0
Still curious? Ask our experts.
Chat with our AI personalities
Ross
Jordan
LaoAdd your answer:
Earn +20 pts
Where does the surname 'Melvin' originate from?
The surname Melvin is modernised version of the name Melville it is said to be a Scottish name which was common during the 12th century. There is also a geographical spread of the surname Melvin all over the UK.
What is a surname?
A surname is your family name, sur coming from the French sur meaning over. It identifies all the people related to one another through male descent.In many cultures, the surname is passed by a man to all his children. If the father is not known the children take the mother's name. In other cultures the surname of a husband is combined with the surname from the wife's family to create a surname for the children.It some western European language cultures a married woman takes her husband's surname. The woman's previous surname is then called her "maiden name."In other European cultures, a married woman combines her surname with that of her husband.Surnames were introduced in different countries at different times. They are still not used in Iceland and in parts of Indonesia.Surnames were introduced as a statutory requirement in England in the 1200's so that people could be more exactly identified for taxation purposes. Many people took the name of their village or their occupation eg William the smith in Shakerstone village may have become William Smith or William Shakerstone.
What is the meaning of the last name smith?
The English surname Smith self-evidently comes from the occupation of blacksmith. When surnames became compulsory then Thomas the Smith would have called himself Thomas Smith because being the proud village blacksmith distinguished him from all the other villagers. Not surprisingly Smith is the commonest surname in England.
What does the last name overton mean?
Earliest records of the proud and noble English surname of Overton are to be found in Cheshire, where they had held a family seat from very early times. It was first utilized as a surname by the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes, who once mightily ruled all of Britain, to designate a person or family that lived near a place by that name, found in a variety of counties throughout England.
What is surname Beery?
The habitational-type surname of Beery originated with the ancient Anglo-Saxon people, who once ruled all of Britain. First found as a surname in Devon, there are many name-places that mean "grove".
