The most common last names for #ADOS

[Brer Dog]

.

 

[Brer Dog]

You grandpa might have the same last name as mine.

Does it start with a P?

 

[poppastoppa]

Does it start with a P?

Nah

 

[AuntAnniesPretzels]

Many did change their names. But, the main reason they kept them was to help their sold and lost family members find them. Keeping those last names helped reunite thousands of family members aftet emancipation.

Last Seen: Ads by Former Slaves May Help You Find Your Ancestors

 

[Music Fiend]

So what does this mean logically? Like i understand the direct meaning but what is this explaining and does this mean historically?

 

[xoxodede]

Can you imagine? Every ADOS needs to go through that site to see if they can find any clippings from their ancestors.

Last Seen: Finding Family After Slavery

 

[Judgement!]

My last name isn't common and no cacs in America have it What happened? Did they all change their last names?

 

[96Blue]

Me and 2 of my brothers last names are in the top 500.



Alot more people have my last name than I expected, though.

 

[Maude]

I don't see mine on the list.

Ain't seen mine or my mothers maiden name

 

[xoxodede]

My last name isn't common and no cacs in America have it What happened? Did they all change their last names?

Possibly. Ask your father to see his family tree. If he hasn't done it -- or no one in your family has -- you need to do it.

Check your maternal side as well -- is your mom's maiden name there -- or her parents or parents parents -- and so on? You have MANY surnames in your tree.

But, yeah - they probably changed it. Or spelled a completely different way. For instance, my ancestors have one of my surnames spelled like three different ways -- and even today the same family chooses to spell it three different ways depending on wings of the family.

 

[xoxodede]

Ain't seen mine or my mothers maiden name

It could just be a rare name.

 

[xoxodede]

Ain't seen mine or my mothers maiden name

Search this link: Freedmen’s Bureau Project

You may find them.

 

[Solomon Caine]

Your name says a lot about you. That why no one in my family uses European style surnames. Meaning the whole family doesn’t have the same surname. My son, my wife, my mom, my dad. We all have our own surnames like we back home. fukk a European surname. Also this makes it harder for the cacs to keep track of your family.

 

[xoxodede]

Your name says a lot about you. That why no one in my family uses European style surnames. Meaning the whole family doesn’t have the same surname. My son, my wife, my mom, my dad. We all have our own surnames like we back home. fukk a European surname. Also this makes it harder for the cacs to keep track of your family.

That's great.

But, many AADOS have taken on these names for many reasons -- and have deep history attached to them. We should not be shamed -- or ashamed to have them either. We are STILL using these last names to connect with family we lost contact with from enslavement.

I recently connected with my 3rd maternal Great Grannie's sister's line. All because of that last name. They must have lost connection after reconstruction -- or the families just did.

On names -- If one chooses to change it -- so be it - I support it.

But, when I think of my last name I think of my enslaved ancestors -- and I'm proud -- of what they they endured -- and it gives me strength to know I can get through damn near anything.

 

[VegasCAC]

You can tell who the big slaveholders with uncommon names were by this, unfortunately

Alston family of the Carolinas, Hairstons of Virginia and South Carolina, Ruffins of VA, Chatman family of Georgia, etc. have 80%+ African-Americans who carry that surname