Etymology is the
study of the origin of words, or in this particular case, surname
derivation.
Last name histories is a
fascinating study for all those interested in genealogy, as it is a
further step in the process of 'fleshing out' your ancestors.
Now, that's not to say because your great grandfather's name was Monger
that he sold fish or anything else. He may, in fact, have been a
bricklayer or a mayor. But somewhere, way back in time over previous
generations, your ancestors would've been aligned with that particular
occupation. So you can see that the more you find out about these
people from your past, the more 'real' and 'alive' they become and the
more you want to find out about them.
Common surnames whose
original meanings were occupations:
SURNAME
OCCUPATION
Ackerman
plowman
Bailie
bailiff
Barker
leather tanner
Baxter
baker
Brewster
brewer
Carter
wagon driver
Chandler
candle maker
Clark
clerk
Cohen
priest
Collier
coal miner
Conner
inspector
Cooper
barrel maker
Crocker
potter
Currier
curer of hides
Duffer
peddler
Dyker
stonemason
Faber
artisan
Faulkner
falconer
Ferrier
blacksmith
Fletcher
arrow maker
Fowler
bird hunter
Fuller
cleaner of cloth goods
Granger
farmer
Hacker
woodcutter
Harper
minstrel
Hayward
fence inspector
Hillier
roof tiler
Hind
farm laborer
Hooker
reaper
Hooper
maker of barrel hoops
Jagger
fish peddler
Joyner / Joiner
a skilled carpenter
SURNAME
OCCUPATION
Kaufman
merchant
Keeler
bargeman
Kempster
wool comber
Lederer
leather maker
Leech
physician
Lormer
maker of horse gear
Marshall
horse doctor
Mason
bricklayer
Mercer
cloth merchant
Monger
seller of goods (ale, fish)
Peruker
a wig maker
Pigman
crockery dealer
Pitman
coal miner
Porter
door keeper
Puddler
wrought iron worker
Quarrier
quarry worker
Rigger
hoist tackle worker
Ripper
seller of fish
Roper
maker of rope or nets
Sawyer
sawer of timber into boards
Schneider
tailor
Shrieve
sheriff
Slater
roofer
Sorter
tailor
Spurrer
maker of spurs
Squire
country gentleman; farm owner; justice of peace
Tanner
one who tans (cures) animal hides into leather
Tapley
one who puts the tap in an ale cask
Tasker
reaper
Tinker
traveling salesman
Tipstaff
policeman
Travers
collector of bridge tolls
Tucker
cleaner of cloth goods
Vulcan
blacksmith
Webster
weaver
Wainwright
wagon maker
Whitewing
street sweeper
Whitster
bleacher of cloth
Wright
workman, especially a construction worker
Yeoman
farmer who owns his own land
Of course, this is nothing more than a tasty morsel. So don't despair
if the name you are looking for isn't here. The internet has many sites
to help you with free last name origins if you would like to pursue
this further. Here's a couple of sites to get you started:
