CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW! 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. Robyn N. Smith, [insert post title], Reclaiming Kin (https://reclaimingkin.com: accessed [insert date you read the post]), [insert the date the post was written]. Spencer is a name that has everything: it's both distinguished sounding and accessible, dignified but Spencer Tracy-like friendly. The second hour is hands-on, and I want you to bring the deeds you've found along with your questions. Names from the Bible were another common practice, for given and surnames. Edmon S. Conner Recalls About His Career", "Law and the Cultural Production of Race and Racialized Systems of Oppression", "Runaway Slaves and Servants in Colonial Virginia", Slavery in the Courtroom: An Annotated Bibliography of American Cases, "Soldier of Furtune: John Smith before Jamestown", "YSTUMLLYN, JOHN ('Jack Black') (d. 1786), gardener and land steward | Dictionary of Welsh Biography", "Strong, Jonathan (c. 17471773), de facto freed slave", "Juan Francisco Manzano | Slave Narratives | The MoAD Salon | MoAD - Museum of the African Diaspora", "Relatos sobre la India Juliana. . Jackson: This name is a patronymic of Jack. This is such a well-written and informative post one that I know will open many eyes to the complexity of slave surnames, as well as many other aspects of the lives of the enslaved. . He was a planter with 20,000 acres of land in East Florida and was at the forefront of slavery in The . -Thich Nhat Hanh, evolve theme by Theme4PressPowered by WordPress, Maryland Genealogical Society Holiday Luncheon, December 2017-2, Washington FHC Annual Conference, May 2011, Baltimore Family History Conference, October 2017-2, International Black Genealogy Summit, September 2016-2, Carroll County Genealogical Society Dinner, June 2018, Baltimore Family History Conference, October 2017, Reginald Lewis Museum, September 2011-2.jpg, Maryland State Archives Family History Festival, October 2014-2, Central Maryland AAHGS Meeting, March 2013, Robyn, Vonda, Andrea and Glenn, NGS Conf., May 2014, Maryland Genealogical Society Holiday Luncheon, December 2017-1, Howard Comm. Here are an even dozen, pretty much forgotten slanglike words or sayings from the 19th century, rediscovered while delving in the archives and with added guidance from James Maitman's 1891 . In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries African-American slaves retained Africanisms in their naming practices. For personal use and not for further distribution. Eugene D. Genovese, Roll, Jordan, Roll: The World the Slaves Made (1974). 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. > | Index main page>| Index by slave owner's name, 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). 30 January 2022, [PAST EVENT], Eastern Standard Time: Join special guest genealogist Taneya Y. Koonce and I as we present our joint Zoom webinar, Organize Your Genealogy! Former slaves often made up surnames based on their occupations. Thanks for this very thoughtful article. No, I don't know to whom she belonged before she was brought from Virginia to Kentucky. There has been much debate among scholars, historians and genealogists whether enslaved African Americans used the surnames of their last owners, previous owners, or a surname that had no connection to slavery. ", "If you look deeply into the palm of your hand, you will see your parents and all the generations of your ancestors. Abara: Originating from the Igbo group of West Africa, Abara means 'spirit'. Part of what drives me in this research, I think, is the feeling that I am reclaiming their stories, their names, and their very being, even if what I uncover is just a tiny bit. I am the applicant for pension on account of having served in Co. B. I was only three years old when she died. The first published African-American poet & author Phillis Wheatley was born in West Africa. Through a video-based activity, students examine Americas struggle for a stronger democracy during Reconstruction and today. Baptiste Meaning: derived from the name Bautista; the Spanish form of Baptist Origin: Spanish 3. For more information about the records covered in this index,please contact the History and Genealogy Department. The origins of this last name date back to the pre-medieval period. Your current browser may not support copying via this button. Thomas Black Cobbs was owned by a small slave owner Catherine Black. Five of the slaves were sold to the Washingtons and brought to Wessyngton. 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. When they were sold away they remembered their loved ones and they created extended kinship networks. In many cases this is ignored and children use their fathers name! In instances where slaves were sold from their families and they did not retain their previous owners surnames, they named their children for parents, sisters and brothers to keep a connection with their families. Eliza Moore (1843 - January 21, 1948) Source = Pinimg. I have done quite a bit of genealogy for my own family, and it was difficult enough, but what you are doing, is incredible work. On another branch, members of the Griffin family from around Campbell County VA all stuck together and are believed to have kept family bonds & name of their father after Emancipation. My father would be 105 if he were alive. Numerous historical sources confirm that enslaved people had surnames that they used among themselves and in many cases were known by their slaveholder. LOTTIE had been the name of the nurse before me and so they just continued that same name. Osprey Publishing 2008. Women tended to have two names, and slaves often just had one. Ethereal and delicate, Cassandra was in the Top 70 throughout the 1990s but is now descending in popularity. Dick Lewis Barnett and Phillip Fry were African American veterans of the Union Army during the Civil War. With mythological names rising, the handsome son of Zeus and god of medicine, music, and poetry among many other things might offer an interesting, if high-pressure, option. Hi Rodney, They were all sold to different owners: Connell, Rose, Johnson, and Hughes respectively. One given name the childs family selected and kept secret and one the child was known by given by the slave owner. Examples include: Francois, Jean, Pierre, and Leon for men; and Manon, Delphine, Marie Louise, Celeste, and Eugenie for women. Q. In 1836, William Turbeville died leaving an estate with several slaves who were brothers: Turner, Nelson, Simon, Jordan, and Jacob. 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. . 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. This had a profound impact on the Selfhood of each of the enslaveddisrupting ones presumed Mission in life, as indicated by ones name; shattering the sharing of personal and historical experiences, attitudes, and spirits towards life; and putting in disarray the philosophy of life framework and common sense values by which all Africans lived. Spanish areas had male Slave names as Francisco, Pedro, and Antonio; and for females: Maria, Isabella, and Juana. Lastly,emancipation itself often provoked many to choose new surnames, one of the few actual freedoms freedmen had. Surnames like Chantimel have disappeared, while names like Horsford and Ackie, coming from Antigua (where they are common), or Quarless, Dowden, Chandler, and Dottin from Barbados, have enriched Grenada's family history and cultural identity. Who called you by that name and where was it done? This was done more because it was the logical thing to do and the easiest way to be identified than it was through affection for the master. Im jealous;) The common names there (Marie, Louise, etc) would test anyones genealogical skills, so I take my hat off to you. For more details, see the flier here, and you can purchase them here. . Interestingly, the five most common American surnames as of 2010 haven't changed that much over time and are Smith, Johnson, Williams, Brown, and Jones. The highest percentage of African names was found among male slaves in the eighteenth century, when . Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. I am the identical person who was named called and known as Dick Lewis Smith before the Civil War and during the Civil War and until I returned home after my military service . Another slave named Bill who attended the sheep became Bill Shepherd. Some last names recognize certain histories or describe important events or narratives that mean a lot to the family. Login Forgot . All of them are alive in this moment. Search 31 million family names. The surname issue really presents huge challenges for those of us doign this research, but you soulnd as though you are making headway. Use the form below to get in touch with me and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. Allard. There was often a fluidity to the surnames that enslaved people had. Surely the hundreds of black Culbert people living today cannot all be connected to those three cases. One ancestor was known as Baber Masse, Elizabeth SENET and Elisabeth Leveille in different documents. Herbert G. Gutman, The Black Family in Slavery and Freedom, 1750-1925 (1976). In French-speaking Louisiana, Slave names reflected the dominant language and thus were generally different from those in the English colonies. Some of the most common or popular last names in the 1800s included Robinson, Clark, and Smith. Slavery existed in the United States from its founding in 1776 and became the main . Here, our list of notable early African American names. Proving their identity as former soldiers often revealed some of the most detailed explanations for former slaves choice of surnames. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. A. This entry was posted on Friday, August 28th, 2009 at 11:46 am and is filed under Civil War, Genealogy & DNA, Interviews. 5. Robyn. Its knowledge that I think most Americans (not even just white Americans) dont have and it is endlessly fascinating and sobering both at the same time. However the frequent rebellions by . Thank you. I was bornthe child of Phillis Houston, slave of Sol Smith. In small communities when slaves were sold, they were often bought by someone in the area. I belonged to him until emancipation. Peneus saved Daphne from Apollos romantic obsessions by transforming her into a laurel tree. College Advanced AA Gen. Class, November 2012, Robyn, Aaron, Karen, Katherine and Michael, October 2014, African-American Family History Conference, February 2015, African-American Genealogy Group Conference, October 2016, Central Maryland AAHGS, with Alice Harris, September 2015, Howard Comm. Q. Hi Pat, By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Brief, but stimulating and thoughtful for students coming new to the subject. My Vimeo ON Demand video page lists six videos you can choose from to watch for 3 months ($15 each): -Finding the Last Slaveowner: Guidance and Case Studies, -Cluster Research: Using Groups of People to Find Your People, -Using Deed Records to Uncover Your Family, -Putting it All Together: Making Sense of All the Research You've Done and, -More Than Just a Name: Incorporating Social and Community History Into Your Research. This blog is where I share family history methods, resources, tips and advice, with an emphasis on slave research, slavery and its aftermath. I mean, really retro. In the context of The Bahamas, the surname appears to originate with Denys Rolle, an American Loyalist who re-settled on Exuma, one of the so-called Out Islands of The Bahamas, sometime in the mid-1780s. Hi Jann, Slavery is a social-economic system under which people are enslaved: deprived of personal freedom and forced to perform labor or services without compensation. The Missouri Compromisealso referred to as the Compromise of 1820was an agreement between the pro- and anti-slavery factions regulating slavery in the western territories. The quote below, from a Southern Claims Commission file, is one of the most powerful and one of my favorites to use in lectures: I enlisted under Ross because that was my fathers name. Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press. Last updated: November 1, 2003 "Dwelling No." I think mostly about family separationas a mother now myself, the very idea that my dear child could be sold to who knows where, never to be seen again..just reduces me to tears anytime. Thomas: Thomas is a common surname of biblical origin meaning twin. They called me OCK. See more details in the flier here and they are available for purchase for $10 . Join my mailing list below to receive my posts and get a free PDF with some of my favorite tips! 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 . Slaves are identified by given name under their masters. Were there any famous slaves? Leo (M) (Russian origin) means "lion". The most common of 603 names of female Slaves were Bet, Mary, Jane, Hanna, Betty, Sarah, Phillis, Nan, Peg, and Sary. See flier here. Robinson: A patronymic of the name Robin. Several of the other slaves were sold to various slave owners. I was born in Montgomery County, Ala. the child of Phillis Houston, slave of Sol Smith. Thanks for writing this post! Almost every major tome on slavery discusses slave naming practices in some form or fashion. Just makes me sad for the human spirit that anyone, let alone hundreds of thousands of people could participate in it. A. Mr. Thomas Jefferson of Louisville, bought me when I was three years of age from Mr. Dearing. . This is another instance of oral history being a key component in tracing African American ancestry. Special slave censuses were kept in the early 1800s. And my goodness, how kind of you to suggest a TED talk, maybe one of these days;) Genealogys pull is what initially pulled me into studying slavery, and also introduced me to the new understanding that historians are uncovering. I hope you dont mind my sharing those posts. All of them are alive in this moment. You can find many more examples of the above in my post, The Mind of the Slaveowner. Index by slave owner's name | Surname unknown or illegible. Ive taken back reclaimed some of that lost memory, especially that of my enslaved ancestors. This was the case with several others from Wessyngton. My full name is Dick Lewis Barnett. Slavery's reach is still with us, and part of the gift of doing African-American genealogy is recovering the stories of those caught in its grasp who could not in their own time leave their own witness.".