Aaron Aaronson

A large part of my working day is spent reading what people's surnames are. Thrilling stuff I know, but it made me think of the lineage of surnames why they were chosen and where they came from.

My name is derived from the occupation a 'clerk' and the 'e' I heard denotes landowner. (Alright!) In my ponderings I wondered whether new surnames are still being invented and if so how?

My Name is from my parents and that's how it works for everyone so wouldn't it be right to assume that all surnames have now been thought of? When they first started using surnames did they just make it up? used something about their personality or occupation?

Taking this line of thought to a hyperbolic conclusion (quite common in my blog posts really...) If there is indeed a finite amount of surnames, wouldn't it lead to a homogenisation of surnames and eventually everyone would have the same one?

Names are changed through marriage and surnames die out, some surnames are more common then others and therefore with a higher number of people more chance of that name surviving. Common surnames will become more common and eventually everyone will have the same one! wouldn't that be rad!