills. And now that it's been chosen by Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale, it could take off as their first son's nameKingstonhas. 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. Hi Rodney, The practice was common until its abolition in 1865 with the end of the Civil War and the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution.. For the time being, we are using this as the Slavery Plantation umbrella or portal. Enslaved people remained legally nameless from the time of their capture until their purchase by American enslavers. Some of them developed a long-term relationship with one of the female slaves. They called me OCK. See flier for details; cost of this event is $25. When slave owners married, they often received slaves as wedding gifts and inheritances from their wifes family. I make extensive use of tables for organization, analysis and citation in my research, and they have proven very popular with genealogists. How lucky you were to find that Freedmans Bank document! Thank you. 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. 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? Eugene D. Genovese, Roll, Jordan, Roll: The World the Slaves Made (1974). Daniel Odgen, Magic, Witchcraft, and Ghosts In The Greek and Roman Worlds, p. 119, Laurence Vidal, Los Amantes de Granada, Ed. Davis: This name is a patronymic of David. 5. "Slave revolts in Puerto Rico: conspiracies and uprisings, 17951873"; by: Guillermo A. Baralt; Markus Wiener Publishers; harvnb error: no target: CITEREFAssociation_of_Muslim_Social_ScientistsInternational_Institute_of_Islamic_Thought2008 (, sfnm error: no target: CITEREFSmith2001 (, sfnm error: no target: CITEREFWhite2016 (, sfn error: no target: CITEREFBrands2012 (, sfnm error: no target: CITEREFMcFeely1981 (, Last edited on 22 February 2023, at 03:19, sued her master for her freedom on that ground, United States Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, Diego Pacheco Tllez-Girn Gmez de Sandoval, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, South Carolina's 5th congressional district, List of the last surviving American slaves, Timeline of abolition of slavery and serfdom, Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, National Museum of African American History and Culture, "What is the divine purpose for sending prophets? 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. Letter to Armistead Burt of September 1, 1831, sfn error: no target: CITEREFCalhoun1837 (. The fifty most common Victorian surnames in England and Wales for 1853 are listed in alphabetical order below. Toussaint Louverture (1743-1803), a former slave, he enslaved a dozen people himself before becoming a general and a leader of the Haitian Revolution. The difficulties include using records that provide no surnames, the constant sale and breakup of families, and the lack of identification of fathers. All of them are alive in this moment. Thanks for writing this post! 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. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Dick Lewis Barnett and Phillip Fry were African American veterans of the Union Army during the Civil War. I am not able to find any slaveholders in the Versailes area by the name of Ellis. Who called you by that name and where was it done? Most common last names names: 1-1000 | 1001-2000 | 2001-3000 | 3001-4000 | 4001-5000 Well, Ive gone off on a tangent again;) But thank you again for writing and thank you for the cemetery work (especially trying to include African-Americans you are doing that will be of benefit to others. 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. Archambeau. In Greek mythology, Daphne was the nymph daughter of Peneus, a river god. I was only three years old when she died.