The idea was for the children to enter the inhumane system of slavery protected by a sense of Selfhood and history. Where did you get the maiden name of Smith from? College, Advanced AA Gen. Class, September 2009, Alice, Robyn and Lajoye, CM AAHGS, September 2017, Robyn and Andrea, NGS Conference, May 2014. Table 7. Who called you by that name and where was it done? One of the less well known aspects of the history of slavery is how many and how often non-whites owned and traded slaves in early America. Phillis Wheatley (May 8, 1753 - December 5, 1784) Source = Wikimedia. A. I was first called by that name in the family of Col. Morrow in whose service I was in Louisville, Ky., just after the war. Even worse, during this period, many African Americanssome using surnames for the very first timechanged their surnames once or even several times. I am an engineer by day, but my true passion lies in genealogy. . ", "Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city;)", "Where does the family start? My Louisiana Creole ancestors who were free persons of color and former slaves practiced a unique naming tradition I think comes from Latin cultures. Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts South Atlantic Creole Archipelagos In Greek mythology, Athena is the name of the daughter of Zeus who was the goddess of wisdom, warfare, handicrafts, mathematics, and courage, among others. Thats a goal that I am working towards. that lists the slaves along with their surnames. A favorite of British novelists including Evelyn Waugh and P. G. Wodehouse, Ambrose has an air of blooming well-being and upper-class erudition. If the name is spelled Rodrigues, the name is Portuguese but has the same meaning) 3. This database is a compilation of information on over four thousand slaves from Louisiana who were involved in manumission (the formal emancipation from slavery) between 1719 and 1820. The top 5 most common Hispanic last names from the 1920s are: 1. Q. Each is present in your body. Youll often see the word degraded used in the academic references; these were all attempts at degradation. I have found only one very rare example of a slaveholders inventory, that lists the slaves along with their surnames. CAs Push to Restore Voting Rights to System-Impacted Individuals Still in Custody, Eli Lilly to Cap Out-of-Pocket Insulin Costs, Asm. And now that it's been chosen by Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale, it could take off as their first son's nameKingstonhas. 1412 S. Spoede Rd., St. Louis, MO 63131-2557. please contact the History and Genealogy Department. Available from https://nmaahc.si.edu/object/nmaahc_2014.174.8?destination=/explore/collection/search%3Fedan_q%3Denslaved%26edan_fq%255B0%255D%3Dobject_type%253A%2522Photographs%2522 (accessed May 6, 2022). See flier for details; cost of this event is $25. Of course my mother wasnt a Bradley fore she married. Students consider what it means to be free by learning about the choices and aspirations of freedpeople immediately after Emancipation. I truly believe they used surnames of each of their former owners for some of their childrens middle names. I hope this post also helps us to think about how the surnames former slaves had were connected to their experiences in slavery. Corbin Corbin has an Old English origin. Samuel had only two slaves: the man that could be Wilson and a 42-year-old woman. Others who wanted no connection to their former owners used surnames like Freeman or Freedman. Harriet Tubman and some of the slaves she helped free. Thanks for this very thoughtful article. 77th U.S. Col Inf and Co. D. U.S. Col H Art under the name Lewis Smith which was the name I wore before the days of slavery were over. Louisiana, U.S., Slave Manumission Records, 1719-1820. Join my mailing list below to learn about upcoming webinars. Enslaved people often transferred such names to later generations in modified form or relied on African naming traditions, such as "day names" or names reflecting the order of birth among siblings. Smithsonian Institution. Hi Rodney, This event is $20. Extensive records of slaveholding over several generations exist for a number of North Carolina plantations, most notably the Skinner and Hayes plantations in Chowan County; Pettigrew plantations in Tyrrell, Washington, and Wake Counties; Bennehan-Cameron plantation in Orange County; Hargrove plantation in Granville County; Arrington plantations in Nash and Edgecombe Counties; Avery plantation in Burke County; and Lenoir plantation in Caldwell County. 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. 1760-1810 Persons declared to be "white by law" or "free" (part 1), (part 2) at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library. Thank you so much for your kind words. Davis: This name is a patronymic of David. Search 31 million family names. 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. Tell me the name you were called before you met Phillip Fry? . I love that your example shows two brothers, who came to different conclusions about their surnames. Names of prominent slaveholderse.g. However, the enslaved occasionally had surnames, which became normal leading up to and after emancipation as a mark of assimilation into free society. 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. The private name served as a form of Selfhood Armor (you cant take all of me, White man!); gave them a sense of power over their captors; and provided their children with a sense of heritage and pride. After emancipation, he became William Smith. Thus, the patronymic surname can be effectively regarded as "keeper of the peace." This phenomenon is not unheard of with African American surnames. Cook Cook has an Old English origin, and it means 'one who cooks' or 'one who sold cooked meat'. Of the 972 names of male Slaves recorded between 1619 and 1799 the leading ones were Jack, Tom, Harry, Sam, Will, Caesar, Dick, John, Robin, Frank, Charles, Joe and Prince. In 2001, I began a process of transcribing names of some of the largest slaveholders and matching the surnames with numbers of African Americans on the 1870 . Abel, the name of Adam and Eve's unfortunate younger son, compensates with positive connotations: capable, competent, ready and willing. There are many factors to consider in determining what surnames African Americans used. The battle was long and hard-fought, with pro-slavery campaigners arguing that the slave trade was important for the British economy and claiming that enslaved Africans were happy and well-treated. Im jealous;) The common names there (Marie, Louise, etc) would test anyones genealogical skills, so I take my hat off to you. 42. My maternal grandmother was an Auber. 2023 The Voice of the Black Community in California. Abebe: The genesis of this Ethiopian name is Amharic, and it means 'flower' or 'blossom'. A great and timely article. Wheatley was traded into slavery at the age of 7 or 8 and imported to North America. One ancestor was known as Baber Masse, Elizabeth SENET and Elisabeth Leveille in different documents. Also, the government seemed to be in a almighty hurry to have us get names. 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. 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. 44. The three databases below provide details of 36,000 trans-Atlantic slave voyages, 10,000 intra-American ventures, names and personal information. In ancient history, Lysander was the name of an esteemed Spartan naval commander and his literary cred comes from one of the two star-struck young men in Shakespeare's. Through a video-based activity, students examine Americas struggle for a stronger democracy during Reconstruction and today. It was after emancipation on that I went back to work for Col. Morrow and where I got the name Lottie, as already explained. Thanks for all you to do keeps us all so enlightened! 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 Ones occupation also set the naming method, such as Sheperd, Cooper, or Smith. Slavery. In these cases, unless the name change had been passed down in the family by oral history, it would be impossible to trace the family back any further. "Injurious Names: Naming, Disavowal, and Recuperation in Contexts of Slavery and Emancipation." In The Anthropology of Names and Naming. Analyzing Creole names, especially those of African origin, demands a combination of historical and linguistic expertise that has not yet been systematically applied to slave names. What remains utterly amazing to me is that in the worst of circumstances, and in spite of every attempt to crush any idea that slaves were anything other than commodities, slaveholders did not succeed. common last names for slaves in the 1800s. Q. Even many given names of ancestors eventually became a surname, such as Todd or William. New surnames were created from a local regions name such as Smithfield the name taken might be Smith or Field. The name of the tragic mythological Trojan princess who was given the gift of prophecy by Apollo, but was condemned never to be believed, Cassandra has been used for striking characters in movies and soap operas. The following is a list of historical people who were enslaved at some point during their lives, in alphabetical order by first name. Copy this link, or click below to email it to a friend. These require Microsoft Word and a Windows platform. 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. In fact, it's not even past." EDHASA, 2006, 359 pages, (. . You already know the rich historical terrain of FPOC in Louisiana, what terrific grounds for family research. My full name is Dick Lewis Barnett. Delva All children of a female slave were automatically slaves, considered as belonging to the owner of the mother. However, the common practice by slaveholders was to only use the given names of enslaved people in documents such as estate papers, court and deed records. Part of what drives me in this research, I think, is the feeling that I am reclaiming their stories, their names, and their very being, even if what I uncover is just a tiny bit. I liked the name better than Octavia, and so I took it with me to Danville, and was never called anything else there than that name. 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. Unique Surnames to Grenada. As a result, many slaves used the surnames of their owners wifes family. A. Lottie Smith was my name and what they called me before I met Phillip and was married to him. Start your year off with tips and strategies that can help you in the new year & beyond. There are 15 tables, blank and editable for you to populate, as well as samples of using each. In freedom, Jean-Louis was known as Louis SEM or Louis FUSELIER until finally using SAM. When Wessyngtons owner George A. Washington married Margaret Lewis in 1849 her father gave the couple twenty-nine slaves. 42. A. Mr. Thomas Jefferson of Louisville, bought me when I was three years of age from Mr. Dearing. St. Louis County Library. "While African-American genealogical research in many ways is like all genealogical research, the era of slavery makes the task especially challenging. Former slaves often made up surnames based on their occupations. [15] Alice Clifton (c. 1772-unknown), as an enslaved teenager, she was a defendant in an infanticide trial in 1787. 2019 (cited under the Anglophone Caribbean) includes a good general introduction to slave naming. It means 'raven'. Florence, Fiorella, Fleur, and Flower are translations, but we like Flora best of all. Mary Deborah Petite, "1836 Facts about the Alamo and the Texas War for Independence". Data from the 2010 Census tells a different story. She served that family for a long time, perhaps more clues to her past lie in his family roots. The first published African-American poet & author Phillis Wheatley was born in West Africa. My great great grandfather in Mississippi took the surname of the previous SC enslaver, whose widow sold him away. Robyn, youve done it again! I want.to.know.where we (who are.descendants.of.freed.people.who.got sent.back.to Sierra Leone.from.maybe Nova Scotia.) Some of the most common or popular last names in the 1800s included Robinson, Clark, and Smith. Other common surnames included Jones, Matthews, Sinclair, and Bennett, Price, and Gray.. On the 30 rolls of NARA Microfilm Publication M1895, Slave Manifests of Coastwise Vessels Filed at New Orleans, Louisiana, 1807-1860 (30 rolls), are reproduced manifests filed with the collector of customs at New Orleans, Louisiana, of slaves transported in coastwise trade to or from New Orleans during the period 1807-1860. -George Burns, "Where does the family start? 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. LOTTIE had been the name of the nurse before me and so they just continued that same name. I am searching for information about a woman named Eliza Ellis, from Versailles KY or that area. I have done quite a bit of genealogy for my own family, and it was difficult enough, but what you are doing, is incredible work. I especially recommend Mother, Thy Name is Mystery! Hi Jann, This is due in part to officials imposing surnames on them based on their last owners. James) will have . By examining periods of violence during the Reconstruction era, students learn about the potential backlash to political and social change. Besides the Morrows, whom else did you live with in Louisville? . While Smith remains the most common U.S. surname, for the first time, two Hispanic namesGarcia and Rodriguezmade the top 10. 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. Several names have been added under the letter representing the person's last name. Thank you for your comment, Names and Naming, African Africans arriving in the American colonies and later the United States continued to give their children African names well into the nineteenth century. This is true in some cases but not all. One thing I envy about the Catholic church is the baptisms available for even the enslaved people there. This blog is where I share family history methods, resources, tips and advice, with an emphasis on slave research, slavery and its aftermath. 1. "More than half of the surnames are derived from the Christian or fore-name of the father," [1] and based on a total of 3,253,800 people, nearly 18 in every 100 persons was known by one of these fifty surnames. There are a wide array of sources that provide us with slave surnames, from the slave narratives and interviews, to freedmans bank cards, runaway ads and Southern Claims Commission records. Explore the most common surnames in England. Well, I got to thinking about all us slaves that was going to take the name Fitzpatrick. A. Archambeau. Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press. 20 August 2022, 1-3:30 pm [PAST EVENT], Eastern Standard Time: Join me for a two-hour lecture and workshop on Using Deed Records. The given name Athena was derived from the city name Athens, which is of uncertain origins. Harris: A patronymic meaning son of Harry. I also see that in 1900 she is listed as widow with 1 child living, so you may have luck trying to find out who her child was. Smith.). The same family may appear with different surnames in the 1870 and 1880 federal census records, and may appear in other records with either, both, or a third surname altogether. After emancipation, he became William Smith. Many Welsh surnames follow this pattern, with Jones (from 'John's son) being the most common. 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. 3.
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