The earliest last names, or surnames, were taken from place names. A family with the name Brook or Brooks probably lived near brook(小溪)；someone who was called Longstreet probably lived on a long, paved road. The Greenwood family lived in or near a leafy forest.

　　Other early surnames came from people’s occupations. The most common occupational name is Smith, which means a person who makes things with iron or other metals. In the past, smiths were very important workers in every town and village. Some other occupational names are: Carter — a person who owned or drove a cart; Potter

　　—a person who made pots and pans.

　　The ancestors of the Baker family probably baked bread for their neighbors in their native village. The Carpenter’s great-great-great-grandfather probably built houses and furniture.

　　Sometimes people were known for the color of their hair or skin, or their size, or their special abilities. When there were two men who were named John in the same village, the John with the gray hair probably became John Gray. Or the John was very tall could call himself John Tallman. John Fish was probably an excellent swimmer and John Lightfoot was probably a fast runner or a good dancer.

　　Some family names were made by adding something to the father’s name. English-speaking people added –s or –son. The Johnsons are descendants of John; the Roberts family’s ancestor was Robert. Irish and Scottish people added Mac or Mc or O. Perhaps all of the MacDonnells and the MacDonnells and the O’Donnells are descendants of the same Donnell.

【2016届湖北武汉市高考英语阅读理解二轮基础训练（36）（含答案）】相关文章：

★ 安徽省淮南市2014高考英语一轮单项选择及文章训练（10）及答案

★ 2017届高考英语二轮复习课时训练：7（含解析）

★ 2013高考英语冲刺-基础篇 词类转换（按考试说明字母顺序）（一）

★ 湖南省汝城二中2014届高考英语一轮复习阅读训练 (59)

★ 2016届湖北武汉市高考英语阅读理解二轮基础训练（33）（含答案）

★ 浙江省湖州市2014高考英语完形填空一轮（暑假）精炼（12）含答案

★ 河南省三门峡市2014高考英语一轮（暑假）基础训练（1）附答案

★ 湖南省汝城二中2014届高考英语一轮复习阅读训练 (77)

★ 2014届高考英语一轮复习必修5参考答案（外研版）

★ 【课堂新坐标】2017届高考英语（通用版）二轮复习短文改错专题训练：模式3 错一词（含解析）