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The origins of English surnames can be divided
into six categories.
| Locative |
Derived from the names of specific
places.
eg Lindfield,
The person will
have moved from that place. |
| Topographical |
From words for features of the
landscape.
Ford, Bridge, Style, Cleverly,
Brooking |
| Occupational |
eg Baker, Cooper, Goldsmith.
Also
rank eg Burgess, Knight, Proctor, Franklin |
| From personal names |
Derived from 'first' or baptismal names
eg Godwin, Gilbert, Peters (genitive 's'), Williamson |
| Derived from nicknames |
Includes surnames from physical
characteristics
eg Long, Brown, Fox, Badger |
| Surnames or relationships |
From terms of relationships
eg Couzens,
Uncle and terms connected with relationships
eg B'stard,
Filderoi, Fitzgerald |
A Dictionary of English
Surnames by P H Reaney. OUP revised third edition 1997.
019860092-5.
This remains 'the' reference
book.
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