How did last names originate?
Last names started as a way to separate one “John” from another “John.” European last names had many sources. However, they can be put into four groups: patronymic, locative, occupational or status, and nicknames. The first surnames were quite simple.
Why do Scottish surnames start with MC?
Scottish and Irish patronymic surnames frequently have the prefix Mac or Mc. When these surnames were originally developed, they were formed by adding the Gaelic word mac, which means son of, to the name of the original bearer’s father. For example, the surname MacDougall literally means son of Dougal.
What does Fitz MEAN IN A name?
son of
The prefix Fitz as in Fitzwalter (from French fils and Latin filius) is a patronymic meaning ‘son of. ‘ The connotation of illegitimacy was introduced by Charles II who named one of his bastards Fitzroy, (‘son of the king’), and Fitzclarence was an illegitimate son of the Duke of Clarence, later William IV.
What does Von mean in last names?
of or from
The term von ([fɔn]) is used in German language surnames either as a nobiliary particle indicating a noble patrilineality, or as a simple preposition used by commoners that means of or from. Nobility directories like the Almanach de Gotha often abbreviate the noble term von to v.
Is Mc or Mac Irish?
Strictly speaking, there is no difference between Mac and Mc. The contraction from Mac to Mc has occurred more in Ireland than in Scotland, with two out of three Mc surnames originating in Ireland, but two out of three Mac surnames originating in Scotland.
What is the female equivalent of Fitz?
My Googling hasn’t been productive except to confirm that it’s an abbreviation of Latin ‘filius’, the feminine form of which would be ‘filia’.
What is the O in Irish surnames?
It is derived from the Gaelic word “ua,” also abbreviated as uí or Ó, meaning “grandson of.” Thus any name beginning with O’ is without question an Irish patronymic. The O’ surnames began as early as the 11th century in Ireland, much earlier than the Mc/Mac surnames.
What does van De mean in Dutch?
Van is also a preposition in the Dutch and Afrikaans languages, meaning “of” or “from” depending on the context (similar to da, de and di in the Romance languages).