Surnames were first documented by the nobles of England in the 11th century. Surnames originated as a method to identify a certain component of an individual, such as trade, father's name, place of birth, or physical traits. The components of a surname are often abbreviated letters, words, or syllables from a personal name. These letters or components are then added together to form a new surname. In the United States, most surnames are derived from places where people may have lived for many years. Examples include "Allen" which comes from the place name "Alençon" in France, or "Anderson" which is derived from an old English name meaning "son of Andrew." In Canada, surnames are generally derived from two sources: family names that are found in most Canadian censuses since 1783; and local names that might be found on deeds dating back to the early 1600s. Sometimes local names are combined with other elements to create a new surname. Examples include "MacDonald" which is made up of two elements: "Mac" which comes from a Gaelic name meaning "son of"; and "Donald" which is a diminutive of "Andrew." In Australia, most surnames are derived from places where people may have lived for many years.