Occupational last names

[Hootmon]

Blacksmith - my grandfather's brother was a Blacksmith (not by name but by trade).

Was his nickname 'Lefty'?

...old craftsman joke.

I have a friend who was a Social Worker with the surname of Doctor and she used to often get mistaken as a doctor during her working career in hospitals (now retired). Her cousin was a Doctor and yes he was of course Dr Doctor (recently passed away).

Did he ever 'give you the news.'?

[Hootmon]

It was kind of an inside joke in Dad's family that we were descended from thieves and murderers.

My mother is from England. Bournemouth, on the south shore. We figured out once she is about 74th from the Crown.

Im practically royalty!

[Ovicula]

Two surnames on my dad's side of the family were Aiken and Cain. Now, I don't know about Cain, but Aiken is a Scottish surname,.... Cain, we all remember as killing his brother Abel. It was kind of an inside joke in Dad's family that we were descended from thieves and murderers.

A name was often recorded during the Middle Ages under several different spelling variations during the life of its bearer because literacy was rare.

One should not necessarily expect a murder descendant.

Cain has separate origins.

From the Hebrew, it means possession or spear.

In Jewish and Christian tradition, Cain was the world's first murderer.

In Welsh Cain is a name meaning beautiful or fair. Male: Cain, female: Keina. It could also be a short form of Welsh personal names as Ceindrych or Ceinwen.

In English it is derived from the Middle English word for a cane or reed, and was used of a tall, thin person or
an occupational name for a reed weaver or a reed merchant.

In French the surname comes from the town of Caen in Normandy, which was named for Gaulish words meaning battle plain.

[Raphael]

Oldest example?

Mr. and Mrs. Adam and Eve Gardener.

[Wally]

We had this trick to remembering names in Dale Carnegie:

Make a picture.....
Wallace = hanging wallpaper with a pretty lace pattern.

The best one was a daddy demon with three babies on his knees: Papademetrio.

Some names you just dont fotrget.

Like Hinnershitz. Don't want to guess that job.........Pa Dutch is vunnerful.

[Raphael]

Barney: originator of the Marshall plan to be marshall

"Catch 22" (Joseph Heller) name (rank, given name, surname): Major Major Major

[BelovedChild]

I found two unusual surnames in my phone book this morning.

Bacon (yes truly) - pig farmer?

Banks - Banker (remember Mary Poppins - the family names was banks and Hubby was a banker)

[Florian9]

Spanish Surnames:
Early medieval Spaniards began adopting surnames much like modern Icelandic people using Patronymic names. By taking the first name of the child's father and adding the 'ez' at the end. For example:

A father is named Martín--his son's surname would be......wait for it......Martinez (or son of Martin). The original Latin would have been Martinus.

So we get such popular names like:

Fernandez (son of Fernando)
Gonzalez (son of Gonzalo)
Hernandez (son of Hernan)
Rodriguez (son of Rodrigo)


Not really occupational last names...but here are some Spanish "occupational surnames".

Castellanos--person who worked in a castle
Guerrero--professional soldier/warrior
Cavallero (Caballero)--Knight
Mercado--merchant or seller
Ferrero/Ferrer--Ironworker

[onceblind]

(Tiki) Barber

Speaking of football I was told years ago there once was a football player names Hammond Eggs.

[Raphael]

"Guerrero" reminded me of some French phrases which describe our board names:

Nom de Guerre (war name) "Warrior for Christ", etc.
Nom de Plume (pseudonym; pen name) (all inclusive - warlike or not)


Famous Stooge Attorney Firm: Dewey, Cheetum, and Howe!

[pixelpusher]

Famous Stooge Attorney Firm: Dewey, Cheetum, and Howe!

And their competition: Gray, Zunder, Prescher

[Florian9]

Famous Stooge Attorney Firm: Dewey, Cheetum, and Howe!

Years ago there was a politician in Georgia named Mitch Skandalakis. He actually went to jail also

[Raphael]

Mitch would have avoided prison if he had hired the Brighton Early law firm, or the Charlie's Angels attorney, Sue Yu.

Now he is reduced to calling Jack Hammer and asking that he bring his pal Al K. Seltzer.


Man, I am scraping the bottom...

[gma dolittle]

I went to college with a couple of hippies who had the last name of Trea. They named their little girl Merry Chrisma. you put it together.

[Raphael]

It's a good thing Tuesday Weld never married Frederick March III, or she would have been Tuesday, March the Third.

"Weld": an actress, or craftsman who solders iron.

Raphael: Foole (professional)

[Wally]

And a jester unemployed, is nobody's foole.
........Danny Kaye.

[countryboy]

Seaman---just like the navy seaman!!!!

[BelovedChild]

Death

Yes it is a real surname.I have come across this name in the phone book. I think it would be a good name for the undertaker.

[Wally]

Wanna bet they pronounce it Deeth?


That's Fraunken'steen.....

[BelovedChild]

Wanna bet they pronounce it Deeth?


That's Fraunken'steen.....

THEY DO.

Here is a name that is not an obvious occupational name, but it could apply.

Phillips (Phillip means lover of horses) so it is one for all the jockeys, trainers, horse breeders, and any other person connected with sdfghjkl;'
orses.