Generations Family Tree

[Jack Blair]

A fascinating way to understand the very beginnings of your family
history is to understand how your surname came into being.
Was your ancestor a Butcher, Baker or Candlestick Maker?
Is there a common theme of a certain type of occupation in your
family? Does it go right back to the very first person in your
ancestry who started to be called by that name? When surnames first
came into popular use in 14th-century Europe, many people came to be
identified by what they did for a living. A blacksmith named John,
became John Smith. A man who made his living grinding flour from grain
took the name Miller. Does your family name come from the work your
ancestors did long ago?
Here are some common surnames. Is yours amongst them? Find out more...
Last Name: BAKER Occupation: Baker The bearer of this name may not
only have been a baker of bread. The name was also used for other
involved with baking in some way, including the owner of a communal
oven in humbler communities.
Last Name: BARKER Occupation: Shepherd Barker comes from the Norman
word barches, meaning "shepherd," the person who watches over a flock
of sheep.
Last Name: BLACK Occupation: Dyer Men named Black were cloth dyers who
specialized in black dyes. In medieval times, all cloth was originally
white, and had to be dyed to create colorful cloth.
Last Name: CARTER Occupation: Delivery man A person who drove a cart
pulled by oxen, carrying goods from town to town, was named Carter.
Last Name: CHANDLER Occupation: Candlemaker From the French word
'chandelier,' this name referred to a person who made candles.
Last Name: COOPER Occupation: Barrelmaker A cooper was someone who
made wooden barrels, vats, or casks.
Last Name: FISHER Occupation: Fisherman This occupational name derives
from the Old English word 'fiscere,' meaning fisherman.
Last Name: KEMP Occupation: Wrestler A strong man who was a champion
at jousting or wrestling. Derived from the Middle English word
'kempe,' which came from Old English 'cempa,' meaning 'warrior' or
'champion.'
Last Name: MILLER Occupation: Miller A man who made his living
grinding flour from grain.
Last Name: SMITH Occupation: Metalworker Anyone who worked with metal
was called a smith. A Blacksmith worked with iron, a Whitesmith worked
with tin, and a Goldsmith worked with gold. This was one of the most
common occupations in Medieval times, so it is little wonder that
SMITH is now among the most common surnames worldwide.
Last Name: WALL Occupation: Mason The name given to a special kind of
mason, a wall was one who specialized in building walls with carefully
balanced and fitted stones.

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