Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1893-05-11
For the Ellsworth American
Derivation Of Family Names.

English family or surnsmes is a subjec
of interest TO all persons descended from
English ancestry. or allied thereto by
common language. BY study of the sub
our people and race from barbarism tc
civilization. When there were no famil,
names darkness, ignorance and supers,i
tion overshadowed mankind and the conGi
tlons which confronted the masses were
such as to deprive them of individual
/ recognition. They were chattels or ma
| chimes, bearers of burdens and OF arms, in
/ the power ard under the control OF
masters. Their Identity and individuality
were not, nor indeed could they be. sepa-
, rated from the interests of their masters
They had no family pride TO maintain, no
hope OF an houored postsrity, no property
to hold and none to bequesth. But like
the negro slaves of the South before
emancipation they neither hsd nor needed
family name; one name by which they
could answer the calls OF their masters
met all their requirements. Therefore,
care aud thought for s snbjec; for which
the frame work OF society had provided no
place, were useless TO them.
Herodotus, Aristotle. Diodorus. Slculus
and other aucieut writers tell Us that the
family a. known 10 Us did not exist in
sncieut times. but that polyandry was the
rule among our Aryan ancestors aud also
among other races Women had several
husbands. often brothers. and instances
were common where men and women lived
aud commtugled in one common herd like
animals Polyandry prevailed To some ex-
tent later ia Europe and still /. said to pre-
vail in Thihrt. Ceylon. parts of India.
among some tribes in America and In
Polynesia.
Under that condition woman was the
head Of the family and kinship was traced
through her line a. the only sure wav
OF ascertaining genealogical descent.
mans children did not belong 10 his family.
hut to the family OF his wife in whose af-
feclions he held bu, limited partnership.
The feudal system which followed that
already described. was an advance upward
in the scale Of human society Under IL
population increased and was gathered
into villages, towns and cities. where con
tao, Of mau with mau gave rise to greater
Intelligence and desire for broader
liberties
The Introduction Of christianity led 20
other important changes, gave rise TO the
desire for individual recognition. as well
a. Individual responsibility for participa-
iion 10 the ownership OF property and then
surnsnes followed a. a means of family
Identification. Notwithstanding the trivial
importance some persons attach 10 the
subject of family descent and the contempt
10 which they affect % hold the acquisition
~ property, the fact remains that they
have been in the past, and still are, power
full agencies for the elevation OF mankind
70 higher spheres Of civilization. intelli-
gence and usefulness All great move
ments for bettering the condition of the
masses are onward and upward, never
backward, and when the people understand
and help them on, they become cars of
juggernaut TO crush beneath their wheels
those who attempt to block their way.
In the infancy of our race names were
given TO persons and things to distinguish
them from other persons or things, and
FrN, ko,
improved upon by time and experience, the
laws and usages which govern in those
matters to-day. were derived. We read IN
the book Of Genesis that God gave names
70 our first psrents, Adam and Eve, but to
all animals and other objects Adam gave
names Among the antediluviaps and also
among the Israelites the name given to a
child frequently originated in some cir
cumstance at birth, or was the expression
! Of a sentiment, religious or otherwise.
Old Testament names were almost all orig
/ inal when given to the persons who first
bore them. and it is probable that all
| proper names were originally significant.
1 but by the lapse of time and the changes
languages have undergone, the meaning OF
many has been lost
| The ancient Israeltes after accumulating
stock of names began to repeat them SO
that in the New Testament and 10 the writ.
ings of Josephus few are found which had
not previously been in use. A change OF
name was sometimes adopted in Old Testa
ment times upon great or important time
or event in life When Abram was called
to go forth from his home and kindred ant
found great nation his name was changed
to Abraham by divine authority, ant
Jacob, the supplanter, had his name
changed to Israel, the contender. by tn,
same authority.
The most ancient names which hav,
come down TO our time are simple ant
often OF single syllable or word: Adam
Cain, Abel. Seth, Enoch and Noah among
males, and Eve, mother Of all living
Deborah, the bee; Rachel, the eve; Han
nah. favor. and Tamsr, palm tree. anon,
women.
1t is said that the Assyrians. Babylonians
Egyptians, Persians and Greeks had n,
surnames The Greeks had single nam
given on the tenth day after birth by tn
father, which he could change IL he de
sired The earlier Greek names wer
generally expressive of some quality he'll
in esteem such as Gift of Apollo, Grace
fulness, Skill. Valor, Wisdom, etc. Tn
eldest son usually bore the name of tn
paternal grandfather and to avoid con
fusion by repetition, his occupation, plac
of birth or nickname was appended.
Iu Etruria, that part Of Italy not cor
quered by the Greeks, family names wer
in use from an early period. The Roman
adopted their custom and with it sue
names as Horatius, Livius. Publius and th
like. The Romans divided their common
wealth into clans or gentes, which wei
Undivided into families. To distinguis
the different gentes, families and ind
viduals of the same race they used thre
psmes. one for the individual, one for 'th
clan and another for the family.
Thus in the name Of Publins Cornelir
| ccsrfc pnhlfna uaa thu aivAn nam,