ROCK COUNTY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
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SURNAME MEANINGS & ORIGINS

Links for Discovering the Meaning and Origin of Your Last Name
Use these carefully selected links to explore your first and last names

How did the Use of Last Names (Surnames) Arise?
The use of last names (surnames) began about 800 years ago when commerce and technology allowed for small hamlets to grow into villages and eventually cities. Once there was more than one Thomas, Frederick, Francois or Dimitri who lived near one another, surnames were added denoting various things:
  • lineage (Anderson, Larsdotter, MacDonald, Fitzpatrick),
  • occupation (Baker, Miller, Wheelwright, Cooper, Schumacher),
  • appearance or characteristics (Small, Young, Goodsinger),
  • location (Fields, Waters, Hill, von Furst)
For help learning the meaning of a surname try these links:
  • How to Find the Origins of Last Names (WikiHow)
  • Discover the Meaning & History behind your Last Name (Ancestry.com)
  • Search Meanings of Last or First Names (Baby Names)
  • What does your name mean? (the Surname Data Base)














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  • Home
  • Good Stuff
    • Society Info >
      • Join RCGS
      • Member Benefits
      • Events & Speakers
      • Meeting Times
      • Volunteer
      • Research Help
      • Buy Publications
      • Shop Amazon & Support RCGS
    • Free Public Content >
      • Submit a Query
      • Atlases & Maps
      • Directories
      • Online Indexes
      • HISTORIC PHOTOS
      • RCGS Library Indexes
      • RCGS Newsletters
      • Stateline Resources
      • Genealogy Software
      • Search 50+ Hist. Books
    • Members-Only Content >
      • About Passwords
      • Research Jump-Start
      • Submit a Query
      • Exclusive Rock Indexes
      • Every Name Index to RCGS Newsletters
      • Past Speakers' Webinar Videos >
        • Tech-Help for Telling Your Family Story
    • Research Links >
      • Rock Co. Links
      • More Rock Links
      • 75 Free Links
      • 80 Freebies
    • Free Webinars
    • Family Stories
    • Tutorials
    • Beginner's Area
    • Search RCGS Site
  • Research Help
  • About
  • Contact
  • Store