Surnames from a trait

A surname from a trait began as a nickname, and nobody gives themselves a nickname. Someone from outside noticed hair, height or temper — and it outlived the man it was aimed at.

Which makes these the most historically precise and the least usable today: the trait belonged to one person centuries ago, not to the line.

But the fact that the nickname stuck is information too. What sticks is what was visible enough for a whole community to agree on it.

Surnames in this group

33 surnames taken apart.

• Armstrongstrong of arm
• Baileya bailiff, an officer of the court
• Bella bell, or one who lived by the belfry
• Blackblack, dark-haired
• Blancowhite, fair
• Bolta heavy arrow; later a thunderbolt
• Bravofierce, brave
• Brownbrown, dark-complexioned
• Campbellcrooked mouth
• Colecoal; dark
• Colemancoal; dark
• Cruzcross
• Delgadothin, slender
• Floresflowers
• Kinga king, or one who played one
• Longtall
• Marquezson of a marquis
• Moralesmulberry trees
• Morenodark-haired, dark-skinned
• Muskmusk, animal magnetism
• Nguyena surname received, not inherited
• Pagea boy at court
• Palmera pilgrim returned from the Holy Land
• Ramosbranches; Palm Sunday
• Reyeskings; the Three Kings feast
• Roblesoak trees
• Romeroa pilgrim to Rome; also rosemary
• Rubioblond, fair-haired
• Russellred-haired
• Scotta Gael — the name given to those who came from Ireland
• Stewartkeeper of the sty, later of the household
• Whitewhite, fair-haired
• Youngthe younger of two of the same name

By where the surname came from

And yours?