7 English Surnames of Anglo-Saxon Origin Still in Use Today… (Meaning & History Included)

7 English Surnames of Anglo-Saxon Origin Still in Use Today… (Meaning & History Included)

Chapters:
0:00 English Surnames
1:07 Godwin
2:38 Edmunds
4:01 Smith
5:56 Edwards
7:26 Wright
8:59 Harding
10:13 King
11:35 Other Names

Does your surname and lineage link back to the Anglo-Saxons who were instrumental in the creation of England? Well these are 7 English Surnames of Anglo-Saxon Origin Still in Use Today, from royal lineages to occupational necessities, and let me know what your surname is in the comments below…

Now quickly before we get into the 7 names, I should note that during the Anglo-Saxon period itself, which lasted from roughly the 5th century AD until the Norman Conquest in 1066, English people didn't have surnames like we do today. Most people just had a single given name, and sometimes a descriptive byname like "the Smith" or "the Red." Proper surnames like we have today only became common in England mainly between the 12th and 15th centuries.

Yet all these surnames on the list have roots that are derived from the language of the Anglo-Saxons, Old English. And many connect to Anglo-Saxon royalty and nobility, and some even come directly from Anglo-Saxon personal names, which later became surnames.

Sources:
Godwin Surname Meaning & Godwin Family History at Ancestry.co.uk®
Harold Godwinson - Wikipedia
Godwine Name Meaning, Family History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
King Surname Meaning & King Family History at Ancestry.co.uk®
Edwards Surname Meaning & Edwards Family History at Ancestry.co.uk®
Edward Surname Meaning & Edward Family History at Ancestry.co.uk®
Edwards Name Meaning, Family History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms, english
Smith Surname Meaning & Smith Family History at Ancestry.co.uk®
Smith Name Meaning, Family History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Smith Surname Origin, Meaning & Family Tree | Findmypast.co.uk
Harding Surname Origin, Meaning & Family Tree | Findmypast.co.uk
Harding Surname Meaning & Harding Family History at Ancestry.co.uk®
Harding fitz Eadnoth (1063 - 1125) - Genealogy
Eadnoth (1035 - 1068) - Genealogy
Harding FitzEadnoth (abt.1060-1125) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree
Wright Surname Meaning & Wright Family History at Ancestry.co.uk®
Wright Name Meaning, Family History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Edmond Surname Meaning & Edmond Family History at Ancestry.co.uk®
Edmunds Surname Meaning & Edmunds Family History at Ancestry.co.uk®
Edmunds Name Meaning, Family History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Creative Commons Imagery:
Paul Hudson File:British Museum (15139266039).jpg - Wikimedia Commons Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Deed - Attribution 2.0 Generic - Creative Commons
Hel-hama File:England 878.svg - Wikimedia Commons Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Deed - Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported - Creative Commons
Doncsecz File:Sv. Stevan Harding, Stevanovska cirkev.JPG - Wikimedia Commons Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Deed - Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported - Creative Commons

English surnames – English ancestry – English heritage –