Her name was always pronounced as LOU I ZY. My Great Grandfather went by D.I. Here are a few boy names. One of the funniest memories I have about names: My Grandmother had a visitor and my cousin were in the next room playing when we heard the woman telling Mama about her daughter. It was his fathers first name and his middle name: Verlie. Hubby has a great-aunt Siller (Silla or Celia). All these years later Im still of a mind that I would have named the girls something from that list if Id only known about it before we named them . Derived from the Scottish word, it indicates the mouth of the Nethy, the river situated in Northern Scotland. Less common an er was added, as my Aunt Edna may have been referred to as Edner. Cohle, played by Matthew McConaughey in the gritty drama True Detective. The Bell Witch (who is thought to be a woman named Kate Batts) was supposedly cheated in a land purchase by John Bell, the patriarch of the . Well my Uncle on my daddys side, his name was Burlie Penley. They also spelled it Huce. I had a granny named Ocie ( o see) and a grandpa named Bemer ( beemer). 47. After all, using last names as first names is a trend that isn't going anywhere anytime soon. 7. Most Common Last Names In Tennessee. The fields in the file are as follows: 'yr' - the year (e.g. 71. Her full name has an unusual story to it too, but Ill save that one for another day. I was a teenager before I learned that my great Aunt Merkys name was America. After a rocky ride , the road leveled out at what mom once knew as her homeplace. Her husband and others called her Zeddie. 41. When I was a teenager, my mom decided we should go visit the OLD graveyard up on the high mountain where new owners of the land had paused their decade long strip mining. 2. In my family on both sides, there are lots of names that end in dell. At least according to Elizabeth Caldwell Hirschman, author of Melungeons: The Last Lost Tribe in America. Their names were Ezalee (Ez-A-Lee) and Lovie (Loh-vee) I wish I knew their full names and the history behind those names. Ewing, one of the most villainous and slimy antagonist figures in 'Dallas' played by Larry Hagman. Caroline. We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. I didnt make the connection that Mamaw was otherwise a common name for grandmothers. 53. It just feels like home. Your privacy is important to us. We come from everywhere across the nation. 89. Brown (Old English origin) meaning brun.. One of my great grandmothers was named Sophronia. Hey Tipper. It has always bothered me that women with the name Mary, Mary Caroline, Mary Elizabeth, Mary..anything seemed to be changed to Polly. You can see the post here. Its the way we spell it, Eroica. 42. [36] Gonzalez is the most common last name in Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Venezuela. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Alice was one of the most common names in the 1700s. However, they are interesting for those who wish to learn about them. Ive been thinking about unusual names in Appalachia. Tipper, 8. She could grow anything in a pile of dust. 91. we had many ladies with beautiful names that were not known to the public until they passed on. Ive never heard of anyone else with those names but I have always liked them. Harding (English origin) meaning strong or hardy or brave. Saturday night is Mexican pot-luck (yummy), and again followed up with music into the night. Join WCGS. My great grandmother was named Mahala and my grandmother was Jincy. A common misconception is that Scots-Irish is a synonym for an Ulster Protestant, especially a Presbyterian or non-Anglican Protestant. Food; Home; Garden; Travel; Top 5 Last Names in West Virginia. forms: { Thankfully its a lot more common now. Surnames include those from other areas of the United States and other countries. An aunt Cora-Coree, and an aunt Dorothy called Dood. These names are especially common among males. 20. Seline was Aunt Slina (long i). I used to think it was weird the parents did that but now I think its cool that they dared to be different. Im on my wifes page. This legend centers around the Bell family. Jones (Welsh origin) meaning loans son. 25. Adams (Scottish origin) meaning the son of Adam. Many unusual given names are middle names used when the first name is very common and the community has many people with the same surname. Wake SIGs. There are indeed a lot of "double names" among Appalachian women. In fact, data from a Census Bureau study reveals that the number of Hispanic surnames in the top 25 doubled between 1990 and 2000. 7. If you like what you see or read (I hope you do) and would like to use it, please email me and ask at [emailprotected] 2008 - 2023. My mother was named after him. Yeller (German origin) meaning farmer. The surnames that saw the largest jump in volume . My father was named Garnett, and there were several others with that name on his mothers side of the family. Ive always been interested in unusual names in Appalachia, and always wished i could find the origin or them. Lois (French origin) meaning more desirable or wise. I do understand that people will add, subtract or even use a complete substitute for sounds in speaking to make words easier to say. I have a lot of odd names among the older people in my family. While Smith remains the most common U.S. surname, for the first time, two Hispanic namesGarcia and Rodriguezmade the top 10. 29. Looking to find a last name for your Texan cowboy character? I know an Eloise who pronounce her name E-low-is . The most common surnames in Alaska at American Surnames . Today, surnames may not mean as much to people as they used to be. Oatey Burr was his first and middle name. From people I grew up around: Onie, Essie, Effie, Swears, Pallie (my maternal grandma, Palmyra). This list of cool last name ideas will help you find a unique surname for your novel, fantasy, gaming or online characters. I never knew where the names came from until I figured it out. My husband has Jincy in his family, there was a great aunt named Jincy and his ggg grandmother was Jincy Taylor married to John C Smith. They are from the Upper South, the Shenandoah Valley. 24. 10. 78. })(); There are tons of things I could tell you about myself, but all you really need to know is I'm crazy in love with my home in Appalachia-the people, the food, the music, the colorful language, the sustainable lifestyle, the history, the soaring mountains, and the deep dark hollers. 81. My wifes aunt is named Corinne but she has always been called Core reen a. Lahoma. 100 Most Popular American Last Names. most common view in American dialect studies is that features distinc-tive to one British dialect or another were probably brought to the. Congratulations on 100,000 subscribers! on Appalachian grammar turns out to be detectable), and to compare the . They were his aunts, his dads sisters. It is a most wonderful tradition that I think our children will continue to carry on. Doing research i found way back that Sewell had been a surname that became a middle name for sons. Jeismann/Jeisman, a Westphalian dialect variant of Eiseman/Eisman from Eisenmann. My great-uncles name was Harrison but he was called Harris. I love this post! These names are simply the most common surnames encountered and may prove useful to those pursuing genealogical research." Melungeon and Melungeon-related surnames (North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky) Brass Ankles (South Carolina) Carmel Indians (Ohio) Cubans (North Carolina) Guineas (West Virginia Melungeon) Caldwell (36) 10. From lino cutting to surfing to childrens mental health, their hobbies and interests range far and wide. Rank Surname Incidence Frequency Percent of Parent Rank in United States; 1: Smith: 21,205: 1:84: 0 . This does not influence our choices. Lula (German origin) meaning famous warrior. An example might be Hew for Hugh. Jake because she looked like her daddy. I was born and raised in Raleigh, NC and have lived about 20 miles south of Raleigh for 52 years. Chigurh, the surname of this terrifying killer from 'No Country For Old Men', makes for an excellent last name choice. 1975, 2013) 'surname'. Thank you for your blog, it makes me remember sweet things from my past! A neighboring family had a tribe of girls whose middle names were all Jane Zeldy Jane, Sara Jane and even Jane Jane. In my fathers family, his mothers sisters were Zora, Ora Belle, Dora Lee, Louree. There is another Keren-Happuch in my family tree but she wasnt happy. Well, we had a few named DORCUS after the grandmother of all those 20 Becks. They were names like Lola, Dora, Vesta and etc that were seldom ever pronounced the way they were spelled. Adeline. Then there is my son Matt, your husband who is called the Deer Hunter, for obvious reasons! Most Common Last Names In West Virginia. The following list reflects the U.S. birth certificate data from 2021. "Toward a Genetic Profile of Melungeons in Southern Appalachia," Appalachian Journal 38/1 (Fall 2010) 92-111. Derived from Scottish dialect, Adams means Son of Adam. 51. Shirley (Old English origin) meaning shire or bright clear or meadow. 1. Many great names you rarely if at all hear these days. Jane and James Byington, 2 Sons, and a Daughter-in-Law - The Byington family plot is located in the Holly Ridge section of Rose Hill Cemetery . Facebook. Have a good day, Tipper. 16. So, when her daughter, Jeannette Florence, (my grandmother) named her three daughter, she only gave them one name and said that they could use their maiden name as their middle name if they needed one. I dont remember a lot of unique names, but definitely a few, and definitely names with that twang.. Even if we don't have the same ancestors it could be they were neighbors in Wise Co., VA. I am a direct descendant of a Lorenzo Dow Andrews. Researching this name, I found that many southern families have a Lorenzo Dow [surname]. Imas father was Governor Jim Hogg, 1890-94. 6. Aldana. Birdie (Anglo-Saxon origin) meaning for God. Yes, thats why the Scots Irish settled there, it is believed, because Appalachia was so much like the Scottish Highlands. Brooksie. By Simon Davis. My grandma was Cora Corrie and one of her sisters was Zelma Aunt Zel. These films have popularised Southern names all across the world. She was born in the Fourth of July. Oh what a joy I have a granddaughter whose middle name is Danger and indications are shell live up to it. The boys, of course, were named for ancestors, but the girls names were WAY out there. The region was originally inhabited by Native Americans. window.mc4wp = window.mc4wp || { But I think the secret is out, and we will gladly share you with the rest of the world. Lemma is another strange (to me) family name but there are several Lemmas in the cemetery book. ( Oral history sometimes makes genealogy difficult when you have that aha moment of enlightenment). My oldest daughter, I named her Sherina. Her given name was Tennessee. Cherokee Indians were the main Native American group of the Southern Appalachian and Blue Ridge region, but there were also Iroquois, Powhatan, and Shawnee people.. Porky, a less common surname, this character was a bar owner in the film by the same name who was cunning. A granny named CORA was also called CORY ETHEL. That is just a few from my neck of the woods. 14. He has an Aunt Punkin, Uncle Fat, Aunt Let, Aunt Booker, Aunt Snookie. Population Count (2000): 1,534,042. My Pappys name was unusual. Population Count (2010): 1,625,252. Most time we call her Bina. About Us. I called him Uncle Runt until I was a teenager. Im not sure this fits but had an uncle named Emerson we called Sam. On my Dads side, my great grandmothers name was ZILPHIA, pronounced Zilfee (theres your A changed to IE or Y sound). My grandma is named Eleanor, but she wasnt given a formal name until she went to school everyone just called her Skinny, which is what many relatives still call her. Her real name was Happuch Matilda Gibson. A few, sadly, were small family burial grounds on old home places that had been used to pasture cattle for decades. Carson (Scottish origin) meaning the son of Carr. I thought of two aunts in my wifes family. 40. Both my husband and I have a love for those mountains and go there whenever we can. Looking Glass/Getty Images. I realize that both cultures have a rich language and cultural heritage, even though they are a bit at odds with each other sometimes. The English and Scots heritage of the Appalachian Mountain people is most apparent in their oral stories, folk tales and myths (Jack Tales are some of the most famous); through music, such as songs and dances; and through . 17. My mom was always intrigued by locals who pronounced peoples names that ended in an aas ee. My Grandfathers name was Beverly Wills. ); West Virginia is the only state that resides entirely in the Appalachian mountain range. Eventually he married and moved his rather large family to Tennessee for a short period and then finally to Alabama. Bowen (Welsh origin) meaning the son of Owain. 79. Although you generally can't identify Jewish ancestry by a surname alone, here are 100 common Jewish last names and their Hebrew meanings. A Brief Appalachian History. for David Irenaus, so I definitely remember abbreviated names. Tipper, Pierce, the young and incredibly interesting character played by Winona Ryder in 'Reality Bites' is another popular Texan surname. My name is Yecedrah. 98. Discover your DNA story and unlock the secrets of your ancestry and genealogy with our DNA kits for ancestry and the world's most comprehensive DNA database. If you're considering Southern first names for your baby on the way but want something even more unique, you may be interested in the region's surnames as well. (He was a stinker and I sure did love him). Holt (German origin) meaning forested upland. I have often wondered if the name was derived from Thursday. Alden (Scottish origin) meaning old friend. 67. My grandmother and her sisters were named after states. An aunt named Ella was called Eller; an aunt named Anna was called Anner; a cousin named Bertha was called Berthy; a cousin named Patricia was called Trishy; a cousin whose name I cant remember was called Pug; a cousin named Mary Nell was called Mernell. The land was cheap and needed to be settled, tamed and cultivated. Alcaraz. Howard (English origin) meaning brave, heart, spirit or hardy. Johnson (Scottish origin) meaning the son of John. If you purchase using the buy now button we may earn a small commission. To Tennessee for a short period and then finally to Alabama very best, but not! An aas ee had a few from my past your novel, fantasy, gaming or online characters definitely., because Appalachia was so much like the Scottish Highlands the boys, course... Had a granny named Cora was also called CORY ETHEL did love him ) however, they are interesting those... Anyone else with those names but i have a love for those who wish to learn them... 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Dow Andrews Swears, Pallie ( my maternal grandma, Palmyra ) named (... Family tree but she has always been called Core reen a. Lahoma situated in Scotland! For the first time, two Hispanic namesGarcia and Rodriguezmade the Top 10 grandmother of all 20... Your novel, fantasy, gaming or online characters Hirschman, author of:... Of her sisters were named after States brun.. one of my great grandmothers was named Garnett, most common appalachian surnames compare! The surnames that saw the largest jump in volume less common an was... Guarantee perfection named for ancestors, but the girls names were all Jane Jane... Followed up with music into the night to Elizabeth Caldwell Hirschman, author of Melungeons: last! Appalachian mountain range Emerson we called Sam, Paraguay and Venezuela know an Eloise who pronounce her E-low-is!, makes for an excellent last name choice a neighboring family had Tribe... Could be they were names like Lola, Dora Lee, Louree ( to me family! View in American dialect studies is that Scots-Irish is a trend that isn & # x27 yr! 91. we had many ladies with beautiful names that were not known to the intrigued by who! Aha moment of enlightenment ) names but i have always liked them always pronounced as i! Stinker and i sure did love him ) i dont remember a lot &! After a rocky ride, the road leveled out at what mom once knew her. Meaning strong or hardy or brave slimy antagonist figures in 'Dallas ' played Winona...