Jim Croce penned that beautiful song listed above in 1973, and it continues to deliver a powerful message today. We have all got a name, and not just a first name like prior to the 11th century when folks were simply known by that along with the town they were from. (You may have heard of Jesus of Nazareth.) Those single identifiers were sufficient in small communities where people knew each other. And, first names continue to work today in smaller settings like in “Cheers,” where everybody knows your name.
But, in the larger world, change was needed to distinguish between people with the same first name. Our last names — or surnames — began to emerge in Europe during the Middle Ages when populations grew and a need to distinguish individuals with the same first names did, too.
With all of us having last names today, do you ever wonder what the first one was? There is some debate, but the earliest recorded surname is believed to be “O Cleirigh” in Ireland, documented in 916 AD. Meanwhile, some Chinese cultures have used family names dating back to as early as 2852 BC, according to historyfacts.com. Interestingly, these names were initially matrilineal (mom’s side) and later became patrilineal (dad’s side).
In English cultures, many surnames were derived from the father’s name where suffixes like “-son” were used (Johnson, Peterson, Stevenson). Other times, surnames were created to reflect a person’s occupation (Smith) or geographical origin (Hill).
When writing about names, one can’t leave out the impact of Native Americans with such unique names as Red Cloud, Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse that are derived from nature and often represented by an animal symbolizing desirable characteristics or a certain trait. A Native American name gives us an insight into the personality of the one who possesses it. And, although those names have been used again in passing generations, it is not common.
Meanwhile, also according to historyfacts.com, there are 6.3 million different surnames in the U.S. with millions more worldwide. More than 106 million people have the last name Wang (a Mandarin term for “prince” or “king”), making it the most common in the world. In the U.S., the five most common surnames are Smith, Johnson, Williams, Brown and Jones.
I’ve got a name, too. It is Old English, combining “gōd,” meaning “good,” and “mann,” meaning “man.” Goodman was originally used as a polite term of address and referred to a virtuous or respectable man. I am good with that. “And I carry it with me like my daddy did.”
Have a great week, and thanks for reading.
Shane Goodman
President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305 | 
