200k views
0 votes
How did nicknames become surnames?

User Hirosht
by
8.3k points

1 Answer

6 votes
There seems to be some confusion here -- names based on geography are NOT generally "nicknames". A nickname would generally be based on some trait or characteristic (or perhaps event) of an individual or family, generally something distinctive, perhaps quite unusual Nicknames became one way to distinguish one guy named Joe from another. One Joe may have red hair, so he may have been called Joe Rosa (Latin for red) or Joe Reddish, or Joe Barbarossa (red beard). Another Joe may have been a mechanic, so he'd be Joe Smith (mechanic) or Joe Blacksmith, or Joe Black. Another Joe may have been a baker, so he'd be Joe Baker, or Joe White (for the flour). Another Joe may have been the son of John, so he'd be Joe Johnson.
User Harish Shetty
by
7.7k points

Related questions

asked Feb 19, 2017 63.9k views
Gardarh asked Feb 19, 2017
by Gardarh
8.0k points
1 answer
4 votes
63.9k views
asked Sep 5, 2017 101k views
MortenSickel asked Sep 5, 2017
by MortenSickel
7.7k points
1 answer
5 votes
101k views
asked Jan 2, 2018 87.4k views
Dave Forgac asked Jan 2, 2018
by Dave Forgac
7.8k points
1 answer
3 votes
87.4k views