Location via proxy:   [ UP ]  
[Report a bug]   [Manage cookies]                
Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 44 views

    History of Surnames

    Uploaded by

    YO Batia Bii
    The earliest recorded use of surnames originated in China around 5,000 years ago, where surnames were initially matrilineal and inherited from the mother before becoming patrilineal and inherited from the father. During the Roman Empire, individuals typically had three to four names including a praenomen as a first name, nomen indicating their gens or clan, cognomen as a family name, and sometimes an agnomen as a nickname. As the Roman Empire declined and was replaced by European kingdoms in the Middle Ages, surnames re-emerged and most Europeans began using surnames between the 10th and 16th centuries that were often derived from fathers, occupations, or places of origin.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    History of Surnames

    Uploaded by

    YO Batia Bii
    44 views3 pages
    The earliest recorded use of surnames originated in China around 5,000 years ago, where surnames were initially matrilineal and inherited from the mother before becoming patrilineal and inherited from the father. During the Roman Empire, individuals typically had three to four names including a praenomen as a first name, nomen indicating their gens or clan, cognomen as a family name, and sometimes an agnomen as a nickname. As the Roman Empire declined and was replaced by European kingdoms in the Middle Ages, surnames re-emerged and most Europeans began using surnames between the 10th and 16th centuries that were often derived from fathers, occupations, or places of origin.

    Original Title

    HISTORY_OF_SURNAMES

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    The earliest recorded use of surnames originated in China around 5,000 years ago, where surnames were initially matrilineal and inherited from the mother before becoming patrilineal and inherited from the father. During the Roman Empire, individuals typically had three to four names including a praenomen as a first name, nomen indicating their gens or clan, cognomen as a family name, and sometimes an agnomen as a nickname. As the Roman Empire declined and was replaced by European kingdoms in the Middle Ages, surnames re-emerged and most Europeans began using surnames between the 10th and 16th centuries that were often derived from fathers, occupations, or places of origin.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    44 views3 pages

    History of Surnames

    Uploaded by

    YO Batia Bii
    The earliest recorded use of surnames originated in China around 5,000 years ago, where surnames were initially matrilineal and inherited from the mother before becoming patrilineal and inherited from the father. During the Roman Empire, individuals typically had three to four names including a praenomen as a first name, nomen indicating their gens or clan, cognomen as a family name, and sometimes an agnomen as a nickname. As the Roman Empire declined and was replaced by European kingdoms in the Middle Ages, surnames re-emerged and most Europeans began using surnames between the 10th and 16th centuries that were often derived from fathers, occupations, or places of origin.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    You are on page 1of 3

    The most old known history about surnames come from China, 5 000 years ago.

    First, the surnames


    were inherited from the mothers. They called it "matronic”. Later, surnames were inherited from
    fathers also called “patrinomics”.

    During roman’s history period, they used to given 3 to 4 names:

    - Praenomen = first or given name;


    - Nomen = name of the gens or clan;
    - Cognomen = Name of the family;
    - Agnomen = Nickname.

    Example: Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus (236 -183 BC)

    At the middle age, Roman Empire was weakened and replaced by kingdoms in Europe. They abandoned
    surnames and most of people had just "names". But the population of Europe was growing and it
    became necessary to identify people more accurately. Therefore, surnames reappeared. So, most of
    Europeans began to use surname between 10 and 16 century. Most of Europeans surnames are linked
    to fathers, the social class, people job, where people come from…Example:

    - JOHNSON – Son of John;


    - Smith;
    - Bridge;
    - Du Pont --- Bridge in French;
    - River;
    - De Gaulle ---- From Gaulle.

    WHAT ABOUT AFRICA?


    According to “bantou philosophy “, there were 2 to 3 manners to identify someone.

    The most important name called “Dijina dya munda” or the interior name, the life name. This name is
    chosen from ancestors’ names… sometime in the same family some brothers can have the same “Dijina
    dya munda”. It is spiritual name. THIS NAME can’t be LOSTEN!

    A second name could be given after following a ritual for an initiation. This name symbolizes an
    increases’ of power.

    Thirdly, there were “dijina dya kwinika bitu” a kind of nickname. This name can be changed or losten.

    It is perhaps easy to choose a given name from these free


    names but it won’t easy to choose a father or surname.

    You might also like