42. Slave Names | NCpedia State of residence is Missouri unless otherwise noted. Through DNA matches, I believe I have recently found a brother of my mothers great grandfather. It comes from the same Greek root as 'ambrosia', the food of the gods, said to confer immortality. I made up my mind I'd find me a different one. ", "The great gift of family life is to be intimately acquainted with people you might never ever introduce yourself to had life not done it for you. Used by permission of the publisher. For descendants, I would add the substantial emotional impact of seeing an ancestor's name attached to a dollar value, or being valued in a list with silverware and cattle. Enslaved people remained legally nameless from the time of their capture until their purchase by American enslavers. Slaveholders and African Americans 1860-1870 - RootsWeb Users without a subscription are not able to see the full content on I was only three years old when she died. 2023 Nameberry.com.Nameberry is a registered trademark of Nameberry, LLC. Some last names recognize certain histories or describe important events or narratives that mean a lot to the family. 20 August 2022, 1-3:30 pm [PAST EVENT], Eastern Standard Time: Join me for a two-hour lecture and workshop on Using Deed Records. Both are excellent researchers and historians. PDF Slave Names in Colonial South Carolina - Latin American Studies Geographic names were common, as were the names of ships or distant ports for enslaved peopleborn in places such as Wilmington or New Bern. Nameberry is a registered trademark of Nameberry, LLC. Changing Names | Facing History and Ourselves I find it interesting that they often used the strange phrase he calls himself in the ads, as if having a given name and a surname was silly: Ran away from the subscriber on the 25th of October, a well set dark mulattoe man named Jem, but calls himself James Ferguson.. 782 Lists of Slave owners with names of slaves Tamme, 766 Tom, 766 West, 766 Will, 766 Barker, Nathaniel Harry, 591, 700, 746, 767 Barkley, Barbary Grace, 651 In fact, it's not even past. In another case Sukey Ann and he 4 children were manumitted by their Ashby owner with only their first names. Popular Last Names in the 1920s Gatsby Flapper Girl Surnames (not always those of former owners) would then be adopted as family names by former slaves and their descendants. Slavery - The National Archives In ancient history, Lysander was the name of an esteemed Spartan naval commander and his literary cred comes from one of the two star-struck young men in Shakespeare's. Three formerly enslaved people discuss their names and the changes they underwent after Emancipation. . A. Lottie Smith was my name and what they called me before I met Phillip and was married to him. I liked the name better than Octavia, and so I took it with me to Danville, and was never called anything else there than that name. By the late 19th century, England was home to about 300 surnames with traceable genealogy. Slaves are identified by given name under their masters. Copeland This last name comes from Old Norse origin. The most common of 603 names of female Slaves were Bet, Mary, Jane, Hanna, Betty, Sarah, Phillis, Nan, Peg, and Sary. American slave owners or slaveholders were owners of slaves in the United States which typically worked either as agriculture laborers or house servants. Well, Ive gone off on a tangent again;) But thank you again for writing and thank you for the cemetery work (especially trying to include African-Americans you are doing that will be of benefit to others. It means 'raven'. In the 1930s, ex-slave Martin Jackson explained why he chose his last name after Emancipation: The master's name was usually adopted by a slave after he was set free. In 2001, I began a process of transcribing names of some of the largest slaveholders and matching the surnames with numbers of African Americans on the 1870 . Phillis Wheatley (May 8, 1753 - December 5, 1784) Source = Wikimedia. Students learn about the period of violence in the South from 1873-1876 and examine its role in influencing elections and ending Republican control of Southern state governments. Mining the Census: Are You Finding Every Clue? A. I was first called by that name in the family of Col. Morrow in whose service I was in Louisville, Ky., just after the war. Some of these individuals probably lived through the Civil War to become named citizens in Ashley County, Arkansas and may have taken the last name of Hollaway/Holaway or Terry/Tery. They cut it off from OCTAVIA. Slave surnames | Vita Brevis Can you steer me in the right direction? List of slave owners - Wikipedia Robyn N. Smith, [insert post title], Reclaiming Kin (https://reclaimingkin.com: accessed [insert date you read the post]), [insert the date the post was written]. Q. John Lewis was born in 1831; in 1844 he and several family members were given to George A. Washington of Wessyngton. My mother's name was Octavia Smith and it was from her that I got it but where the name came from to her I never knew. Slave Names of the 1800's by Emils M - Prezi I love to hear from my readers. . Relish, (Old French Origin) Derived from relaisse meaning "flavor or taste". -Thich Nhat Hanh, evolve theme by Theme4PressPowered by WordPress, Maryland Genealogical Society Holiday Luncheon, December 2017-2, Washington FHC Annual Conference, May 2011, Baltimore Family History Conference, October 2017-2, International Black Genealogy Summit, September 2016-2, Carroll County Genealogical Society Dinner, June 2018, Baltimore Family History Conference, October 2017, Reginald Lewis Museum, September 2011-2.jpg, Maryland State Archives Family History Festival, October 2014-2, Central Maryland AAHGS Meeting, March 2013, Robyn, Vonda, Andrea and Glenn, NGS Conf., May 2014, Maryland Genealogical Society Holiday Luncheon, December 2017-1, Howard Comm. This mini-lesson helps students define the term, learn what forms reparations can take, and consider what reparations should be offered for slavery and other racist policies. Students learn about the violent responses to the transformation of US democracy that occurred as a result of Radical Reconstruction. Theres always more to learn! You can read about this in the following two posts on my blog. I hope youll sign up to receive my postsif you do, youll get a free PDF with some of my favorite tips! Col. Joshua John Ward of Georgetown, South Carolina: 1,130 Known as "King of the Rice Planters," Ward had 1,130 enslaved Blacks on the Brookgreen plantation in South Carolina. Students examine the factors that led many northerners to turn against federal policies passed during the Reconstruction era that protected freedpeople. He decided that he didnt want to be known as Cap Sherrod and that he would vote and marry under his choice of names. Please subscribe or login. Wide-ranging survey of naming practices in the (mainly Anglophone) Atlantic world both during and after slavery. I did not even check the 1850 slave schedule. Is this the same woman Eliza I see living with Thomas Crenshaw in 1880 and 1900? Thank you for commenting, and continued luck to you in your research. Please submit permission requests for other use directly to the publisher. Private names used in the quarters included Abah, Bilah, Comba, Dibb, Juba, Kauchee, Mima, and Sena. Hello Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one" After emancipation, he became William Smith. All of them are alive in this moment. For more information or to contact an Oxford Sales Representative click here. Data from the 2010 Census tells a different story. 2023 The Voice of the Black Community in California. However, the common practice by slaveholders was to only use the given names of enslaved people in documents such as estate papers, court and deed records. A great and timely article. South Atlantic Creole A Spanish America After Independence, 1825-1900, Tudor and Stuart Britain in the Wider World, 1485-1685, Warfare, Medicine, and Disease in the Atlantic World. I presume no death certificate for her survives? Fernsby, (Old English Origin) Derived from the old English words meaning "fern farmstead". . If a surname was needed, the slave owners family name might be used. One frequently occurring name is Rolle. Manifests - Alphabetical by Slave Names | National Archives Names and Naming, African Africans arriving in the American colonies and later the United States continued to give their children African names well into the nineteenth century. In 1870, he is listed as John Washington. Robyn. Thank you for posing your question. Wesley is one of a group of W-starting surname names reminiscent of the Old West that are making a comeback -- though it's not as well used as it was in the 1970s, when he ranked as high as Number 66. Brown: A common last name derived from an ancestor's complexion or the color of their hair. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one", "Friends are God's apologies for relations. African Americans were known by these surnames in the slave community and often recorded by slave owners on plantation documents. Chapter 4 gives a brief and introductory outline of naming in the United States during slavery and its consequences in African American culture. He was a slave owner and, in 1800 as Chief Justice of New Brunswick, he supported slavery in defiance of British practice at the time. Analyzing Creole names, especially those of African origin, demands a combination of historical and linguistic expertise that has not yet been systematically applied to slave names. And even though slave marriages were not legal, many enslaved people followed the practice of the wife taking her husbands surname: My mother was named Mary Bradley and my father was named Hilliard Bradley. I just cannot imagine (thankfully) the idea of my name being changed with every new owner, with not having any idea of what my parents surnames were, of having a white father but not being able to have a father/child relationship with himand all the other myriad of circumstances that enslaved people faced. There are 15 tables, blank and editable for you to populate, as well as samples of using each. The given name Athena was derived from the city name Athens, which is of uncertain origins. 7 Famous Slave Revolts - HISTORY George Duncan Ludlow (1734-1808), colonial lawyer. Enslaved people often transferred such names to later generations in modified form or relied on African naming traditions, such as "day names" or names reflecting the order of birth among siblings. Thats a goal that I am working towards. In his pension file, my great great grandmother his widow expressed that he chose his former enslaver surname because his father had been enslaved by them, too. You are the continuation of each of these people.". My father would be 105 if he were alive. Archambeau. I truly believe they used surnames of each of their former owners for some of their childrens middle names. The quote below, from a Southern Claims Commission file, is one of the most powerful and one of my favorites to use in lectures: I enlisted under Ross because that was my fathers name. The origins of this last name date back to the pre-medieval period. I also have a Slavery and Freedom Collection available for $20. . After emancipation, he became William Smith. How did you ever come by the name of "Mollie"? The new surnames, usually not taken from a former slave owner, included: Williams, Jones, Johnson, Smith, Jackson, Thomas, Brown, Walker, Davis, Green, Robinson, Scott, Harris, Turner, and Anderson. You are the continuation of each of these people." Slavery | Tennessee Encyclopedia Former slaves often used surnames names of historical figures such as Washington, Jefferson or Jackson. Robyn. . 7. My Louisiana Creole ancestors who were free persons of color and former slaves practiced a unique naming tradition I think comes from Latin cultures. Unique Surnames to Grenada. 2019 (cited under the Anglophone Caribbean) includes a good general introduction to slave naming. Popular English baby names by decade - 1840s - 1990s 1840s 5 Robert - 53 Margaret - 47 The 1860s first saw the Rimmers' use of 1870s Boys Girls Total registered births - 1,944 1 John - 160 Mary - 151 The 1870s first saw the Rimmers' use of What was the first girl's name in the 1900s? Although it is not widely known, some African Americans used surnames before they were emancipated. Almost every major tome on slavery discusses slave naming practices in some form or fashion. His slaveholder was named David Humphries. The three databases below provide details of 36,000 trans-Atlantic slave voyages, 10,000 intra-American ventures, names and personal information. Location the owner of ones ancestor is crucial for an African American genealogist to trace his family before 1870. The Voice of the Black Community in California, Last Updated on October 14, 2010 by Paulette Brown-Hinds. I think mostly about family separationas a mother now myself, the very idea that my dear child could be sold to who knows where, never to be seen again..just reduces me to tears anytime. Love you, They called me "OCK". I would appreciate any constructive comments on this question, which can be posted to me via my website address above. Thank you. No superior alternative has yet been found. I belonged to him until emancipation. Whereas names withAfrican, classical, or other unique origins were popular during enslavement, --- often continuingfrom one generation to the next and creating a distinctive nomenclature unlike that of southern whites -- free black peopleoften used more traditionally Anglicized versions of their first names. Many enslaved people were allowed to keep their original African names or names assigned them elsewhere (as reflected by the frequency of Spanish and Portuguese names among the first generation of enslaved people in the Carolinas.) 6. Many of the graves are unmarked or the markers have been damaged, but many descendents still live around here, so we hope to identify as many of the possible graves as we can. They established and held on to their own cultural traditions in the small spaces that slavery afforded them. "The past is not dead. Some of the most common or popular last names in the 1800s included Robinson, Clark, and Smith. There are many factors to consider in determining what surnames African Americans used. Early African-American Names | Nameberry 18. Isaiah derives from the Hebrew Yeshayahu, containing the elements. Famous name bearers: many King Louis of France, Sandra Bullock's son and actor Louis Partridge. What were common names for slaves in the 1800s? - Kyoto2.org 5. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Like most of the architecture and towns in Italy, they can also tell a story. Currently, the most popular Black last name in America is Williams, with a total count of 774,920 people who have the surname. Besides the Morrows, whom else did you live with in Louisville? The name James has been a popular Victorian male names in the 1800s. They identified 21 distinctly Black male names, among them biblical classics such as Abraham and Moses, and word names including Freeman and Prince. 30 January 2022, [PAST EVENT], Eastern Standard Time: Join special guest genealogist Taneya Y. Koonce and I as we present our joint Zoom webinar, Organize Your Genealogy! Best of luck to you, Both comments and pings are currently closed. While enslaved almost all had just one Christian name. Enslaved people resisted in ways large and small. The resources Im getting from my colleagues through Facing History have been just invaluable. Login Forgot . 1412 S. Spoede Rd., St. Louis, MO 63131-2557. please contact the History and Genealogy Department. Isaac evolved from the name Yitzchaq, derived from the Hebrew word, Lysander is a distinctive Greek name that could be thought of as a more creative cousin of Alexander. Nat Turner's Rebellion One of the most famous slave revolts in American history came in 1831 when Nat Turner led a bloody uprising in Southampton County, Virginia. In fact, the previous enslaver widow sold most of the slaves. Thank you, my dear friend, for adding this about enslaved people owned in the Caribbean is really important, as some of the customs were certainly different. All children of a female slave were automatically slaves, considered as belonging to the owner of the mother. No, I dont know to whom she belonged before she was brought from Virginia to Kentucky. Rather than being derived from the supernatural world, European given names were a mere handle or tag. In these cases, unless the name change had been passed down in the family by oral history, it would be impossible to trace the family back any further. Thank you so much for your kind words. 2. . Practices undoubtedly varied, and different archival sources may yield different conclusions. St. Louis County Library. Best of luck to you in your research, Names. Slave Names In The Americas - Black Voice News Now, that parents surname could very well be the surname of the most recent slaveholder or an earlier slaveholder. According to the latest search data available, Italian last names and their meanings are searched for nearly, 40,500 times per month. This article is from the Encyclopedia of North Carolina edited by William S. Powell. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Garcia is the Spanish variation of the word Gerald that means a pointed weapon, like a spear. . Such resistance signified continual deep-rooted discontent with the condition of bondage and, in some places, such as the United States, resulted in ever-more-stringent mechanisms for social control and repression in slaveholding areas. 16 Most Famous Female Slaves of African American Origin But, my mtdna also said I share ancestry with the Kru people of Liberia and the Mende from Sierra Leonne! I first wrote about this in this 2009 post: http://justthinking130.blogspot.com/2009/09/calvin-r-yarborough-where-it-all-began.html, And,then, more recently in 2013, here: http://justthinking130.blogspot.com/2013/11/many-rivers-to-cross-my-priscilla.html. Students examine how freed people in the United States sought to define freedom after Emancipation. Perhaps this caused some Slaves to ask: Am I my new name or am I still my old name? I have been a researcher, writer, lecturer and teacher for over twenty years. The practice was common until its abolition in 1865 with the end of the Civil War and the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution.. For the time being, we are using this as the Slavery Plantation umbrella or portal.