Your Name: What Does it Tell About You

Our name is a big part of our identity. It is what other habitancy know us by and something that distinguishes us from every person else.

What's In a Last Name?

Irish Names For Boys

The use of last names, or surnames, became much more prevalent in 1066, after the Norman Conquest. Since this time, surnames have become the norm in society--with a few exceptions, Maddona, Prince and Cher.

Your Name: What Does it Tell About You

The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain Best

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The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain Overview

Comedy favorite Hugh Grant (BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY) stars as a young man who offends an entire town by declaring their mountain -- a prized landmark -- to be a "hill." But soon he finds the eccentric locals, led by a witty innkeeper (Colm Meaney -- STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION) will stop at nothing to defend their honor! While the townspeople rally around their "mountain," a fiery young woman (Tara Fitzgerald -- SIRENS) charms the puzzled out-of-towner into seeing things their way! You'll be elevated by laughter as the hilarious townspeople rise to the occasion -- and the bewildered visitor stumbles into love when he least expects it!

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The origin of your last name largely depends on the ethnic background of your ancestors. For example, Spanish habitancy generally use Catholic Saints' names, Orthodox Jews are required by religious law to name one of their babies after a deceased relative and the Chinese normally have three names, a house name, a generation name and an individual name.

English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish last names are typically grouped into one of four categories: occupations, localities, nicknames or first names.

Many habitancy acquired their last name due to their trade or occupation. These names are self-explanatory: Farmer, Baker, Mason and so on.

Some habitancy were named after where they were from, localities, or after geological characteristics of the land. Marsh, Hill and Sydney are examples of surnames of this type.

People were often named after nicknames; these are some of the most spellbinding last names. Kennedy, for example, is Gaelic for "ugly head," Gotobed, stemmed from man who was lazy.

Last names based on first names were very base in the history of Britain and Ireland. Often a suffix or prefix was added to indicate the connection of the individual with the man after whom the individual was named. For example, the suffixes "son," means "son of" and "kin," is a diminutive. The prefixes "Fitz," often indicated illegitimacy, "O" means grandson and "Mac" and "Mc" mean "son of."

These suffixes and prefixes combined with the first name of the father created names like Johnson, Stevenson, Perkin, Fitzgerald, O'Brien and MacDonald.

Does Your First Name Have Significance?

Your first name is one of the most important gifts your parents gave you. Most first names have a meaning and you can surely find the meaning of your first name on the Internet straight through sites like behindthename.com.

The most favorite boys name in 2004 in the United States was Jacob, which in Hebrew means holder of the heel. It comes from the biblical Jacob who was born holding his twin brother Esau's heel.

The most favorite girls name in 2004 in the United States was Emily, the medieval feminine form of Aemilius. Aemilius, derived from Latin aemulus meaning "rival." As you can see, first names come from many dissimilar roots.

Our names are much more than a word that identifies us. So take some time and study your heritage and your name--you might be surprised.

References

Benes, Clarence H, & Steinbrink, John E, social Studies: Living up to your name (1996)

Kennedy, John. Brittish Surnames: First-names, Localities, Occupaitons, Nicknames. [2005] 23 Sept. 2005
http://genealogy.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.familychronicle.com%2Fbritish.htm>

Powell, Kimberly. Glossary of Last Name Meanings and Origins [2003] 23 Sept 2005

genealogy.about.com/library/surnames/bl_meaning.htm

Your Name: What Does it Tell About You