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. The resources Im getting from my colleagues through Facing History have been just invaluable. After the war ended and slavery was abolished, they exercised their freedom by changing their names. 3. Through a video-based activity, students examine Americas struggle for a stronger democracy during Reconstruction and today. 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 all sold to different owners: Connell, Rose, Johnson, and Hughes respectively. A. Mr. Thomas Jefferson of Louisville, bought me when I was three years of age from Mr. Dearing. 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. Hi Pat, Each is present in your body. However, the enslaved occasionally had surnames, which became normal leading up to and after emancipation as a mark of assimilation into free society. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. by John C. Inscoe, 2006; Revised May 2022 by NC Government & Heritage Library. The most common origin for surnames is that enslaved people initially used the surname of either their mother or their father, if they knew what those names were. When I was born my mother was known as Phillis Smith and I took the name of Smith too. I also have a Slavery and Freedom Collection available for $20. This is common. 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. Isaiah derives from the Hebrew Yeshayahu, containing the elements. 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. 1. Im very familiar with the work of Gwendolyn Hall and Elizabeth Shown Mills. 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. Another slave named Bill who attended the sheep became Bill Shepherd. Robyn. 18. Spencer is a name that has everything: it's both distinguished sounding and accessible, dignified but Spencer Tracy-like friendly. Ive taken back reclaimed some of that lost memory, especially that of my enslaved ancestors. . Each is present in your body. Thanks LaBrenda! Special slave censuses were kept in the early 1800s. ", "If you look deeply into the palm of your hand, you will see your parents and all the generations of your ancestors. The slave schedules of 1860 Arkansas do not give the names of the slaves. They called me OCK. Q. American slave owners or slaveholders were owners of slaves in the United States which typically worked either as agriculture laborers or house servants. Former slaves often made up surnames based on their occupations. Claudia Bautista,Santa Monica, Calif. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. In 1850, Ward. Rank. 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. Garcia (The Spanish form of Gerald, Garcia would be the son of Gerald. By the late 19th century, England was home to about 300 surnames with traceable genealogy. Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press. The second hour is hands-on, and I want you to bring the deeds you've found along with your questions. These cookies do not store any personal information. I am sure your father would also be very proud of your interest in family history. These people are referred to as slaves, or as enslaved people. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. The names they gave their children provide a valuable, if limited, index of that process over time. If the slaveholder or another free white man was their father, many Creoles did use either is first or last name as a surname. Karen Halttunen, Murder Most Foul, p. 175. Private names used in the quarters included Abah, Bilah, Comba, Dibb, Juba, Kauchee, Mima, and Sena. A krio from.Freetown Sierra Leone. There has been disagreement about whether it was slaveholders or the enslaved who gave the recorded names. On the U.S. Federal census that year, Wesley's birthplace was recorded as Alabama, the same as his father, and his mother's birthplace was South Carolina . But there was also the detective Nero Wolfe, hero of many mystery stories. Burton, Richard D.E. Names and Naming in Afro-Caribbean Culture. New West Indian Guide/Nieuwe West-Indische Gids 73 (1999): 3558. Where did you get the maiden name of Smith from? The idea was for the children to enter the inhumane system of slavery protected by a sense of Selfhood and history. David Nicolle, Graham Turner: Poitiers AD 732: Charles Martel Turns the Islamic Tide. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one", "Friends are God's apologies for relations. In freedom, Jean-Louis was known as Louis SEM or Louis FUSELIER until finally using SAM. I truly believe they used surnames of each of their former owners for some of their childrens middle names. I make extensive use of tables for organization, analysis and citation in my research, and they have proven very popular with genealogists. At your request I have finally made available for viewing past popular webinars! While Smith remains the most common U.S. surname, for the first time, two Hispanic namesGarcia and Rodriguezmade the top 10. 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. Renate, You can read the introductory maps for a high-level guided explanation, view the timeline and chronology of . The box for father states unknown in law. Her marriage record states her name is Sarah Charlotte Gale, her father being John Sinclair Gale! Relish, (Old French Origin) Derived from relaisse meaning "flavor or taste". The, 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. On another branch, members of the Griffin family from around Campbell County VA all stuck together and are believed to have kept family bonds & name of their father after Emancipation. Phillis Wheatley (May 8, 1753 - December 5, 1784) Source = Wikimedia. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one" . Isaac evolved from the name Yitzchaq, derived from the Hebrew word, Lysander is a distinctive Greek name that could be thought of as a more creative cousin of Alexander. Testimony of Mollie Russell (widow of Phillip Fry), September 19, 1911: Q. In 1911, Barnett and Frys widow, Mollie, both applied for pensions from the government. No superior alternative has yet been found." Allard. I did a post sometime ago about Slavery Studies, where I named some of the top books on the subject. They are part of Records of the U.S. Customs Service . Thanks for this very thoughtful article. No, I dont know to whom she belonged before she was brought from Virginia to Kentucky. Students consider how US history books, films, and other works of popular culture have misrepresented the history of the Reconstruction era. Spanish areas had male Slave names as Francisco, Pedro, and Antonio; and for females: Maria, Isabella, and Juana. You are the continuation of each of these people.". (Media Note: If you quote a post, please credit me by name, Robyn N. My fathers name was John Crosby and he lived in the town of Geneva, Alabama, I had two brothers and one sister. 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. Well, I got to thinking about all us slaves that was going to take the name Fitzpatrick. 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. Ethereal and delicate, Cassandra was in the Top 70 throughout the 1990s but is now descending in popularity. Manifests - Alphabetical by Slave Names Return to Slave Manifests main page Click on each Slave name to view information on that voyage. Even worse, during this period, many African Americanssome using surnames for the very first timechanged their surnames once or even several times. 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. Flora, the name of the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, who enjoyed eternal youth, is one of the gently old-fashioned girls' flower names we think is due for a comebackalongside cousins Cora and Dora. Enslaved people remained legally nameless from the time of their capture until their purchase by American enslavers. Sabe, Anque, Bumbo, Jobah, Quamana, Taynay, and Yearie) used in the Slave quarters. A. Mr. Thomas Jefferson of Louisville, bought me when I was three years of age from Mr. Dearing. For more details, see the flier here, and you can purchase them here. A 2nd great grandmother for example was baptised Sarah Charlotte Chase; her mother is recorded as being Ann Lewis Chase. 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". The fifty most common Victorian surnames in England and Wales for 1853 are listed in alphabetical order below. When slave owners married, they often received slaves as wedding gifts and inheritances from their wifes family. A small number of creoles in Louisiana also acquired surnames derived from ethnic identities in Senegal. Many took the surname of famous or celebrated people; such as 'Lincoln', 'Grant', and 'Washington' was very popular. Q. Brief, but stimulating and thoughtful for students coming new to the subject. Is this the same woman Eliza I see living with Thomas Crenshaw in 1880 and 1900? 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. 43. 1412 S. Spoede Rd., St. Louis, MO 63131-2557. please contact the History and Genealogy Department. I was only three years old when she died. Hi Susan, 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. My hat goes off to you and your passionate efforts. Thus, the patronymic surname can be effectively regarded as "keeper of the peace." This phenomenon is not unheard of with African American surnames. Dorothy, Doris or Dora: Meaning 'gift of God', this Victorian girl's name was popular in the 19th century. But the Slaves generally had two namesthe one given by the slave owner (e.g. Once the slaves were freed they found they did need another name besides a given name. In Greek mythology, Daphne was the nymph daughter of Peneus, a river god. In my own family history, on my Yarborough side, I believe I have uncovered a pattern that my formerly-enslaved great-grandparents, Calvin and Precilla YARBOROUGH may have used in naming their children. And please do share posts that interest you. His slaveholder was named David Humphries. Love you, Wide-ranging survey of naming practices in the (mainly Anglophone) Atlantic world both during and after slavery. Here, three different former slaves discuss their names and the changes they underwent after Emancipation. Thank you. Maria Aparecida Schumaher, Erico teixeira Vital Brazil. My great grandfather Wilson Percival was born in South Carolina and I believe he took his surname from last slave owners family. Through DNA matches, I believe I have recently found a brother of my mothers great grandfather. Turner was deeply religious,. Some of these individuals probably lived through the Civil War to become named citizens in Ashley County, Arkansas and may have taken the last name of Hollaway/Holaway or Terry/Tery. -Unknown, "If you can't get rid of the skeleton in your closet, you might as well make it dance!" Questions about slave naming intersect with some of the major debates in slavery studies (especially regarding Creolization and the formation of Atlantic Creoles) and can illuminate issues about the ethnicity of African slaves, the personhood and agency of those enslaved, the nature of kinship structures among the enslaved, and the survival of African cultural practices in the diaspora. slave rebellions, in the history of the Americas, periodic acts of violent resistance by Black slaves during nearly three centuries of chattel slavery. College, Advanced AA Gen. Class, September 2009, Alice, Robyn and Lajoye, CM AAHGS, September 2017, Robyn and Andrea, NGS Conference, May 2014. In French-speaking Louisiana, Slave names reflected the dominant language and thus were generally different from those in the English colonies. Slaveholders often renamed newly acquired slaves; but self-naming by slaves, which also occurred, is likely to be underreported in the records, which were mainly created by and for slaveholders. I also meant to email you and tell you how I enjoyed your article in the last NGSQ. I have been unable to trace several of his siblings and now wonder if it might be because others did not take that name. Places; Login. Another interesting fact is that Creole surname use also evolved over time and varied from record to record with the same person. -Elbert Hubbard, "Families are like fudge; mostly sweet with a few nuts." As a result, many slaves used the surnames of their owners wifes family. For more information or to contact an Oxford Sales Representative click here. Brutus) and a private name (e.g. The highest percentage of African names was found among male slaves in the eighteenth century, when . In fact, the previous enslaver widow sold most of the slaves. A. Lottie Smith was my name and what they called me before I met Phillip and was married to him. The population was more than 16 million and the industrial revolution was under way, which debunks any perception of a broadly colonial society. See flier for more details. Like most of the architecture and towns in Italy, they can also tell a story. After emancipation, he became William 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. 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. He stated that he had always been known by his fathers surname Scott, even before he was freed. Through Reclaiming Kin, I share tips on genealogy skillbuilding for all genealogists, and on researching slavery and the enslaved. 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. In small communities when slaves were sold, they were often bought by someone in the area. 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. They cut it off from OCTAVIA. 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. Email:genealogy@slcl.org Finding State Laws About Slaves and Free Blacks, More Suggestions for White Slaveholder Descendants, http://justthinking130.blogspot.com/2009/09/calvin-r-yarborough-where-it-all-began.html, http://justthinking130.blogspot.com/2013/11/many-rivers-to-cross-my-priscilla.html, https://www.historicpathways.com/articles.html, http://whitneyplantation.com/the-louisiana-slave-database.html. My great great grandfather in Mississippi took the surname of the previous SC enslaver, whose widow sold him away. Finding the Slave Who Bore Philomene Daurat. There is also another historian, Gwendolyn Midlo Hall who did work on African ethnicities in Louisiana, you can read more of that here if you havent seen that yet: http://whitneyplantation.com/the-louisiana-slave-database.html, Again, I applaud you for doing the research on the history of the areas where your ancestors livedmany researchers dont realize how crucial that understanding is. Another common way of distinguishing people would be 'son of', for example Johnson (son of John), Richardson, Wilson, Harrison etc. 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. Q. It was after emancipation on that I went back to work for Col. Morrow and where I got the name Lottie, as already explained. 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). This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. When Wessyngtons owner George A. Washington married Margaret Lewis in 1849 her father gave the couple twenty-nine slaves. 44. This causes many researchers to wrongly conclude that enslaved people did not have surnames until after emancipation, which was not the case. However, many African Americans faced a problem when they applied for their pensions. Some of the most common or popular last names in the 1800s included Robinson, Clark, and Smith. These require Microsoft Word and a Windows platform. Have you visited the Whitney Plantation yet? Besides the Morrows, whom else did you live with in Louisville? Robyn. It is not uncommon to see an African American family listed with one surname in 1870 and another in 1880. There are issues, too, about how to interpret the recorded names, which have been classified in different ways depending on researchers interests. 41. I belonged to him until emancipation. He was a planter with 20,000 acres of land in East Florida and was at the forefront of slavery in The . Elaine Fantham, Helene Peet Foley, Natalie Boymel Kampen, Sarah B. Pomeroy, H. A. Shapiro. 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. She was a Murphy.. Robyn. Slavery's reach is still with us, and part of the gift of doing African-American genealogy, "The past is not dead. Hi Rodney, 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? If the name is spelled Rodrigues, the name is Portuguese but has the same meaning) 3. John C. Inscoe, "Carolina Slave Names: An Index to Acculturation," Journal of Southern History 59 (November 1983). See flier for details; cost of this event is $25. This lifelong quest has helped me to better know my familys past. Robyn. Are you thinking this woman Eliza Ellis was married to Wash Ellis? "Albumen print of enslaved women and their children near Alexandria, Virginia." Copyright 2006 by the University of North Carolina Press. Letter to James Edward Calhoun, August 27, 1831. He was a slave owner and, in 1800 as Chief Justice of New Brunswick, he supported slavery in defiance of British practice at the time. Miracle, (Old English and Latin Origin) Derived from the first name Mauritius meaning "dark". Bradley was the last man owned em. South Atlantic Creole A Spanish America After Independence, 1825-1900, Tudor and Stuart Britain in the Wider World, 1485-1685, Warfare, Medicine, and Disease in the Atlantic World. Data from the 2010 Census tells a different story. See more details in the flier here and they are available for purchase for $10 . 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. Currently, the most popular Black last name in America is Williams, with a total count of 774,920 people who have the surname. Place names that were disproportionately popular among Black Americans in history include Boston, Jamaica, York, and Africa. Location the owner of ones ancestor is crucial for an African American genealogist to trace his family before 1870. 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. -Kendall Hailey, "If you look deeply into the palm of your hand, you will see your parents and all the generations of your ancestors. Login Forgot . On Anglican (Church of England) baptisms records the child legally and officially is documented with the surname of the mother if she and the father were not married. 7. Danish West Indies, Denmark, Records of Enslaved People, 1672-1917 Thanks for writing this post! Baby Name Generator. It was after emancipation on that I went back to work for Col. Morrow and where I got the name Lottie, as already explained. This entry was posted on Friday, August 28th, 2009 at 11:46 am and is filed under Civil War, Genealogy & DNA, Interviews. I did not even check the 1850 slave schedule. that lists the slaves along with their surnames. It starts with a young man falling in love with a girl. Bailey, Word Stories Surrounding African American Slavery. Enslaved people suffered constant sale, where children were frequently torn away from parents at young ages and spouses were often separated. And now that it's been chosen by Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale, it could take off as their first son's nameKingstonhas. Aruba Congo Bob D'Sean Latoya Dilsy Lopez Lunah African Emmaline Ebo Mema Milla Kyser Ibo Medwin Oilsay Cupad Viney Centere Minta Zoruba Tyzer Nefar Phiba LaVaughn Congo Bob Ladia Ikbo Abah Medger Bossy Shand Cufee Uri Zulu jenee Sorce Tomm Dedib Slave Names Of The 1800's Cena Billah Quarker Lamoney Minba Geto Tonesia Zulu Jana Brutis Louisiana, U.S., Slave Manumission Records, 1719-1820. Use the form below to get in touch with me and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. Who called you by that name and where was it done? Leo (M) (Russian origin) means "lion". I was bornthe child of Phillis Houston, slave of Sol Smith. Here are some common black last names: Jackson Davis Brown Wilson Harris Lewis Clark Walker Hall Thomas Young Allen King Wright Scott Baker Adams Nelson Carter Mitchell Perez Roberts Turner Phillips Campbell Parker Evans Edwards Green Hall Baker Bell Coleman Crawford James Reyes Most Common Black Last Names Geographic names were common, as were the names of ships or distant ports for enslaved peopleborn in places such as Wilmington or New Bern. 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. Thanks for your comment, Derived from the word anull that is the Catalan language dominantly used in southern France, Anouilh means 'slow worm'. The link was not copied. Jackson: This name is a patronymic of Jack. It is these single names that have been most often studied. 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 - Jane Howard, "Friends are God's apologies for relations." The 2000 U.S. Census counted 163,036 people with the surname Washington. 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. You should give a TED talk! . I would appreciate any constructive comments on this question, which can be posted to me via my website address above. The most common of 603 names of female Slaves were Bet, Mary, Jane, Hanna, Betty, Sarah, Phillis, Nan, Peg, and Sary. . 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. . 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.
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