43. List of slave owners - Wikipedia 3. ", "The great gift of family life is to be intimately acquainted with people you might never ever introduce yourself to had life not done it for you. Surnames (not always those of former owners) would then be adopted as family names by former slaves and their descendants. I hope you dont mind my sharing those posts. Slave rebellions | History, Examples, & Facts | Britannica In 1911, Barnett and Fry's widow, Mollie, both applied for pensions from the government. But I tell you, trying to document that all those names refer to the same person is hard, hard work! I have been a researcher, writer, and lecturer for over twenty-five years. The quote below, from a Southern Claims Commission file, is one of the most powerful and one of my favorites to use in lectures: I enlisted under Ross because that was my fathers name. The difficulties include using records that provide no surnames, the constant sale and breakup of families, and the lack of identification of fathers. Students learn about President Andrew Johnson and the Congressional Republican's conflicting visions of how to rebuild the nation after the Civil War. 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. Register now! Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one", "Friends are God's apologies for relations. 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. Now, that parents surname could very well be the surname of the most recent slaveholder or an earlier slaveholder. Slave Names of the 1800's by Emils M - Prezi Bernacki: Teatr; Mamontowicz-ojek: Szkoa Tyzenhauza s. 53, 54, 70, 86-89, 92; Wierzbicka: Sze studiw; Muzyka 1969 nr 2 (J. Prosnak). Analyzing Creole names, especially those of African origin, demands a combination of historical and linguistic expertise that has not yet been systematically applied to slave names. CLICK HERE TO SAVE YOUR SEAT! Mary Deborah Petite, "1836 Facts about the Alamo and the Texas War for Independence". Names of prominent slaveholderse.g. In 1850, Ward. Emphasizes the giving and repeated use of names as a performative act of domination. 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. Samuel had only two slaves: the man that could be Wilson and a 42-year-old woman. Many enslaved people were allowed to keep their original African names or names assigned them elsewhere (as reflected by the frequency of Spanish and Portuguese names among the first generation of enslaved people in the Carolinas.) Thanks for adding your very experienced voice to the conversation. -Unknown, "If you can't get rid of the skeleton in your closet, you might as well make it dance!" 19. -William Faulkner, "Call it a clan, call it a network, all it a tribe, call it a family. I am the identical person who was named called and known as Dick Lewis Smith before the Civil War and during the Civil War and until I returned home after my military service . This blog is where I share family history methods, resources, tips and advice, with an emphasis on slave research, slavery and its aftermath. Along with records from churches,manumission societies, enslavers, and estate settlements, these documents provide a vast pool of data from which to trace patterns and trends from the colonial period through emancipation. A Wessyngton slave named Bill who was the plantation's blacksmith was known as Billy the Smith during slavery. Slave surnames | Vita Brevis The highest percentage of African names was found among male slaves in the eighteenth century, when . It comes from the same Greek root as 'ambrosia', the food of the gods, said to confer immortality. So far Ive found no one who can give me any information about how these people assumed the Culbert surname. By examining periods of violence during the Reconstruction era, students learn about the potential backlash to political and social change. Phillis Wheatley (May 8, 1753 - December 5, 1784) Source = Wikimedia. You are the continuation of each of these people." Just from the detail in your first comment, I knew there was a good chance you were already familiar with those authors. Best of luck to you in your research, How did you ever come by the name of "Mollie"? 7. Thomas: Thomas is a common surname of biblical origin meaning twin. By country & year of birth. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. I was called by that name all the time I was with the Morrows. 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.. Students learn about the violent responses to the transformation of US democracy that occurred as a result of Radical Reconstruction. Place names that were disproportionately popular among Black Americans in history include Boston, Jamaica, York, and Africa. British Surnames of the 1800s - Synonym Brutus) and a private name (e.g. Black Last Names: 80 Popular & Common African American, African . This is true in some cases but not all. Besides the Morrows, whom else did you live with in Louisville? Please subscribe or login. Choose the best name for your child. These cookies do not store any personal information. Is this the work of the evil spirits or from my bad karma? Is this my fate!To worsen matters, a given new European label applied only to one aspect of the nature (whereas his/her original name referred to a total identity) of the enslaved and this was an effective way to try to fragment a victims mindset. that lists the slaves along with their surnames. Surnames for African-Americans - Former Slaves Even tiny steps are huge in someones life. Others who wanted no connection to their former owners used surnames like Freeman or Freedman. Letter to Armistead Burt of September 1, 1831, sfn error: no target: CITEREFCalhoun1837 (. Osprey Publishing 2008. 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. It prohibited. My great grandfather Wilson Percival was born in South Carolina and I believe he took his surname from last slave owners family. -Thich Nhat Hanh, evolve theme by Theme4PressPowered by WordPress, Maryland Genealogical Society Holiday Luncheon, December 2017-2, Washington FHC Annual Conference, May 2011, Baltimore Family History Conference, October 2017-2, International Black Genealogy Summit, September 2016-2, Carroll County Genealogical Society Dinner, June 2018, Baltimore Family History Conference, October 2017, Reginald Lewis Museum, September 2011-2.jpg, Maryland State Archives Family History Festival, October 2014-2, Central Maryland AAHGS Meeting, March 2013, Robyn, Vonda, Andrea and Glenn, NGS Conf., May 2014, Maryland Genealogical Society Holiday Luncheon, December 2017-1, Howard Comm. Tell me the name you were called before you met Phillip Fry? I am searching for information about a woman named Eliza Ellis, from Versailles KY or that area. Political Participation in the Nineteenth Century Atlantic Portugal and Brazile in the Age of Revolutions, Poverty in the Early Modern English Atlantic, Reconstruction, Democracy, and United States Imperialism, Settlement and Region in British America, 1607-1763, Slavery in British and American Literature, Slavery in Dutch America and the West Indies, Slavery in North America, The Growth and Decline of. But the Slaves generally had two namesthe one given by the slave owner (e.g. Tags: African American Names, African American Surnames, African Names, Black Surnames, Last Slave Owner, Plantation Owners, plantation slavery, Slave Family, Slave Naming Patterns, slave trade. A. Mr. Thomas Jefferson of Louisville, bought me when I was three years of age from Mr. Dearing. Chery Meaning: derived from the Latin Cariacus, which means "land belonging to Cariu"; darling Origin: French 5. Perhaps Wash Ellis registered under the name of one of his parents. 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. Names and Naming, African | Encyclopedia.com . Davis: This name is a patronymic of David. Ethereal and delicate, Cassandra was in the Top 70 throughout the 1990s but is now descending in popularity. Students consider what it means to be free by learning about the choices and aspirations of freedpeople immediately after Emancipation. 2. I made up my mind I'd find me a different one. In fact, the previous enslaver widow sold most of the slaves. There has been disagreement about whether it was slaveholders or the enslaved who gave the recorded names. One of my grandfathers in Africa was called Jeaceo, and so I decided to be Jackson. Eliza Moore (1843 - January 21, 1948) Source = Pinimg. Forenames. Proving their identity as former soldiers often revealed some of the most detailed explanations for former slaves choice of surnames. Hi Rodney, It means 'raven'. 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. I also meant to email you and tell you how I enjoyed your article in the last NGSQ. For personal use and not for further distribution. . A. Lottie Smith was my name and what they called me before I met Phillip and was married to him. That alone can make if difficult to research an African- American family during those years. By the late 19th century, England was home to about 300 surnames with traceable genealogy. So just a few things to be aware of when researching any African-American ancestors. . 100 Most Common US Surnames Origins and Meanings - ThoughtCo Login Forgot . The campaign in Britain to abolish slavery began in the 1760s, supported by both black and white abolitionists. You can read the introductory maps for a high-level guided explanation, view the timeline and chronology of . My Louisiana Creole ancestors who were free persons of color and former slaves practiced a unique naming tradition I think comes from Latin cultures. In small communities when slaves were sold, they were often bought by someone in the area. Other common surnames included Jones, Matthews, Sinclair, and Bennett, Price, and Gray.. Currently, the most popular Black last name in America is Williams, with a total count of 774,920 people who have the surname. I especially recommend Mother, Thy Name is Mystery! Another common way of distinguishing people would be 'son of', for example Johnson (son of John), Richardson, Wilson, Harrison etc. A great and timely article. Toussaint Louverture (1743-1803), a former slave, he enslaved a dozen people himself before becoming a general and a leader of the Haitian Revolution. 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. Seating is limited. I presume no death certificate for her survives? The 2000 U.S. Census counted 163,036 people with the surname Washington. St. Louis County Library. . He was a planter with 20,000 acres of land in East Florida and was at the forefront of slavery in The . It is from this myth that the plant genus, Phoebe is the Latin variation of the Greek name Phoibe, which derived from. Allard. Danish West Indies, Denmark, Records of Enslaved People, 1672-1917 This entry was posted on Friday, August 28th, 2009 at 11:46 am and is filed under Civil War, Genealogy & DNA, Interviews. I am the applicant for pension on account of having served in Co. B. It can be a difficult path, but just might be reachable. 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. This event is $12. In doing slave research in Barbados, I have found one group of enslaved Chase ancestors who were manumitted (freed) and given the last name of the former slave owner. They cut it off from OCTAVIA. I am an engineer by day, but my true passion lies in genealogy. 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) Once the slaves were freed they found they did need another name besides a given name. This old French surname has Germanic origin, and means 'noble'. 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.. Oxford Bibliographies Online is available by subscription and perpetual access to institutions. See footnotes for source information. If we consider the diverse circumstances that the tragedy of slavery created, we can understand the reasons why. "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. 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. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW! Where did you get the maiden name of Smith from? They called me "OCK". And you get to tell the story of Jean-Louiss life in slavery and also in freedom. A. Lottie Smith was my name and what they called me before I met Phillip and was married to him. . The surname issue really presents huge challenges for those of us doign this research, but you soulnd as though you are making headway. 77th U.S. Col Inf and Co. D. U.S. Col H Art under the name Lewis Smith which was the name I wore before the days of slavery were over. See flier for details; cost of this event is $25. "Slave revolts in Puerto Rico: conspiracies and uprisings, 17951873"; by: Guillermo A. Baralt; Markus Wiener Publishers; harvnb error: no target: CITEREFAssociation_of_Muslim_Social_ScientistsInternational_Institute_of_Islamic_Thought2008 (, sfnm error: no target: CITEREFSmith2001 (, sfnm error: no target: CITEREFWhite2016 (, sfn error: no target: CITEREFBrands2012 (, sfnm error: no target: CITEREFMcFeely1981 (, Last edited on 22 February 2023, at 03:19, sued her master for her freedom on that ground, United States Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, Diego Pacheco Tllez-Girn Gmez de Sandoval, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, South Carolina's 5th congressional district, List of the last surviving American slaves, Timeline of abolition of slavery and serfdom, Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, National Museum of African American History and Culture, "What is the divine purpose for sending prophets? This causes many researchers to wrongly conclude that enslaved people did not have surnames until after emancipation, which was not the case. Both comments and pings are currently closed. Florence, Fiorella, Fleur, and Flower are translations, but we like Flora best of all. However, a small change to searching on C?lbert, which accounts for the variations in spelling expands that initial list to 877 enslaved people owned by people with those names. (Media Note: If you quote a post, please credit me by name, Robyn N. This reading contains quoted text not authored by Facing History & Ourselves. Each is present in your body. Slavery | Tennessee Encyclopedia My maiden surname is Williams. All rights reserved. . 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. Slavery. 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. is for you. Corbin Corbin has an Old English origin. 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. Slave Names In The Americas - Black Voice News I love that your example shows two brothers, who came to different conclusions about their surnames. 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. Theres always more to learn! 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. 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? It means 'clerk' or 'secretary'. -Winston Churchill, "The great gift of family life is to be intimately acquainted with people you might never ever introduce yourself to had life not done it for you." One of the largest sources are the Civil War pension records of the almost 200,000 black men who served in the US Army and Navy. He was sold to my master William Orr and he always went by the name Edward Orr after that.. common last names in the 1800s - conference.ase.ro 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. Popular last names in the 1800's? - Answers Turner was deeply religious,. 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. See more details in the flier here and they are available for purchase for $10 .