Surname Origins

weaver

Many of us who have ancestral ties to the British Isles likely have some surnames in our genealogy that come from occupations. Often these came from the guilds of the Middle Ages where every job had a title. Although some of these are no longer recognizable, others are common and easily understood. Here are some examples:

Made bread, tarts, etc.  (Baker)

carpenter

Built roofing, floors, paneling, furniture, etc.
(carpenter)
Pulled teeth, did minor surgery, cut hair
(barber)
Tended hedges and fields of grass cut for animals  (hayward)
Made arrows  (fletcher)
Cut meats  (butcher)
Hauled the stone and wood to build a castle  (carter)
Grew plants for food  (farmer)
Worker or maker  (smith or wright)
Secured and took care of the main doors

tanner

(porter)
Crafted bows as a type of weapon (bowyer)
Made candles and sometimes soaps
(chandler)
Made parts of furniture, especially drawers
(joyner)
Cured animal hides and made leather (tanner)

brewer

Made ales and strong drinks  (brewer)
Made footwear (shoemaker)
Made wooden spoons, bowls, or fancy furniture legs  (turner)
Took care of parts of the household and some finances  (chamberlain)
A professional soldier  (knight)
Supervised the household and great hall events (steward)                      Ground grains into a powder (miller)
Prepared foods  (cook)
Cared for the cellar and the bottles stored there (butler)

smith

How many do you find familiar? What others can you add?

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