Mining the Census: Are You Finding Every Clue? The brothers were sold when they were very young and remained with their last owners nearly thirty years. Now, that parent's surname could very well be the surname of the most recent slaveholder or an earlier slaveholder. You already know the rich historical terrain of FPOC in Louisiana, what terrific grounds for family research. LOTTIE had been the name of the nurse before me and so they just continued that same name. 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. Jamaica Slavery FamilySearch Numerous historical sources confirm that enslaved people had surnames that they used among themselves and in many cases were known by their slaveholder. It gives the age and sex of the slave and the number of slaves of each age and sex. Label vector designed by Ibrandify - Freepik.com, https://nmaahc.si.edu/object/nmaahc_2014.174.8?destination=/explore/collection/search%3Fedan_q%3Denslaved%26edan_fq%255B0%255D%3Dobject_type%253A%2522Photographs%2522. I was born in Montgomery County, Ala. the child of Phillis Houston, slave of Sol Smith. I am searching for information about a woman named Eliza Ellis, from Versailles KY or that area. LOTTIE had been the name of the nurse before me and so they just continued that same name. Students examine the factors that led many northerners to turn against federal policies passed during the Reconstruction era that protected freedpeople. . These require Microsoft Word and a Windows platform. Alfred Francis Russell (1817-1884), 10th President of Liberia. Although it is not widely known, some African Americans used surnames before they were emancipated. The Voice of the Black Community in California, Last Updated on October 14, 2010 by Paulette Brown-Hinds. And you get to tell the story of Jean-Louiss life in slavery and also in freedom. 43. Thomas: Thomas is a common surname of biblical origin meaning twin. This database is a compilation of information on over four thousand slaves from Louisiana who were involved in manumission (the formal emancipation from slavery) between 1719 and 1820. My mother then told me my fathers name was John Barnett, a white man, and I took up the name Barnett., My mothers name was Jane and she was called Jane Nunn because she belonged to the Nunns. Slavery was coexistent with the founding in 1670 of the first permanent colony in South Carolina, and early official records occasionally contain the names of slaves.3 An inventory of the estate of Francis Jones in 1693 lists 'a negro man Jack' and 'a negro Woman name Jugg.'4 An inventory of the 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. Slavery. Victorian Surnames in England and Wales - Geri Walton Some of the most common or popular last names in the 1800s included Robinson, Clark, and Smith. 1. Robyn. I have gotten so many requests over the years from those who couldn't make the live webinars so I hope you enjoy this new feature. College, Advanced AA Gen Class, September 2011, AAHGS Annual Genealogy Conference, November 2008, Howard Comm. An enslaved child sold away from their parents at a young age to the Deep South would probably have a different sense of naming than enslaved children who were able to grow up in the presence of their parents and extended family. All rights reserved. Entre la construccin de la memoria y la ficcin histrica", "From Africa to India: Music of the Sidis and the Indian Ocean Diaspora (review)", "Mark and Phillis Executions, Burned at the Stake and Gibbeted in Puritan Massachusetts", "Letter from Paul Revere to Jeremy Belknap, circa 1798", "Re: Nancy Titsworth-1800-Livin - Genealogy.com", Association of Muslim Social Scientists & International Institute of Islamic Thought 2008, "Creolizing Natural Liberty: Transnational Obligation in the Thought of Ottobah Cugoano", "Madison and the White House, Through the Memoir of a Slave", "Black Slaves, Indian Masters: Slavery, Emancipation, and Citizenship in the Native American South, by Barbara Krauthamer (2013) Not Even Past", "Timeline of Missouri's African American History", "So Tom e Prncipe recorda o Rei Amador", "Black Christian Republicans: Delegates to the 1847 Liberian Constitutional Convention", "A Slave's Service in the Confederate Army", "Slavery and French Cuisine in Jefferson's Working White House", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_slaves&oldid=1140857860, This page was last edited on 22 February 2023, at 03:19. 3. When Wessyngtons owner George A. Washington married Margaret Lewis in 1849 her father gave the couple twenty-nine slaves. -George Burns, "Where does the family start? He decided that he didnt want to be known as Cap Sherrod and that he would vote and marry under his choice of names. My hat goes off to you and your passionate efforts. I especially recommend Mother, Thy Name is Mystery! Chapter 4 gives a brief and introductory outline of naming in the United States during slavery and its consequences in African American culture. I presume no death certificate for her survives? Peneus saved Daphne from Apollos romantic obsessions by transforming her into a laurel tree. It starts with a young man falling in love with a girl. She served that family for a long time, perhaps more clues to her past lie in his family roots. Maria Aparecida Schumaher, Erico teixeira Vital Brazil. In more than thirty years of researching my ancestors and hundreds of others enslaved on one of Americas largest plantations, slaves owned by mid-sized planters and small farmers, reviewing thousands of documents I have come across various situations that might give others clues on what to look for. So I asked my mother and she told me my father John Barnett, a white man, and I took up the name of Barnett . Hi Pat, Slave Names In The Americas - Black Voice News What remains utterly amazing to me is that in the worst of circumstances, and in spite of every attempt to crush any idea that slaves were anything other than commodities, slaveholders did not succeed. The origins of this last name date back to the pre-medieval period. 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 . Evidence indicates that many enslaved parents named their children after the first generation or so of family members brought to America. My great great grandfather in Mississippi took the surname of the previous SC enslaver, whose widow sold him away. American slave owners or slaveholders were owners of slaves in the United States which typically worked either as agriculture laborers or house servants. Abel, the name of Adam and Eve's unfortunate younger son, compensates with positive connotations: capable, competent, ready and willing. Others who wanted no connection to their former owners used surnames like Freeman or Freedman. On the U.S. Federal census that year, Wesley's birthplace was recorded as Alabama, the same as his father, and his mother's birthplace was South Carolina . The surname issue really presents huge challenges for those of us doign this research, but you soulnd as though you are making headway. Middle Tennessee, where tobacco, cattle, and grain became the favored crops, held the . Samuel had only two slaves: the man that could be Wilson and a 42-year-old woman. Our headquarters are located at: 89 South Street, Suite 401, Boston, MA 02111. One of the largest sources are the Civil War pension records of the almost 200,000 black men who served in the US Army and Navy. Phone: 314-994-3300, Hours & Locations Comments/Suggestions314-994-3300, Copyright 2023. After I had returned to Louisville from Danville, My sister, Lizzie White, got to calling me Mollie, and it was with her that the name started. I also see that in 1900 she is listed as widow with 1 child living, so you may have luck trying to find out who her child was. 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. Robyn. The surname Williams occurs roughly 550 times per 100,000 people in the U.S. You can find explanations for each of the table columns below, or use the following links to view more last names for different ancestries. Spanish areas had male Slave names as Francisco, Pedro, and Antonio; and for females: Maria, Isabella, and Juana. Email:genealogy@slcl.org Of the 972 names of male Slaves recorded between 1619 and 1799 the leading ones were Jack, Tom, Harry, Sam, Will, Caesar, Dick, John, Robin, Frank, Charles, Joe and Prince. EDHASA, 2006, 359 pages, (. is for you. Index by slave owner's name | Surname unknown or illegible The highest percentage of African names was found among male slaves in the eighteenth century, when . However, research byLisa D. Cook and colleagueshas revealed evidence of racialized names from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. 2019 (cited under the Anglophone Caribbean) includes a good general introduction to slave naming. John Lewis was born in 1831; in 1844 he and several family members were given to George A. Washington of Wessyngton. You can use the links below to view more common surnames. Top 130 French Last Names or Surnames With Meanings - FirstCry Parenting My full name is Dick Lewis Barnett. Index to "Descriptive Recruitment Lists of Volunteers for the United States Colored Troops for the State of Missouri, 1863-1865" (NARA Microfilm Publication M1894 - 6 rolls) For more information about the records covered in this index, please contact the History and Genealogy Department. And again, as a white Southerner whose ancesters were NOT slaveowners, your blog is helping me to understand the real and horrible legacy of the peculiar institution. Slaves are identified by given name under their masters. Robyn. "More than half of the surnames are derived from the Christian or fore-name of the father," [1] and based on a total of 3,253,800 people, nearly 18 in every 100 persons was known by one of these fifty surnames. Both are excellent researchers and historians. Since those are the countries from which many of America's original settlers came, it's hardly surprising. For personal use and not for further distribution. Bradley was the last man owned em. I want.to.know.where we (who are.descendants.of.freed.people.who.got sent.back.to Sierra Leone.from.maybe Nova Scotia.) With your explanations in mind, I will go back over a couple of family groups and re-assess the surname ambiguousness I have in my notes. Cora: We first fell in love with this short baby girl's name from Downton Abbey, but Cora was already popular in the 1800s, meaning 'maiden' or 'good'. 41. How lucky you were to find that Freedmans Bank document! Following the emancipation of approximately 360,000 enslaved people in North Carolina, changes in African American names became indicative of a new value system and sense of self-identity among freedpeople. They were Nelson Nunn and George Nunn and they may have changed their names to Crosby too because they were my fathers children.. Enslaved women were raped, creating children with white fathers who in most cases did not claim them and even sold them away. Surely the hundreds of black Culbert people living today cannot all be connected to those three cases. For example, I know of one Louisiana family whose surname of Poulard evolved from a ancestor of the Poular nation(aka Fulani). 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. One thing for sure, historians are always expanding our knowledge on this topic.BTW, I am a big fan of your website and your work in the field! 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. By the late 19th century, England was home to about 300 surnames with traceable genealogy. Former slaves also interchanged surnames on census records. Robinson: A patronymic of the name Robin. Benson, Susan. I worked for him as nurse for his children, and my full and correct name was OCTAVIA, but the family could not catch on to that long name and called me LOTTIE for short. James: (M) (Latin origin) means "heel" or "supplanter". Join my mailing list below to learn about upcoming webinars. Facing History & Ourselves, "Changing Names," last updated May 12, 2020. In doing slave research in Barbados, I have found one group of enslaved Chase ancestors who were manumitted (freed) and given the last name of the former slave owner. Gerald, however, is a Germanic name meaning ruler) 2. Corbin Corbin has an Old English origin. Burton, Richard D.E. Names and Naming in Afro-Caribbean Culture. New West Indian Guide/Nieuwe West-Indische Gids 73 (1999): 3558. African Americans tended to use surnames associated with their own families instead of the last slave owner. 16 Most Famous Female Slaves of African American Origin That is why you will find a lot of families in Louisiana with surnames like Baptiste, Narcisse, Jean-Louis, Nanette-Louise, Rene, Jacques etc Ive come across very few former slaves and fpoc using the surnames of their former owner. My great grandfather Wilson Percival was born in South Carolina and I believe he took his surname from last slave owners family. As enslavement continued through the 1800s, African American culture included naming practices that were national in scope by the time of emancipation, and intimately related to the slave trade. Bernard Meaning: brave warrior Origin: French 4. See flier for more details. There are a wide array of sources that provide us with slave surnames, from the slave narratives and interviews, to freedmans bank cards, runaway ads and Southern Claims Commission records. In addition to time and place, a likely variable is whether the birth rate, in a severely overworked and maltreated population, was sufficient to ensure a relatively stable population over several generations, or whether the high mortality associated with slavery led to declining numbers and hence to the frequent acquisition of new slaves. After emancipation, he became William Smith. Each is present in your body. Women tended to have two names, and slaves often just had one. When they were sold away they remembered their loved ones and they created extended kinship networks. I was only three years old when she died. Brief, but stimulating and thoughtful for students coming new to the subject. 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. Washington: The 'blackest name' in America | The Seattle Times I am awar eof the different naming traditions practiced in that area and I thank you for sharing them here for my readers. Students learn about President Andrew Johnson and the Congressional Republican's conflicting visions of how to rebuild the nation after the Civil War. I truly believe they used surnames of each of their former owners for some of their childrens middle names. Slave surnames | Vita Brevis Although it is not widely known, some African Americans used surnames before they were emancipated. See flier for details; cost of this event is $25. I am a farmer. common last names in the 1800s - stmatthewsbc.org Names from the Bible were another common practice, for given and surnames. Where did you get the maiden name of Smith from? Picked by several celebrities (a couple of times even for a girl), adding up to an enthusiastically recommended choice. Danish West Indies, Denmark, Records of Enslaved People, 1672-1917 They cut it off from OCTAVIA. Through a video-based activity, students explore how Radical Reconstruction changed the nature of voting rights and democracy in the South. Some last names recognize certain histories or describe important events or narratives that mean a lot to the family. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Join my mailing list below to receive my posts and get a free PDF with some of my favorite tips! Love you, I did not even check the 1850 slave schedule. 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. Jonah, the name of the Old Testament prophet who was swallowed by the whale, only to emerge unharmed three days later, is increasingly appreciated by parents looking for a biblical name less common than Jacob or Joshua, yet not too obscure. Just go to my Vimeo page and make your selection. However the frequent rebellions by . When I was born my mother was known as Phillis Smith and I took the name of Smith too. Both comments and pings are currently closed. Slaveholders often renamed newly acquired slaves; but self-naming by slaves, which also occurred, is likely to be underreported in the records, which were mainly created by and for slaveholders. But the Slaves generally had two namesthe one given by the slave owner (e.g. I hope this post also helps us to think about how the surnames former slaves had were connected to their experiences in slavery. Several names have been added under the letter representing the person's last name. The battle was long and hard-fought, with pro-slavery campaigners arguing that the slave trade was important for the British economy and claiming that enslaved Africans were happy and well-treated. Tell me the name you were called before you met Phillip Fry? My Louisiana Creole ancestors who were free persons of color and former slaves practiced a unique naming tradition I think comes from Latin cultures. Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts South Atlantic Creole Archipelagos Post Author: Post published: 18 avril 2022; Post Category: . Q. After emancipation, he became William Smith. Other common surnames included Jones, Matthews, Sinclair, and Bennett, Price, and Gray.. 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. Thus, the patronymic surname can be effectively regarded as "keeper of the peace." This phenomenon is not unheard of with African American surnames. Distinctively Black names were thought to have risen from the Civil Rights and Black Power Movements, which promoted the use of names with connections to Africa. Thank you as always, your posts are so helpful. I hope youll sign up to receive my postsif you do, youll get a free PDF with some of my favorite tips! I was only three years old when she died. Olympic speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno might inspire some parents. Louisiana, U.S., Records of Enslaved People, 1719-1820 - Ancestry.com Wide-ranging survey of naming practices in the (mainly Anglophone) Atlantic world both during and after slavery. 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. When I was born my mother was known as Phillis Smith and I took the name of Smith too. That alone can make if difficult to research an African- American family during those years. I would also recommend Elizabeth Shown Mills various case studies on enslaved people in Louisiana, which you can find at her website at https://www.historicpathways.com/articles.html. The Genealogy Source Table Collection includes 10 blank, editable source tables for death certificates, city directories, obituaries and funeral programs. Im very familiar with the work of Gwendolyn Hall and Elizabeth Shown Mills. Here, three different former slaves discuss their names and the changes they underwent after Emancipation. .When I got home after the war, I was wearing the name of Lewis Smith, but I found that the negroes after freedom, were taking the names of their father like the white folks. This entry was posted on Friday, August 28th, 2009 at 11:46 am and is filed under Civil War, Genealogy & DNA, Interviews. Sabe, Anque, Bumbo, Jobah, Quamana, Taynay, and Yearie) used in the Slave quarters. "Slave revolts in Puerto Rico: conspiracies and uprisings, 17951873"; by: Guillermo A. Baralt; Markus Wiener Publishers; harvnb error: no target: CITEREFAssociation_of_Muslim_Social_ScientistsInternational_Institute_of_Islamic_Thought2008 (, sfnm error: no target: CITEREFSmith2001 (, sfnm error: no target: CITEREFWhite2016 (, sfn error: no target: CITEREFBrands2012 (, sfnm error: no target: CITEREFMcFeely1981 (, Last edited on 22 February 2023, at 03:19, sued her master for her freedom on that ground, United States Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, Diego Pacheco Tllez-Girn Gmez de Sandoval, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, South Carolina's 5th congressional district, List of the last surviving American slaves, Timeline of abolition of slavery and serfdom, Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, National Museum of African American History and Culture, "What is the divine purpose for sending prophets? It was after emancipation on that I went back to work for Col. Morrow and where I got the name Lottie, as already explained. 3. Popular Last Names in the 1920s Gatsby Flapper Girl . I am sure your father would also be very proud of your interest in family history. Some of these examples come from the wonderful book, Voices of Emancipation: I served [in the War] as Henry Lock, the Lock being my old Massas name but since the War I have taken name of Rollie., [Edward] was owned by Drury Stovall and went by the name of Edward Stovall. The Complexity of Slave Surnames > Reclaiming Kin . Dear Robyn, Surnames (not always those of former owners) would then be adopted as family names by former slaves and their descendants. There was often a fluidity to the surnames that enslaved people had. This financial assistance was available to all Civil War veterans and their families. The association with the infamous Nero, the fiddling Roman emperor, would be unavoidable. African Americans in the U.S. Federal Census, 1870-1890 (National Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one", "Friends are God's apologies for relations. These people are referred to as slaves, or as enslaved people. A Wessyngton slave named Bill who was the plantations blacksmith was known as Billy the Smith during slavery. Robyn, Unraveling the origins of FPOC and slaves in Francophone Louisiana takes some thinking outside the fact, meticulous research ,familiarity with the local culture, history and a bit of serendipity on your side. Edited by Gabriele vom Bruck and Barbara Bodenhorn, 178-199. Here, our list of notable early African American names. Top 100 Best Names From The 1800s | Kidadl Wheatley was traded into slavery at the age of 7 or 8 and imported to North America. Slave Names | NCpedia On all subsequent census records, he is listed as John Lewis. Search 30 million given names. Kaplan, Justin, and Anne Bernays. Where did you get the maiden name of Smith from? 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. I am an engineer by day, but my true passion lies in genealogy. However, the enslaved occasionally had surnames, which became normal leading up to and after emancipation as a mark of assimilation into free society. Join me as I present this NEW webinar that covers why we miss our ancestors in these records and presents numerous strategies to assist in finding every clue in census records. Names from the Bible were another common practice, for given and surnames. Ho Joanne, Former slaves often made up surnames based on their occupations. You are the continuation of each of these people." 1-86-NARA-NARA or 1-866-272-6272, Finding Aids for the National Archives at Atlanta, National Archives Catalog (National Archives Identifier 2767350). In the 1760s Anglo-American frontiersmen, determined to settle the land, planted slavery firmly within the borders of what would become Tennessee. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997. Another common practice was to select a surname that fit the personality of an individual, such as Hardy or Rambler. Plus, Jonah comes with a ready-made nursery-decorating motif. Popular last names in the 1800's? - Answers It was after emancipation on that I went back to work for Col. Morrow and where I got the name Lottie, as already explained.
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