The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-06-26
For the National Era.
sURNAMES.
Posterity delights ia details.-JoHN Quincy ADAMS.

Poserity delights in details.-JoMN QUIScY ADAMS
Originally, names were given on account of
some striking characteristic in the object named,
and each person had but one name, as Adam,
red earth; Eve, the mother of all living. Plato
recommended it to parents to give happy names
to their children; and the Pythagoreans taught
that the minds, actions, and success, of men
were according to the names, genius, and fate.
The Popes change their names-a custom in
troduced by Pope Sergius, whose name till
then, A. d. 6S7, was Swinesnout. 1t is also
usual for the religious, at their entrance into
monasteries, to assume new names, to show
that they intend to lead new lives and have re-
nounced the world, their family, and themselves.
An interesting story was told me in Italy, by a
priest from Ajaccio, in Corsica, and who was
acquainted with the Bonaparte family. He
said, that when the nurse took the Young Ma.
poleon, at the age of six or seven, to be con-
6rmed, the priest asked her tie name: she
answered, Napoleon. The priest hesitated, and
said that he could not confirm him with that
name, as it was not in the Calendar. The
little Napoleon spoke up, and said, "Well if il
is not there, put it there" There is now q
Saint Napoleon
Surnames, which were applications added
to the original name, first came up in Greece,
Egypt, and Palestine, and arose in great acts
and distinctions; they also designated occupa-
ton, estate, place Of residence, &C., as Softer,
q saviour, the name of one of the Ptolemies
Aristidon, the just; Nicator, the conqueror
Energetes, the benefsctor. In ISAIAH Xiv, s,
we read, "Another shall subscribe with his
hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by
the name of Israel" "And Simon he surnamed
Peter."-Mark iii, l6. The oldest family name
that we are acquainted with ia that of Cohen
vhtch nan h. srocaI b~oL 80 o,ou
Aaron the Priest, the brother Of Moses.
Surnames were introduced into England BY
William the Co .aueror, in l066, and first adopt
| ed by the no and afterwards by the com
mon people. surname is Coriolanus, SAYS
| Shakespeare. &c the use of family names
among our ar. yors, 10 of comparatively &c
recent date, and the practice not yet even full,
established in Wales and some other countries
and since thee are traditions in almost ever,
family, respecting the origin and meaning O
the name, it seems practicable to gather u,
much, and desirable to rescue from oblivion al
the traditions We can, with reference to ou
names and families.
| The undersigned is collecting materials for .
history of family names, and will be obliged t.
any one who will eanswer the following que
ries with regard to his own or any other name
| ]. The family name; the different WAYS O
spelling and pronouncing it, at different periods
and in different localities, with q descriptio,
and drawing of the famil y coat of arms an,
| motto.
! 2. The changes that have been made in tn
name by legislation or otherwise
| 3. OF what nation, the origin, etymology, sig
MITIGATION, and history, of the name.
4. When did the name first come to thi
country
| s. Where did the family settle2
6. From What country did they come, ant
from what part of the country