When did humans begin to use last names?

Question

When did humans begin to use last names?

Answer 1

While researching our family surname, a British historian pointed out it was a typical location name. People would be termed "Robin of Locksley" if they were from the town of Locksley. However, this would only happen after they left the town. Thus the surname denoted where you were from and gave information about you. In town you were likely to be "Robin John's son."  This in turn could become "Robin Johnson."

Answer 2

Different times in different societies.  In some parts of the world, they still don't.  In my own family history, the Brits that came to the US in the 1600s had already had family names for more than a century.  In contrast, the Danish ancestors still used "son of" and "daughter of" until they came to the US in the 1900s.

Answer 3

The first recorded incident of using a second name for identification purposes, is credited to a Chinese emperor from the 28th Century BCE, who felt that there were too many peole with the same names, so he decreed that everyone take on a second name...

5,000 years ago, the human population reached appx. 100 Million worldwide, the size of Mexico, today...

Answer 4

Peternal posted some correct info, for the life of me I can't see why the thumbs down?  William the conquerer initiated the last name tradition for tax purposes in England in the late 11th Century. Most other cultures use the 2nd name to designate father, grandfather or to honor some ancestor.  

Drac-ula translates to "son or Drac" & the nordic terms sen & son designate father, as do O' & Mc or Mac. Ben or Bin mean son of to Arabs or Jews, while Al designates place or origin.

William the conquerer is the 1st European to require a last name for all the significant citizens of a country (see Peternal's post).

Edit: as indicated above many names were derived from occupation or location:  Therefore Cartwright, Boatwright, & Smith designate a family business that could be taxed.

Answer 5

I do not know the answer. But this is interesting.. i just know of someone who's last name is "Batman"

Answer 6

Middle ages sometime.  Probably in the 1500's.

Answer 7

During the early days of man (far back, even into BC), people were given names based on their appearence, specialties, jobs, or specific tallents. For example, the last names: Small, Walker, Shoemacher(macher is german for maker), Woods, Young, Carpenter.

Answer 8

they used to use the persons job as their last name, like potter and smith (blacksmith)