common last names for slaves in the 1800s

Your insight is always welcome and I am glad you shared these posts for other readers to see. 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. The names they gave their children provide a valuable, if limited, index of that process over time. These people are referred to as slaves, or as enslaved people. I also have a Slavery and Freedom Collection available for $20. Geographic names were common, as were the names of ships or distant ports for enslaved peopleborn in places such as Wilmington or New Bern. Harris: A patronymic meaning son of Harry. I communicate with them on Facebook. . Robyn N. Smith, [insert post title], Reclaiming Kin (https://reclaimingkin.com: accessed [insert date you read the post]), [insert the date the post was written]. The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation: Stories of My Familys Journey to Freedom, A Thank You Letter from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, Plantation Records Key Link to African American Past . A. Lottie Smith was my name and what they called me before I met Phillip and was married to him. 19. An accessible introduction to the field. Middle Tennessee, where tobacco, cattle, and grain became the favored crops, held the . Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. The second hour is hands-on, and I want you to bring the deeds you've found along with your questions. . Use the form below to get in touch with me and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. Rodriguez (Rodriguez is Spanish for the son of Rodrigo. 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. Although it is not widely known, some African Americans used surnames before they were emancipated. The poster on each page *provides the link to the handout* for that lecture, so be sure to copy it. I focused on surnames but many of these books also discuss first names. You already know the rich historical terrain of FPOC in Louisiana, what terrific grounds for family research. ", "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? Its knowledge that I think most Americans (not even just white Americans) dont have and it is endlessly fascinating and sobering both at the same time. . -Kendall Hailey, "If you look deeply into the palm of your hand, you will see your parents and all the generations of your ancestors. The following is a list of historical people who were enslaved at some point during their lives, in alphabetical order by first name. 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. -George Burns, "Where does the family start? See flier for details; cost of this event is $25. In 1870, all of them were listed with the surnames of their last owner; however, each one of them named their sons for one of their brothers. My great grandfather Wilson Percival was born in South Carolina and I believe he took his surname from last slave owners family. Rounding out the Top 40, here are the next 30 most common names among African-Americans and Caribbean people: Taylor (Jayceon Terrel Taylor "The Game") Wilson (Charlie Wilson) Moore (Shemar Moore) White (Barry White) Lewis (Carl Lewis) Walker (Jimmie J. J. Walker) Green (Al Green) Thompson (Kenan Thompson) Washington (Denzel Washington) Dorothy, Doris or Dora: Meaning 'gift of God', this Victorian girl's name was popular in the 19th century. 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. As a result, many slaves used the surnames of their owners wifes family. Also largely unrecorded are the alternative names the enslaved used among themselves, sometimes called country names or basket names; they may also, according to African practice, have had multiple names over a lifetime. Hi Rodney, It starts with a young man falling in love with a girl. Turner was deeply religious,. Beginning in the early nineteenth century, more biblical names were given to enslavedchildren, a reflection of the widespread attempts to Christianize enslaved communities. "Injurious Names: Naming, Disavowal, and Recuperation in Contexts of Slavery and Emancipation." In The Anthropology of Names and Naming. How lucky you were to find that Freedmans Bank document! This reading contains quoted text not authored by Facing History & Ourselves. I am sure your father would also be very proud of your interest in family history. Ebba: One of the more unique girl names from the 1800s. 1. Spanish areas had male Slave names as Francisco, Pedro, and Antonio; and for females: Maria, Isabella, and Juana. Baptiste Meaning: derived from the name Bautista; the Spanish form of Baptist Origin: Spanish 3. 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. In small communities when slaves were sold, they were often bought by someone in the area. Through a video-based activity, students explore how Radical Reconstruction changed the nature of voting rights and democracy in the South. My hat goes off to you and your passionate efforts. Wide-ranging survey of naming practices in the (mainly Anglophone) Atlantic world both during and after slavery. A. Lottie Smith was my name and what they called me before I met Phillip and was married to him. Some of these examples come from the wonderful book, Voices of Emancipation: I served [in the War] as Henry Lock, the Lock being my old Massas name but since the War I have taken name of Rollie., [Edward] was owned by Drury Stovall and went by the name of Edward Stovall. 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 . I hope this post also helps us to think about how the surnames former slaves had were connected to their experiences in slavery. It means 'raven'. Robyn. Anouilh. Enslaved people suffered constant sale, where children were frequently torn away from parents at young ages and spouses were often separated. 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. Robyn. Thus, the patronymic surname can be effectively regarded as "keeper of the peace." This phenomenon is not unheard of with African American surnames. Benson 2006 is one of the few general discussions of slave names. Three formerly enslaved people discuss their names and the changes they underwent after Emancipation. Thank you for commenting, and continued luck to you in your research. In instances where slaves were sold from their families and they did not retain their previous owners surnames, they named their children for parents, sisters and brothers to keep a connection with their families. I love to hear from my readers. 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? But once freed most immediately chose surnames, with or without keeping their accustomed name. An 's' at the end of a personal name also meant 'son of', for example Richards, Stevens, Williams and so on. I am researching the surname Culbert worldwide, and the data can be found at: culbert.one-name.net There are a growing number of African Americans with this surname, which I believe originates in Scotland. 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. Prior to the emancipation of the American slaves in 1863, those African-Americans held in bondage had usually just one or two given names. Hi Pat, Leo (M) (Russian origin) means "lion". Ho Joanne, I hope youll sign up to receive my postsif you do, youll get a free PDF with some of my favorite tips! ", "If you can't get rid of the skeleton in your closet, you might as well make it dance! The Language of Names. One thing I envy about the Catholic church is the baptisms available for even the enslaved people there. If the name is spelled Rodrigues, the name is Portuguese but has the same meaning) 3. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one" 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. 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. My mother then told me my fathers name was John Barnett, a white man, and I took up the name Barnett., My mothers name was Jane and she was called Jane Nunn because she belonged to the Nunns. All of them are alive in this moment. It is certainly possible that Wilsons siblings could have been sold away or owned by others. There are 15 tables, blank and editable for you to populate, as well as samples of using each. One of my grandfathers in Africa was called Jeaceo, and so I decided to be Jackson. It was after emancipation on that I went back to work for Col. Morrow and where I got the name Lottie, as already explained. Each is present in your body. In the. BRATHWAITE - This name was derived from a geographic location in the north of England. Injurious Names: Naming, Disavowal, and Recuperation in Contexts of Slavery and Emancipation. In The Anthropology of Names and Naming. 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. 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. My maiden surname is Williams. Edited by Gabriele vom Bruck and Barbara Bodenhorn, 178-199. Thats high on my to do list. Q. One frequently occurring name is Rolle. Thanks for your comment, While enslaved almost all had just one Christian name. Edmon S. Conner Recalls About His Career", "Law and the Cultural Production of Race and Racialized Systems of Oppression", "Runaway Slaves and Servants in Colonial Virginia", Slavery in the Courtroom: An Annotated Bibliography of American Cases, "Soldier of Furtune: John Smith before Jamestown", "YSTUMLLYN, JOHN ('Jack Black') (d. 1786), gardener and land steward | Dictionary of Welsh Biography", "Strong, Jonathan (c. 17471773), de facto freed slave", "Juan Francisco Manzano | Slave Narratives | The MoAD Salon | MoAD - Museum of the African Diaspora", "Relatos sobre la India Juliana. Slavery existed in the United States from its founding in 1776 and became the main . Former slaves often used surnames names of historical figures such as Washington, Jefferson or Jackson. Almost every major tome on slavery discusses slave naming practices in some form or fashion. . This blog is where I share family history methods, resources, tips and advice, with an emphasis on slave research, slavery and its aftermath. . This is such a well-written and informative post one that I know will open many eyes to the complexity of slave surnames, as well as many other aspects of the lives of the enslaved. 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.". Maria Aparecida Schumaher, Erico teixeira Vital Brazil. The first published African-American poet & author Phillis Wheatley was born in West Africa. Brief, but stimulating and thoughtful for students coming new to the subject. Enslaved peoplethemselves sometimes chose names denoting weather conditions at the time of their child's birth or some distinctive feature of his or her appearance. Ethereal and delicate, Cassandra was in the Top 70 throughout the 1990s but is now descending in popularity. Evie (F) (English origin) means "life" or "lively". Start your year off with tips and strategies that can help you in the new year & beyond. 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 learn about President Andrew Johnson and the Congressional Republican's conflicting visions of how to rebuild the nation after the Civil War. Where did you get the maiden name of Smith from? Kindest regards, The most common of 603 names of female Slaves were Bet, Mary, Jane, Hanna, Betty, Sarah, Phillis, Nan, Peg, and Sary. For example, I know of one Louisiana family whose surname of Poulard evolved from a ancestor of the Poular nation(aka Fulani). I have gotten so many requests over the years from those who couldn't make the live webinars so I hope you enjoy this new feature. Login Forgot . Wheatley was traded into slavery at the age of 7 or 8 and imported to North America. Renate, You should give a TED talk! Most Popular Names. ", "If you look deeply into the palm of your hand, you will see your parents and all the generations of your ancestors. Garcia (The Spanish form of Gerald, Garcia would be the son of Gerald. Manifests - Alphabetical by Slave Names Return to Slave Manifests main page Click on each Slave name to view information on that voyage. This mini-lesson helps students define the term, learn what forms reparations can take, and consider what reparations should be offered for slavery and other racist policies. They cut it off from OCTAVIA. Slavery. is for you. Now, that parents surname could very well be the surname of the most recent slaveholder or an earlier slaveholder. by John C. Inscoe, 2006; Revised May 2022 by NC Government & Heritage Library. Minerva is the long-neglected name of the Roman goddess of wisdom and invention, the arts and martial strength, one of the. Tell me the name you were called before you met Phillip Fry? Students learn about the violent responses to the transformation of US democracy that occurred as a result of Radical Reconstruction. 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). These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Samuel had only two slaves: the man that could be Wilson and a 42-year-old woman. Besides the Morrows, whom else did you live with in Louisville? This potential brother had been sold to a local and remained there in SC. Q. . There are so many examples of every kind of scenario, and I think it just speaks to the variety of experiences our ancestors had. 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. You are the continuation of each of these people." 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. The following documents are excerpts from government records in which Dick Barnett and Mollie (Smith) Russell explain when and why they changed their names. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Robyn. And you get to tell the story of Jean-Louiss life in slavery and also in freedom. Nameberry is a registered trademark of Nameberry, LLC. If you can identify your ancestor's master, this source will prove of tremendous value to your research. Peneus saved Daphne from Apollos romantic obsessions by transforming her into a laurel tree. 44. Runaway ads illustrate how many slaveholders knew the surnames of their slaves. . Louis (M) (English origin) means "famous warrior". But if Romeo and Venus are now deemed baby-appropriate, why not Apollo? Each name was a clue to her origins. Frederick Douglass (1818-1895), born into slavery in Maryland and escaped to the Northeast in 1838, where he became an internationally renowned abolitionist writer, speaker, and diplomat. I would also recommend Elizabeth Shown Mills various case studies on enslaved people in Louisiana, which you can find at her website at https://www.historicpathways.com/articles.html. Percy is an adorable old name that is finally shedding its pampered Little Lord Fauntleroy image in this new era of boys with soft yet traditionally, Titus, once seen as a slightly forbidding Roman, New Testament, and Shakespearean name, was brought back to contemporary life in the USA by the TV series, French surname from place name Perci-en-Auge, Latin, meaning unknown, possibly "title of honour". Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one", "Friends are God's apologies for relations. Other common surnames included Jones, Matthews, Sinclair, and Bennett, Price, and Gray.. Abara: Originating from the Igbo group of West Africa, Abara means 'spirit'. 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. . Mary Deborah Petite, "1836 Facts about the Alamo and the Texas War for Independence". Florence, Fiorella, Fleur, and Flower are translations, but we like Flora best of all. Bernard Meaning: brave warrior Origin: French 4. I truly believe they used surnames of each of their former owners for some of their childrens middle names. this page. Mining the Census: Are You Finding Every Clue? On all subsequent census records, he is listed as John Lewis. Students consider what it means to be free by learning about the choices and aspirations of freedpeople immediately after Emancipation. 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. Im jealous;) The common names there (Marie, Louise, etc) would test anyones genealogical skills, so I take my hat off to you. 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 . 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. A great and timely article. Thanks for all you to do keeps us all so enlightened! A. Mr. Thomas Jefferson of Louisville, bought me when I was three years of age from Mr. Dearing. I have been a researcher, writer, lecturer and teacher for over twenty years. My maternal grandmother was an Auber. Harriet Tubman and some of the slaves she helped free. The box for father states unknown in law. Her marriage record states her name is Sarah Charlotte Gale, her father being John Sinclair Gale! I have been a researcher, writer, and lecturer for over twenty-five years. The most common of 603 names of female Slaves were Bet, Mary, Jane, Hanna, Betty, Sarah, Phillis, Nan, Peg, and Sary. For descendants, I would add the substantial emotional impact of seeing an ancestor's name attached to a dollar value, or being valued in a list with silverware and cattle. Smithsonian Institution. 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.. However, research byLisa D. Cook and colleagueshas revealed evidence of racialized names from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. I want.to.know.where we (who are.descendants.of.freed.people.who.got sent.back.to Sierra Leone.from.maybe Nova Scotia.) Col. Joshua John Ward of Georgetown, South Carolina: 1,130 Known as "King of the Rice Planters," Ward had 1,130 enslaved Blacks on the Brookgreen plantation in South Carolina. Societies. 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. Recently, I was looking for more information on Wesley Thompson, who was born about 1835 and who was living in Morgan County, Alabama with his wife, Nellie, and five children in 1880. One name you find frequently used was Freeman or Freedmen to declare their new freedom. Clark is a common surname of Anglo-Scottish origin. 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. See flier for more details. Besides the Morrows, whom else did you live with in Louisville? By country & year of birth. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2006. Slaves were generally listed with just one name and thus with little to none of the genealogical information recorded for free whites. 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. Names from the Bible were another common practice, for given and surnames. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2006. . It gives the age and sex of the slave and the number of slaves of each age and sex. It is not uncommon to see an African American family listed with one surname in 1870 and another in 1880. 41. . 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). . In small communities where census takers and county officials knew African Americans personally and their previous owners, they often recorded the former slaves with the surnames of their last owners. 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. . Over time, East Tennessee, hilly and dominated by small farms, retained the fewest number of slaves. Melvin, Several names have been added under the letter representing the person's last 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. Bernacki: Teatr; Mamontowicz-ojek: Szkoa Tyzenhauza s. 53, 54, 70, 86-89, 92; Wierzbicka: Sze studiw; Muzyka 1969 nr 2 (J. Prosnak). Free black slave holders could be found at one time or . This happened mostly on large plantations where several individuals had the same first names and a surname was used to distinguish them from one another. 2023 Nameberry.com.Nameberry is a registered trademark of Nameberry, LLC. Even many given names of ancestors eventually became a surname, such as Todd or William. 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. My surname of SAM originated from Sem or Sam FUSELIER, a free man of color who freed my ancestor,Jean-Louis, out of slavery in 1811. Surely the hundreds of black Culbert people living today cannot all be connected to those three cases. 13 March 2022, 1-2:30pm [PAST EVENT], Eastern Standard Time: Cant find some of your ancestors in the census? If a surname was needed, the slave owners family name might be used. I was only three years old when she died. 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. Rather than being derived from the supernatural world, European given names were a mere handle or tag. How did you ever come by the name of "Mollie"? The idea was for the children to enter the inhumane system of slavery protected by a sense of Selfhood and history. Several of the other slaves were sold to various slave owners. Lastly,emancipation itself often provoked many to choose new surnames, one of the few actual freedoms freedmen had. According to the latest search data available, Italian last names and their meanings are searched for nearly, 40,500 times per month. Examples include: Francois, Jean, Pierre, and Leon for men; and Manon, Delphine, Marie Louise, Celeste, and Eugenie for women.

Large White Hexagon Tile With Black Grout, Articles C