The Origins of English Surnames: The Story of Who We Were, by Joslin Fiennes
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The Origins of English Surnames: The Story of Who We Were, by Joslin Fiennes
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Surnames carry the history of people in a very personal way. In England, surnames were mostly established by the end of the 14th century—by ordinary people, for ordinary people. Uniquely, surnames describe medieval lives not captured by any other record. They tell us what these people did, where they went, and what they noticed, and give clues about their culture and memories. This book examines the origins of English surnames, looking at occupational names; locational names, or names that record places; nicknames and personal names; names from the Continent; and symbolic names. Where genealogists and etymologists focus on single names, this book takes groups of names and explores what these say about the society that created them. In The Origins of English Surnames, you will find the English people at a key moment in history, revealing the way they spoke, the jokes they made, and their memories of ancient cultures—all at a time when land-based feudalism was crumbling and people sought better lives.
The Origins of English Surnames: The Story of Who We Were, by Joslin Fiennes- Amazon Sales Rank: #1619185 in Books
- Published on: 2015-11-01
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 9.30" h x 1.10" w x 6.10" l, 1.15 pounds
- Binding: Hardcover
- 208 pages
Review 'A rich story in every surname is waiting in the latest book to come from Dartmouth author Joslin Fiennes.' ... 'make up a picture of ordinary medieval life' Dartmouth Chronicle 'it is an enthralling examination of the hidden patterns in surnames, which will make you look at the names on your family tree in an exciting new light.' Family Tree
About the Author Joslin Fiennes has an academic background in languages and economics, both of which inspired the idea of this book. She worked initially as a freelance writer in Africa before moving to the United States and becoming an economist, working on countries in Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. Since returning to the UK, Joslin has been a magistrate and school governor.
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0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A fascinating examination of the origins of English surnames: rigorous scholarship and a rewarding read. By Amazon Customer It is an extraordinary fact that most current English surnames emerged during the years 1250-1400. Spellings have often changed, but their modern forms all link back to those medieval origins. Furthermore, all such names had meaning and, thus, social significance. Tracing the origin of present-day surnames can therefore show how our names have evolved and suggest the reasons why they were first attributed. In doing so, Joslin Fiennes, in this remarkable book, reveals rich insights into a fascinating period of English social history.It seems obvious to ask why it was that this particular period accounted for so many new names and that, at least in the English tradition, relatively few appeared later. We learn that after the Conquest, the rich Anglo-Saxon variety of first names faded, to be replaced by a relatively small bunch of Norman names - John, William, Robert, Richard, Geoffrey, Thomas - that were increasingly adopted by a large proportion of English people. With so many Johns, Williams and the rest, additional names became needed to distinguish individuals from each other. Also, the growing custom of inheritance and the shift of workers from the land into trades of various kinds, provided new legal and reputational incentives for children to be able to prove their lineage. Inheritable surnames became a key part of this process, thereby ensuring that the need for new surnames would fall away within a few generations.The names chosen by people (or, often, by others on their behalf) reflected important aspects of themselves and their lives - occupations, physical characteristics, the places where they lived and what they were like as individuals. The origins of over 1300 surnames are mentioned in the book, but the key to the author's method, and to our enjoyment of the book, lies in its discussion of names grouped together in the above ways.Because these naming conventions were so general, it is unsurprising that names such as Smith and Taylor, Brown and White (reflecting particular occupations and complexion or hair colour, respectively) were widely used across the country. Equally, people often adopted the names of the families whom they served, or of whom they were tenants. Apprentices would often take the names of their masters. Accordingly, most common names, and many less common ones too, cannot be traced back to a particular individual family of origin.Nevertheless, the author shows how the frequency of occupational names - Ushers, Sargents, Butlers, Marshalls, Hawkes, Falconers and the rest - tell their own story of the feudal system and of the ways in which it was changing during the fourteenth century. Most people were still based on the land, so the names recording rural landscape - Woods, Rivers, Weirs,etc - are particularly rich, as are those deriving from animals and birds and methods of rural husbandry. Names reveal respect for the saints, but also a growing cynicism about the institution of the church and the hypocrisy of its senior figures. They testify to the humour of people in ascribing nicknames to those whom they like and to those they disrespect.They reveal people's values, their aspirations and their fears. They demonstrate the remaining power of myth in medieval England, but also the growing seeds of criticism and revolt in a peasant society receiving rough justice at the hands of the nobility, the state and the church.Joslin Fiennes' book provides a highly original commentary on the meaning and origins of English names, together with substantial insights about the lives of ordinary people in medieval England. It will be of great interest both to those wanting to explore the meaning of particular surnames and to those with a broader interest in these aspects of social or medieval history. The book is beautifully written and wears lightly the meticulous scholarship on which it is based. It deserves to be very widely read.Christopher Colclough25 November 2015
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