common last names for slaves in the 1800s common last names for slaves in the 1800s

If the former slave had been befriended or assisted in getting established after the Civil War, they might have taken that person's name. Entre la construccin de la memoria y la ficcin histrica", "From Africa to India: Music of the Sidis and the Indian Ocean Diaspora (review)", "Mark and Phillis Executions, Burned at the Stake and Gibbeted in Puritan Massachusetts", "Letter from Paul Revere to Jeremy Belknap, circa 1798", "Re: Nancy Titsworth-1800-Livin - Genealogy.com", Association of Muslim Social Scientists & International Institute of Islamic Thought 2008, "Creolizing Natural Liberty: Transnational Obligation in the Thought of Ottobah Cugoano", "Madison and the White House, Through the Memoir of a Slave", "Black Slaves, Indian Masters: Slavery, Emancipation, and Citizenship in the Native American South, by Barbara Krauthamer (2013) Not Even Past", "Timeline of Missouri's African American History", "So Tom e Prncipe recorda o Rei Amador", "Black Christian Republicans: Delegates to the 1847 Liberian Constitutional Convention", "A Slave's Service in the Confederate Army", "Slavery and French Cuisine in Jefferson's Working White House", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_slaves&oldid=1140857860, This page was last edited on 22 February 2023, at 03:19. . These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. 5. In fact, the previous enslaver widow sold most of the slaves. As enslavement continued through the 1800s, African American culture included naming practices that were national in scope by the time of emancipation, and intimately related to the slave trade. One thing for sure, historians are always expanding our knowledge on this topic.BTW, I am a big fan of your website and your work in the field! Slavery's reach is still with us, and part of the gift of doing African-American genealogy is recovering the stories of those caught in its grasp who could not in their own time leave their own witness.". ", "Case Overview: Ann Williams, Ann Maria Williams, Tobias Williams, & John Williams v. George Miller & George Miller Jr", "Augustine Tolton: From slavery to being the first black priest", "Cornish (and Other) Personal Names from the 10th Century Bodmin Manumissions", "Gospel-book with added Cornish records of manumissions ('The Bodmin Gospels' or 'St Petroc Gospels')", "Following Brigid's Way The Irish Catholic", Charity Folks, Lost Royalty, and the Bishop Family of Maryland and New York, "The Untold Story of How an Escaped Slave Helped Sir Francis Drake Circumnavigate the Globe", "Slave's 400-year-old grave in Dutch Jewish cemetery now a Black pilgrimage site" by Cnaan Lipshiz, Times of Israel, 6 February 2021, Roman Theater and Society: E. Togo Salmon Papers I, "Professor Says He Has Solved a Mystery Over a Slave's Novel", "Day of history to unfold in Muthill museum", "Cornelius Tacitus, The History, Book I, chapter 13", "An Old Actor's Memories; What Mt. Search 30 million given names. In 1870, he is listed as John Washington. Thus, the patronymic surname can be effectively regarded as "keeper of the peace." This phenomenon is not unheard of with African American surnames. Newly emancipated slaves also frequently chose new first names, discarding those associated with slavery. Love you, This topic interests me greatly and Id like to do more research. No, I dont know to whom she belonged before she was brought from Virginia to Kentucky. And you get to tell the story of Jean-Louiss life in slavery and also in freedom. This lively Old Testament nature name (belonging to one of the three beautiful daughters of Job) may be missing from the current US Top 1000 list, but it ranks highly here on Nameberry making it one to watch! 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. Clark is a common surname of Anglo-Scottish origin. A great and timely article. My father once told me his grandfather ran away from the Carrington place and changed his name to Williams. Letter to James Edward Calhoun, August 27, 1831. Robyn. LOTTIE had been the name of the nurse before me and so they just continued that same name. Throughout the colonial period, as many as one-fifth of the enslaved people in North Carolina retained African names; Quash, Cuffee, Mingo, Sambo, Mustapha, and Sukey were among the most common recorded. Wesley is one of a group of W-starting surname names reminiscent of the Old West that are making a comeback -- though it's not as well used as it was in the 1970s, when he ranked as high as Number 66. A. Lottie Smith was my name and what they called me before I met Phillip and was married to him. Robyn. She was a Murphy.. -William Faulkner, "Call it a clan, call it a network, all it a tribe, call it a family. No superior alternative has yet been found." You are the continuation of each of these people." Like most of the architecture and towns in Italy, they can also tell a story. The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation: Stories of My Familys Journey to Freedom is proudly powered by WordPress Entries (RSS) and Comments (RSS). We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The most common of 603 names of female Slaves were Bet, Mary, Jane, Hanna, Betty, Sarah, Phillis, Nan, Peg, and Sary. He stated that he had always been known by his fathers surname Scott, even before he was freed. He took his last enslaver surname. Phillis Wheatley (May 8, 1753 - December 5, 1784) Source = Wikimedia. Q. But the bureau also compiled lists of the fastest-growing surnames in the United States and these include Zhang, Li, Ali, Liu, and Khan - a testament to the wonderful diversity of our nation. Famous name bearers: many King Louis of France, Sandra Bullock's son and actor Louis Partridge. Once the slaves were freed they found they did need another name besides a given name. St. Louis County Library. One former slave Bill Scott from Wessyngton reported in his pension application for military service that when he enlisted in the Union Army officials put down his surname as Washington. Label vector designed by Ibrandify - Freepik.com, 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. I was called by that name all the time I was with the Morrows. Accueil > > Avr > 18 > Uncategorized > common last names for slaves in the 1800s. Surnames. 2023 The Voice of the Black Community in California. 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. Thanks for writing this post! Thank you so much for your kind words. Turner was deeply religious,. Distinctively Black names were thought to have risen from the Civil Rights and Black Power Movements, which promoted the use of names with connections to Africa. A. Mr. Thomas Jefferson of Louisville, bought me when I was three years of age from Mr. Dearing. How did you ever come by the name of "Mollie"? Besides the Morrows, whom else did you live with in Louisville? Another interesting fact is that Creole surname use also evolved over time and varied from record to record with the same person. "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. Most Popular Names. The existence of those surnames in the area would help to verify, but also, you are fortunate to have the important oral history of that name change in the first place, since so many of us dont. The practice was common until its abolition in 1865 with the end of the Civil War and the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution.. For the time being, we are using this as the Slavery Plantation umbrella or portal. Emphasizes the giving and repeated use of names as a performative act of domination. I have been a researcher, writer, and lecturer for over twenty-five years. Smith.). That alone can make if difficult to research an African- American family during those years. I would still recommend all of these books, except the first one listed for obvious reasons. . Although enslavers often assigned names to newly acquired enslaved peoplethat were whimsical, satirical, or condescending in intent, the frequent appearance of classical names-Venus, Cato, Hercules, Bacchus, Pompey-reflect enslavers' own educations and libraries. Hello Kindest regards, Who called you by that name and where was it done? 6. This financial assistance was available to all Civil War veterans and their families. Although it is not widely known, some African Americans used surnames before they were emancipated. -Elbert Hubbard, "Families are like fudge; mostly sweet with a few nuts." Index by slave owner's name | Surname unknown or illegible. Toussaint Louverture (1743-1803), a former slave, he enslaved a dozen people himself before becoming a general and a leader of the Haitian Revolution. Ethereal and delicate, Cassandra was in the Top 70 throughout the 1990s but is now descending in popularity. Through a video-based activity, students examine Americas struggle for a stronger democracy during Reconstruction and today. Chapter 4 gives a brief and introductory outline of naming in the United States during slavery and its consequences in African American culture. They did so either to take on a surname for the first time, or to replace a name or surname given to them by a former master. 3. 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. Thomas Black Cobbs was owned by a small slave owner Catherine Black. My maiden surname is Williams. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW! 1. In order to receive their pensions decades later, these former soldiers and their family members had to demonstrate to the government that they were who they claimed to be. After emancipation, he became William Smith. Each is present in your body. .When I got home after the war, I was wearing the name of Lewis Smith, but I found that the negroes after freedom, were taking the names of their father like the white folks. My fathers name was Gilbert Jackson, and after I was set free I took the name of my father, and have been known by the name Smith Jackson. They cut it off from OCTAVIA. My great great grandfather in Mississippi took the surname of the previous SC enslaver, whose widow sold him away. They called me OCK. Copy this link, or click below to email it to a friend. Runaway ads illustrate how many slaveholders knew the surnames of their slaves. I dont know what became of his parents. Tell me the name you were called before you met Phillip Fry? Students consider how US history books, films, and other works of popular culture have misrepresented the history of the Reconstruction era. Minerva is the long-neglected name of the Roman goddess of wisdom and invention, the arts and martial strength, one of the. One thing I envy about the Catholic church is the baptisms available for even the enslaved people there. In many cases this is ignored and children use their fathers name! -George Burns, "Where does the family start? Bailey, Word Stories Surrounding African American Slavery. Most did not want to use their former owners surname, even through about 20% did use the slave owners name. Evie (F) (English origin) means "life" or "lively". Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts South Atlantic Creole Archipelagos I focused on surnames but many of these books also discuss first names. In 1836, William Turbeville died leaving an estate with several slaves who were brothers: Turner, Nelson, Simon, Jordan, and Jacob. 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. Davis: This name is a patronymic of David. Unfortunately, I am not knowledgeable enough about African and Caribbean research in the areas you name. This old French surname has Germanic origin, and means 'noble'. There are many factors to consider in determining what surnames African Americans used. Burton, Richard D.E. Names and Naming in Afro-Caribbean Culture. New West Indian Guide/Nieuwe West-Indische Gids 73 (1999): 3558. Start your year off with tips and strategies that can help you in the new year & beyond. You can also look up Charleston Manifests by Slave Owner These records are also available through the National Archives Catalog (National Archives Identifier 2767350). Beginning in the early nineteenth century, more biblical names were given to enslavedchildren, a reflection of the widespread attempts to Christianize enslaved communities. This event is $12. . Where did you get the maiden name of Smith from? In another case Sukey Ann and he 4 children were manumitted by their Ashby owner with only their first names. Following the emancipation of approximately 360,000 enslaved people in North Carolina, changes in African American names became indicative of a new value system and sense of self-identity among freedpeople. Former slaves often made up surnames based on their occupations. Phone: 314-994-3300, Hours & Locations Comments/Suggestions314-994-3300, Copyright 2023. Oxford Bibliographies Online is available by subscription and perpetual access to institutions. Even tiny steps are huge in someones life. CLICK HERE TO SAVE YOUR SEAT! Login Forgot . The 2000 U.S. Census counted 163,036 people with the surname Washington. Enslaved people suffered constant sale, where children were frequently torn away from parents at young ages and spouses were often separated. I would appreciate any constructive comments on this question, which can be posted to me via my website address above. i have no way to confirm this. I am generally called Cap Sherrod but I was married under Cap Ross and have voted under the name Ross, A good many people call me Cap Sherrod because I belonged to Sherrod but I calls myself Cap Ross.. College Advanced AA Gen. Class, November 2012, Robyn, Aaron, Karen, Katherine and Michael, October 2014, African-American Family History Conference, February 2015, African-American Genealogy Group Conference, October 2016, Central Maryland AAHGS, with Alice Harris, September 2015, Howard Comm. A. Slaves are identified by given name under their masters. CAs Push to Restore Voting Rights to System-Impacted Individuals Still in Custody, Eli Lilly to Cap Out-of-Pocket Insulin Costs, Asm. 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. The table below shows the most common last names with statistics on the heritage and ancestry of those with the surname. Therefore, a few of the most common first names of the time such as Mary (rank 815) and Sarah (1010) will appear in the list and surnames which correspond to personal names (e.g. Popular English baby names by decade - 1840s - 1990s 1840s 5 Robert - 53 Margaret - 47 The 1860s first saw the Rimmers' use of 1870s Boys Girls Total registered births - 1,944 1 John - 160 Mary - 151 The 1870s first saw the Rimmers' use of What was the first girl's name in the 1900s? Although it is not widely known, some African Americans used surnames before they were emancipated. Picked by several celebrities (a couple of times even for a girl), adding up to an enthusiastically recommended choice. Besides the Morrows, whom else did you live with in Louisville? Students examine how freed people in the United States sought to define freedom after Emancipation. I also meant to email you and tell you how I enjoyed your article in the last NGSQ. 1. It is not uncommon to see an African American family listed with one surname in 1870 and another in 1880. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. All rights reserved. Just from the detail in your first comment, I knew there was a good chance you were already familiar with those authors. Many names, whether African derived or English, refer to birth circumstances, including both the ubiquitous day-names, which derive from the West African Akan-Twi language group, and others such as birth order and time of birth (e.g., day of the week, month, or season). Just makes me sad for the human spirit that anyone, let alone hundreds of thousands of people could participate in it. . 782 Lists of Slave owners with names of slaves Tamme, 766 Tom, 766 West, 766 Will, 766 Barker, Nathaniel Harry, 591, 700, 746, 767 Barkley, Barbary Grace, 651 Testimony of Mollie Russell (widow of Phillip Fry), September 19, 1911: Q. Q. So I asked my mother and she told me my father John Barnett, a white man, and I took up the name of Barnett . With mythological names rising, the handsome son of Zeus and god of medicine, music, and poetry among many other things might offer an interesting, if high-pressure, option. Other common surnames included Jones, Matthews, Sinclair, and Bennett, Price, and Gray.. They reflect an acculturation process by which generations of enslaved people, increasingly removed from the direct influence of their first enslaved African ancestors, adopted the conventions of their enslavers, eventually creating a culture and value system all their own. Also included here are common names among slaves, many of which were classical and had ties to the Bible or mythology, such as Keziah and Venus. Im jealous;) The common names there (Marie, Louise, etc) would test anyones genealogical skills, so I take my hat off to you. For example, Roll, Jordan,Roll has an entire chapter called The Naming of Cats, discussing slave names and The Slave Community has a very good chapter called The Slave Family. Two other books I like are Been In The Storm So Long by Leon Litwick (pgs 247-248)and Joining PLaces: Slave Neighborhoods in the Old South by Anthony Kaye. I also have a Slavery and Freedom Collection available for $20. In the late 1830s, Nathaniel Terry of Todd County, Kentucky died leaving a plantation of fifty slaves. Wide-ranging survey of naming practices in the (mainly Anglophone) Atlantic world both during and after slavery. There are also a few problems with the original dataset in name transcription such that a small number of first names were transposed with last names. 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. However, the enslaved occasionally had surnames, which became normal leading up to and after emancipation as a mark of assimilation into free society. Enslaved women were raped, creating children with white fathers who in most cases did not claim them and even sold them away. See flier for details; cost of this event is $25. . If the name is spelled Rodrigues, the name is Portuguese but has the same meaning) 3. All children of a female slave were automatically slaves, considered as belonging to the owner of the mother. Also, the government seemed to be in a almighty hurry to have us get names. Many of the graves are unmarked or the markers have been damaged, but many descendents still live around here, so we hope to identify as many of the possible graves as we can. 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 Proving their identity as former soldiers often revealed some of the most detailed explanations for former slaves choice of surnames. by John C. Inscoe, 2006; Revised May 2022 by NC Government & Heritage Library. In the early years, especially between the 1860 and 1880s, families even changed a surname several times until they settled on a certain one. I worked for him as nurse for his children, and my full and correct name was OCTAVIA, but the family could not "catch on" to that long name and called me "LOTTIE" for short. And again, as a white Southerner whose ancesters were NOT slaveowners, your blog is helping me to understand the real and horrible legacy of the peculiar institution. Copyright 2006 by the University of North Carolina Press. The naming of slaves has not been treated in dedicated monographs, but it often figures in general accounts of plantation culture and the practices of enslavement. Whereas names withAfrican, classical, or other unique origins were popular during enslavement, --- often continuingfrom one generation to the next and creating a distinctive nomenclature unlike that of southern whites -- free black peopleoften used more traditionally Anglicized versions of their first names. Table 7. 2. "Albumen print of enslaved women and their children near Alexandria, Virginia." After emancipation, he became William Smith. For more information about the records covered in this index,please contact the History and Genealogy Department. Of course my mother wasnt a Bradley fore she married. I find it interesting that they often used the strange phrase he calls himself in the ads, as if having a given name and a surname was silly: Ran away from the subscriber on the 25th of October, a well set dark mulattoe man named Jem, but calls himself James Ferguson.. I am an engineer by day, but my true passion lies in genealogy. Please subscribe or login. I was called mostly Lewis Smith till after the war, although I was named Dick Lewis SmithDick was the brother of John Barnett whom I learned was my father . No superior alternative has yet been found. After emancipation, he moved back with his mother, brothers and sisters and used the Cobbs surname. Places; Login. It comes from the same Greek root as 'ambrosia', the food of the gods, said to confer immortality. 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. Mary Deborah Petite, "1836 Facts about the Alamo and the Texas War for Independence". 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. I make extensive use of tables for organization, analysis and citation in my research, and they have proven very popular with genealogists. The origins of this last name date back to the pre-medieval period. It helps me to understand the complexity of surname variation I have found in researching the ancestral patterns of an African-American cemetery in my local area. They were Nelson Nunn and George Nunn and they may have changed their names to Crosby too because they were my fathers children.. One ancestor was known as Baber Masse, Elizabeth SENET and Elisabeth Leveille in different documents. Dick Lewis Barnett and Phillip Fry were African American veterans of the Union Army during the Civil War. And my goodness, how kind of you to suggest a TED talk, maybe one of these days;) Genealogys pull is what initially pulled me into studying slavery, and also introduced me to the new understanding that historians are uncovering. This was the case with several others from Wessyngton. A. Mr. Thomas Jefferson of Louisville, bought me when I was three years of age from Mr. Dearing. 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. But I tell you, trying to document that all those names refer to the same person is hard, hard work! The Genealogy Source Table Collection includes 10 blank, editable source tables for death certificates, city directories, obituaries and funeral programs. There are so many examples of every kind of scenario, and I think it just speaks to the variety of experiences our ancestors had. ", "Call it a clan, call it a network, all it a tribe, call it a family. 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. 18. Free black slave holders could be found at one time or . Through DNA matches, I believe I have recently found a brother of my mothers great grandfather. There are issues, too, about how to interpret the recorded names, which have been classified in different ways depending on researchers interests. 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. Join my mailing list below to receive my posts and get a free PDF with some of my favorite tips! In 1911, Barnett and Fry's widow, Mollie, both applied for pensions from the government. Renate, He decided that he didnt want to be known as Cap Sherrod and that he would vote and marry under his choice of names. Here are an even dozen, pretty much forgotten slanglike words or sayings from the 19th century, rediscovered while delving in the archives and with added guidance from James Maitman's 1891 . It starts with a young man falling in love with a girl. They ran away, fought back, feigned illness, destroyed tools, and clung to their families. 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. But if Romeo and Venus are now deemed baby-appropriate, why not Apollo? Along with Abraham and Prince, other early African American names currently in the US Top 1000 include Alonzo, Athena, Daphne, Elijah, Isaiah, Israel, King, Phoebe, and Titus. Alfred Francis Russell (1817-1884), 10th President of Liberia. Major types on which most would agree are European place and literary names, European personal names in hypocoristic (pet or diminutive) form, biblical and classical names, and names of African origin. Hi Susan, Place names that were disproportionately popular among Black Americans in history include Boston, Jamaica, York, and Africa. Students learn about the period of violence in the South from 1873-1876 and examine its role in influencing elections and ending Republican control of Southern state governments. In small communities when slaves were sold, they were often bought by someone in the area. Who called you by that name and where was it done? If we consider the diverse circumstances that the tragedy of slavery created, we can understand the reasons why. My mother's name was Octavia Smith and it was from her that I got it but where the name came from to her I never knew. They cut it off from OCTAVIA. ", "No matter what you've done for yourself or for humanity, if you can't look back on having given love and attention to your own family, what have you really accomplished? Others were more promiscuous. 2023 Nameberry.com.Nameberry is a registered trademark of Nameberry, LLC. Another common practice was to select a surname that fit the personality of an individual, such as Hardy or Rambler. This was done more because it was the logical thing to do and the easiest way to be identified than it was through affection for the master. Hi Donna, They cut it off from OCTAVIA. There are certainly methods you can used to try to verify some of the storyyou can look for Carrington and Williams slaveholders in the area in which your ancestor lived in the 1870 census. is for you. There are 15 tables, blank and editable for you to populate, as well as samples of using each. 26 September 2021 [PAST EVENT]: Acclaimed genealogist Melvin Collier and I will be presenting an all-new 2-hour lecture titled More Than Just Names: Incorporating Social and Community History Into Your Research from 1:00-3:30 EST (please note it is Eastern Standard Time). Students consider what it means to be free by learning about the choices and aspirations of freedpeople immediately after Emancipation. . Thats high on my to do list. Hi Jim, The name.Auber.is also.in.Haiti and.is of.French orign. Index to "Descriptive Recruitment Lists of Volunteers for the United States Colored Troops for the State of Missouri, 1863-1865" (NARA Microfilm Publication M1894 - 6 rolls) For more information about the records covered in this index, please contact the History and Genealogy Department. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. My full name is Dick Lewis Barnett. While enslaved almost all had just one Christian name. The Voice of the Black Community in California, Last Updated on October 14, 2010 by Paulette Brown-Hinds. The top 5 most common Hispanic last names from the 1920s are: 1. Last updated: November 1, 2003 "Dwelling No." 42. The association with the infamous Nero, the fiddling Roman emperor, would be unavoidable. But there was also the detective Nero Wolfe, hero of many mystery stories. The box for father states unknown in law. Her marriage record states her name is Sarah Charlotte Gale, her father being John Sinclair Gale! Names. Leo (M) (Russian origin) means "lion". 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.