CULTURE PAGE 1
A. How do you think surnames first started to develop? Read the first paragraph of the text and check your answers.
Surnames started to develop when villages grew larger and people needed a way to tell the difference between individuals with the same first name. People began describing each other by their father’s job, their physical appearance, or where they lived, and these descriptions eventually became permanent family names.
B. Now read the whole text and answer the questions that follow.
1. When did the English start using surnames?
The English started using surnames in 1066.
2. What does the ending –s or –son mean?
The ending -s or -son means that the person is the son of the one named (for example, Robertson means the son of Robert).
3. Which surname is found more often than others in the UK?
Smith is the most common surname in the UK.
4. What job did the ancestors of a person named Gardener probably do?
Their ancestors probably worked as gardeners, looking after plants and gardens.
5. Why is the history of some surnames difficult to find?
It is difficult to find because some surnames use words from older forms of English, Scottish, Irish, Welsh, or foreign languages brought by people who moved to Britain from abroad.
6. What is a quick way to find out the history of a surname?
A quick way to find out the history of a surname is to do some research online.
C. Read the text again. Then look at the three surnames in the box. What do you think they tell us about the people they originated from?
- Smithson: This surname indicates family descent and trade; it belonged to someone whose father was a smith (a blacksmith or metal craftsman).
- Armstrong: This surname describes physical appearance or strength, referring to an ancestor who had strong arms or great physical power.
- Underhill: This surname refers to a landscape feature or location, meaning that the person lived at the foot or bottom of a hill.
PROJECT
Find information about the origins of your surname. Does it come from a certain area of your country? What does it mean? Does it tell you anything about your own history? Present your findings to the class.
My surname is Kovalenko, which is one of the most common family names in Ukraine. It comes from the Ukrainian word koval, which means “blacksmith”, and the suffix -enko, which means “son of” or “child of”. This surname originated across central and eastern Ukraine, where blacksmithing was a respected and essential trade in every village. This tells me that my ancestors were skilled craftsmen who worked with iron and played an important role in their community.