Last names in Middle-earth

[Galin]

Interesting line from Aragorn...

'But Strider shall be the name of my house, if that be ever established. In the high tongue it will not sound so ill, and Telcontar I will be and all the heirs of my body.'

[Morthoron]

Among Elves and Dwarves last names are honorific titles, like Thorin Oakenshield or Finrod Felagund, and are not passed down generationally like among the anachronistic Hobbits and Bree men.

[Selmo]

Hobbits were very keen on keeping track of their ancestors and relatives.
They had to be; their's was a society in which your status depended on who you were related to rather than your abilities or achievements.

Having family names (surnames) helped everyone to know their place (and be kept in their place) in the Hobbit hierarchy.

In other societies it was easier to know your place; you were either the King or you weren't.

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[William Cloud Hicklin]

A lot of this of course is Tolkien's technique of 'calquing:' the Shire (and Bree) are intended to have the feel of relatively modern England, whereas the other cultures are more archaic. The Anglo-Saxons has no surnames! A formation like Harold Godwinson was a cognomen, a descriptive epithet, used to distinguish him from other Harolds (and to remind folks that he was the son of the great Earl Godwin). Likewise, 'Frealaf Hildeson' appears as a tip that Frealaf was not in the direct male line, but Helm's nephew by his sister Hilde.

[Galin]

Isn't Legolas' last name Greenleaf?

For those of you without The History of Middle-Earth series, or for those of you who don't care and desire a sleep-aid, below are some points concerning certain Elves and naming customs. I have underlined certain terms for no real reason.

There are basically two accounts and I'm not sure if the account from The Peoples of Middle-Earth is supposed to supersede the one from Morgoth's Ring or not. My guess is they can be somewhat merged however (I note for example: 'In which point, maybe, the Noldor differed from the other Eldar' with respect to the Chosen-name). Anyway...

Of Naming Morgoth's Ring

The description begins with respect to the naming of Children among the Noldor. Father-name -- it was the right of the father to devise this first name. It remained unaltered save for such changes as might befall its spoken form in the passing of the long years (even the tongues of the Eldar were subject to change). It is said that in the early days of the Eldar '... it was then still the custom for the father-name of a son to be a modification of the father's name (as Finwe/ Curufinwe) or a patronymic (as Finwion 'son of Finwe'). The father-name of a daughter would likewise often be derived from the name of the mother.'

Chosen-name -- in which point, maybe, the Noldor differed from the other Eldar. It is said here that the Elf-child had the right to name himself or herslf. The ceremony of 'Name-choosing' could not take place before the child was deemed ready and capable of lámatyáve, as the Noldor called it: that is, of individal pleasure in the sounds and forms of words. In elder times the Chosen-name or second name was usually freshly devised. In later ages, when there was a great abundance of names already in existence '...it was more often selected from names that were known. But even so some modification of the old name might be made.'

The 'true-names' are here said to be the Father-name and Chosen-name, and the Chosen-names were said to be regarded by the Noldor as part of their personal property. New chosen names could be added.

Anessi 'given or added names'. Here we have the Mother-name, a name of insight or of foresight. A Mother-name was given in the hour of birth or on some other occasion of moment, indicating some dominant feature of the Elf-child's nature as perceived by her, or some foresight of its special fate. When solemnly given a Mother-name could also be regarded as a true name and was sometimes placed immediately after the Father-name. Mother-names of insight in general use sometimes replaced the Father-name and Chosen-name, however the Father-name and the Chosen-name (among those that had the custom of essecilme that is) remained ever the true or primary name, and a necessary part of any full title.

Other Given-names were not considered true names, and names or nicknames of this kind might be given by anyone... in memory of some deed, or event, or in token of some marked feature of body or mind.

Note On Mother-names The Peoples Of Middle-Earth

The Eldar in Valinor had as a rule two names, a Father-name and a Mother-name. Mother-names were given later, often some years later, but also sometimes soon after birth.

Epesse 'After-name' a nickname not necessarily given by kin and mostly given as a title of admiration or honour. Later some among the Exiles gave themselves names, as disguises or in reference to their own deeds and personal history: such names were called cilmessi 'self-names'. The true names remained the Father and Mother-names it seems, according to this account.

This description seems to be about naming with respect to the Eldar in Valinor, noting also that the cilmesse here does not seem to be identical with the Chosen-names of Noldorin Elf-children.

[William Cloud Hicklin]

No, I wouldn't call "Greenleaf" a surname in anything like the modern sense. After all, we don't hear of Oropher Greenleaf or Thranduil Greenleaf!

Whether it was an epesse, a father-name or a mother-name, the significant point is that it was personal to Legolas- it wasn't an hereditary nomen shared by all members of the gens. It's of course common in Tolkien for characters, especially those of high lineage, to own a hatful of names which they use as alternates or in combination; but I'm not aware that anything like a 'family name' is to be found outside the Shire and Bree.

EDIT: isn't 'Greenleaf' just the translation of laeg + gwa-lass?

[Mithalwen]

Originally Posted by Galin

Isn't Legolas' last name Greenleaf?

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No it is simply a translation of his name.

[Mithalwen]

Even in the Shire family names have not become "fixed" as can be best seen in Sam's family tree . His uncle Andy has the surname Roper from his profession his son Frodo is Gardner, Elanor married Fastred of Greenholm and their descendents are Fairbairns.

they do illustrate the normal origins of surnames... appearance, profession, location (other than relationship to others).