What’s in a surname? Centuries of history for most of us.
Ancestry.com explains where many of our more common Western European surnames may have come from. A person named Smith is likely the descendent of a blacksmith. The Appleby's ancestors probably lived near an orchard. A Hall’s forefather may have worked in the hall of a medieval nobleman’s house.
Some other common names are easy to figure out. It’s safe to say there was a son of Robert in the Roberson family tree and the first Mr. MacDonald was likely the Scottish son of Donald. Different regions of the world have different stories and naming strategies. You can try to decipher yours by plugging your last name into an online name translator. If it’s unusual, try separating the syllables.
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