What Your Last Name Means

Really bummed my surname wasn't on here. Oh well, the mystery lives on. -Chris Horsecock

Simpson: Son of simp

In my culture there’s only 18 last names, often called the 18 clans. It came from our origin myth, wherein the world was flooded but a pair of brother and sister were saved by floating in a giant drum. Afterwards, the brother knew they had to repopulate the world, but the sister was reluctant, being siblings and all, so they agreed to roll 2 stones off of two mountaintops, and if the stone rolled down and came to rest on each other, they would repopulate the world. At night, the brother sneaked off and found the two stones and placed them next to each other at the bottom of the mountains, and so, the sister agreed they would repopulate the world. However, when the baby was born, it was a mass of flesh with no limbs or features. The sister took this as a sign that they had affronted their god and sliced the flesh up into 18 pieces and strewn them about their yard and house. The next morning, from each piece of flesh had sprung up a child. Each one was named after where the flesh had fallen, so my surname, Xiong, comes from the Hmong word “xyoob,” which means bamboo, since our flesh landed in a nearby bamboo garden. As far as origin myths go, I think it’s okay. It has a flood, incest, and baby mutilation. What more can you ask for?

My favorite surname yarn is about a Soviet Spy sent to contact a sleeper agent in a tiny town in Wales. All this KGB man knows that he has to find a man named "David Jones". But he rapidly finds out that maybe half the townspeople are named Jones and many of them are David Jones. Moreover, this is a village where a lot of people speak only Welsh. Eventually he finds a few English-speaking Welshman in the village to help him. And they all agree it is "Jones the Spy you''ll be wanting'"

My dad is from England, and didn't have a middle name, so when he immigrated to America, he just crossed out the middle name field. However, they interpreted that as "X" giving him the awesome middle name "X"

My surname meant “short person” in 14th century Italian. Which is fitting because most of us today are like 5’4

My father's family name, Revell, came over with the French during the Norman Conquest. Some men were knights, sheriffs, etc. My mother's mother's family, the Wiltshires, derived from ancient Saxons living in what became County Wiltshire in England, home of Stonehenge and The White Horse chalk figure. Mom's father's name, Zachary, came from Germany. My late sister did geneological research, and both Dad's and Mom's families have connections by marriage to several historic figures. Fascinating stuff!

After decades of research into our family history and the origins of our surname, my father discovered many interesting clues as to where we came from and what the family name means. Segrest, as we spell it today, turns out to have many different annunciations and is spelled many different ways. Siegrist, Secrest, Siechrist, and yes, Seacrest. And the most common question I am asked upon introducing myself to a stranger is, “Are you related to Ryan?” Probably is the answer I usually give. It’s a fascinating journey down the genealogy path. Until, inevitably you reach the end only to learn that someone waaaaay back in your family’s history had the mundane task of ringing the towns tower bell to indicate what time it is. That’s right, Segrest means, “ The bell ringer.” Just damn.

When your last name is Cook, and your parents are the best cooks in the neighborhood.

My surname is "German", it may be a hint but I'm not entirely sure...

The artwork in this video is STUNNING! You have great taste, sir!

I was told my second name, Ellensworth, is an old English name that came about when, around the 12th century, a woman named Ellen built a house for herself and then built a house for each one of her children and later her grandchildren when they married on land she would acquire around her original property to build on. The large number of houses she built and owned along with the land she had acquired became known as Ellen’s Wealth and eventually Ellensworth. We even have a Cote Of Arms which I know nothing about the meaning of the design and symbols. Some of our family left England and went to the mid west of America and also Virginia where the name still exists but sometimes in a slightly different form like Ellingsworth or Ellinsworth.

“Brown means brown” That really clears it up... thanks 🤦🏼‍♂️

If we did this today a lot of people would be called something like “Jane Unemployed”

This video is a jewel of it's kind. It is really humorous the way it is scripted. Serious, but just plain funny how the flow of description is layout. I can't describe my intent of this post accurately, but it is really cool. I love it. Rock on!!

This is my first time enjoying your YouTube channel. Great content! Looking forward to hearing more from you! Your video was so informative. Thank you so much!

I knew a man who had the family name of Brown, but he was so boring he changed it to Beige.

my surname means claimant which was first mentioned 710 years ago. After they claimed some land.

I've always been fascinated by this subject. Great job!