Matronymic

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Not to be confused with Metonymy.
For a family name inherited from one's mother (and maternal grandmother, etc.), see Matriname.

A matronymic is a personal name or a parental name based on the given name of one's mother, grandmother, or any female ancestor. It is the female equivalent of a patronymic. Around the world, matronymic surnames are far less common than patronymic surnames. In some cultures in the past, matronymic last names were often given to children of unwed mothers. Or if a woman was especially well known or powerful, her descendants might adopt a matronym based on her name. A matronymic is a derived name, as compared to a matriname, which is an inherited name from a mother's side of the family, and which is unchanged.

Terminology of English

The word matronymic is first attested in English in 1794 and originates in the

combining form μητρo- mētro-),[1] ὄνυμα onyma, a variant form of ὄνομα onoma "name",[2] and the suffix -ικός -ikos, which was originally used to form adjectives with the sense "pertaining to" (thus "pertaining to the mother's name"). The Greek word μητρωνυμικός mētrōnymikos[3] was then borrowed into Latin in a partially Latinised form (Greek mētēr, dialectally mātēr, corresponds to Latin mater),[4] as matronomicus. These words were a source for coining the English matronymic as the female counterpart to patronymic (first attested in English in 1612).[5] Whereas the Oxford English Dictionary records an English noun patronym in free variation
with the noun patronymic, it does not, however, record a corresponding noun matronym.

More rarely, English writers use forms based wholly on Greek: the noun metronym (first attested in 1904); and the noun and adjective metronymic (first attested in 1868).[6] These are, for example, the forms used in the 2016 The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland.[7] Speakers are in practice likely to use female-line name, or name of "his/her mother" to be both specific and avoid use of technical terms.

Asia

India

The matrilineal communities in South and North-East India, like the

Nairs, Bunts and Khasi, have family names which are inherited from their mother. Matronymic names are common in Kerala.[8] Daughters take the names of their mothers as the second part of their name.[citation needed
]

Indonesia

The Minangkabau of Indonesia are the largest group of people who use this naming system. People of Enggano Island also use a matronymic system. They also have family name/surname (marga).

Kyrgyzstan

In July 2023, the Constitutional Court of Kyrgyzstan decided that adults may have the right to use a matronymic instead of the traditional patronymic on their official documents.[9][10][11] After pushback from conservative groups, the court reversed its decision in November.[12]

Arabia

An example of an

Arabic matronymic is the name of Jesus ‘Yeshua ibn Maryam, which means Jesus the son of Mary. The book Kitāb man nusiba ilá ummihi min al-shu‘arā’ (The book of poets who are named with the lineage of their mothers) by the 9th-century author Muḥammad ibn Ḥabīb is a study of the matronymics of Arabic poets.[13] There exist other examples of matronymics in historical Arabic.[14][15]

Mongolia

While most

Mongolian names today are patronymic, some Mongolians are known to be matronymic. This could be due to, for example, an absence of the father such as in the case of Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat
, the first elected president of Mongolia.

Philippines

unwed mothers
, if not claimed by the father nor adopted by anyone else, automatically bear their mother's maiden name and sometimes middle name.

Taiwan

Amis people's daughter names are followed by the mother's name, while a son's name is followed by his father's name. Seediqs often get to choose which of their parents’ name to go after their own.

Vietnam

Some

Vietnamese names also function this way, as less of a "tradition" than a style or trend, in which the mother's maiden name[citation needed
] is the child's middle name.

Europe

England

Although many English matronyms were given to children of unwed mothers, it was not unusual for children of married women to also use a matronymic surname. For instance, it was traditional during the Middle Ages for

Henry FitzEmpress (-fitz meaning "son of" from Latin filius). Common English matronyms include Madison, Beaton, Custer, Tiffany, Parnell, Hilliard, Marriott, Ibbetson, Babbs, and Megson.[16]

Finland

In the old Finnish system, women were standardly given matronyms, while men were given patronyms, for example, Ainontytär (female) or Pekanpoika (male). Since the 19th century the system of inherited family names has been used, however, and today nearly all Finns have inherited surnames.

France

Family names derived from matronyms are found in France, especially in Normandy: Catherine, Marie, Jeanne, Adeline. In medieval Normandy (Duchy of Normandy), a matronym might be used when the mother was of greater prominence than the father or the basis for a claim of inheritance, such as in the cases of Henry FitzEmpress and Robert FitzWimarc.

Iceland

Further information: Icelandic name

Some

Åsgard is that Loki got a matronymic, Loki
Laufeyjarson. His father Fárbauti is associated with Wild Fire, and his mother, the leaves of the trees, the mother of all figs and birches, as in Askr and Embla.

Ireland and Wales

Matronymics appear in medieval Celtic tales such as

Mabinogi (the children of Dôn). For instance the famous mythological King of Ulster, Conchobar mac Nessa is named after his mother Ness.[18]

Netherlands

Matronymics are accepted in the Netherlands but are generally written as given names on identity cards.[19]

Romania

Family names derived from matronyms are also found in Romania, especially in the region of Moldavia. Examples include: Aioanei, Ababei, Acatrinei, Ailincăi.

Serbia

Although far less common than patronymic surnames, matronymic surnames are widespread both in Serbia and in neighboring countries. Examples include surnames such as Katić, Sinđelić, Nedić, Marić, Višnjić, Janjić, Sarić, Miličić, Milenić, Natalić, Zorić, Smiljić, Anđelić and many others. Sometimes it is difficult to ascertain if name of a specific family is patronymic or matronymic considering many Serbian names have both male and female version (for example, surname Miljanić could come from both m.- Miljan and f.- Miljana). Cases where widows had to become heads of households were not uncommon during 18th and 19th century and when surnames were first standardized in Serbia in 1851 it was decided they would be based on the names of eldest living heads of households which in some cases were women. People who didn't know their father well would also take matronymic surnames, with notable cases being hero of the First Serbian Uprising Stevan Sinđelić, who took that surname in honor of his mother Sinđelija.

Ukraine

In Ukraine, the suffix czak interprets as "daughter of" implying an original history of matronyms (similar to American last names ending in 'son' [Davidson, Williamson]). In Ukraine all last names ending with -czak, such as Ratajczak, Katerczak, Alberczak, Bartczak, Szchak, etc... are matronyms. The practice of taking a mothers name ended in the mid 19th century, but the matriarch lines are still traced. Other historical examples of matronyms in Ukraine include: Olenych, Katerynchuk, Khyvrych. Oleg Yaroslavich, 12th century prince of Halych, was known as Oleg Nastasyich during his life to distinguish his claim from that of his half-brother Volodymyr.

Other

Jewish traditions

Most characters in the

King David – are invariably referred to as "Sons of Zeruiah" and the name of their father remains unknown. Also the Biblical Judge Shamgar is referred to with the matronymic "Son of Anat".[citation needed
]

There are indications of a Jewish history of matronymic names. Specifically, in East European Jewish society, there appeared various matronymic family names such as

Feiglin (from Feige), Dworkin (from Dvora), and others.[20] In certain Jewish prayers and blessings, matronyms are used, e.g., "Joseph ben (son of) Miriam".[citation needed
] Specifically, when people are asked to pray urgently for the recovery of a person whose life is in danger, the endangered person's mother is named, the normal formula being "We call upon you to pray for the recovery of "[person's name], son/daughter of [mother's name]".

In the 18th century, numerous European nations, such as the

recte indicating a legal surname adopted from a mother's maiden name.[21]

See also

References

  1. Perseus Project
    .
  2. ^ ὄνομα in Liddell and Scott.
  3. ^ μητρωνυμικός in Liddell and Scott
  4. Perseus Project
    .
  5. ^ "matronymic, n. and adj.". OED Online, 3rd edition. March 2018. Oxford University Press.
  6. ^ "metronymic, n. and adj."; "metronym, n.". OED Online, 3rd edn. March 2018. Oxford University Press.
  7. ^ The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, ed. by Patrick Hanks, Richard Coates, Peter McClure (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2016).
  8. ^ Mother's name becoming common in naming conventions in Kerala (page 201), shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in; accessed May 18, 2017.
  9. ^ "Жителям Кыргызстана разрешили использовать матчество вместо отчества" [Residents of Kyrgyzstan permitted to use matronymic instead of patronymic]. Meduza (in Russian). Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  10. ^ Podol'skaya, Dar'ya (3 July 2023). "Ошибка в трактовке. Конституционный суд разъясняет свое решение по матчеству" [Error in interpretation. Constitutional court clarifies its decision about matronymics]. 24.kg (in Russian). Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  11. ^ "Kyrgyz court allows 'matronymics' in a surprise nod to women's rights". Reuters. 4 July 2023. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
  12. ^ "В Кыргызстане снова запретили брать матчество вместо отчества". Сибирь Реалии (in Russian). 10 November 2023. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  13. JSTOR 594132
    .
  14. ^ Miku, Linda M. "Brickbat's - May 2006 LoP Page". atensubmissions.nexiliscom.com. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
  15. ^ Forster, Charles. The Historical Geography of Arabia, Volume 2, University of Michigan, Duncan and Malcolm, Page 27
  16. ^ Bowman, William Dodgson. The Story of Surnames. London, George Routledge & Sons, Ltd., 1932. No ISBN.
  17. ^ Review, Iceland (5 March 2008). "In the Name of the Father". Retrieved 18 May 2017.
  18. ^ Thomas Kinsella (translator), The Táin, Oxford University Press, 1969, p. 3
  19. ^ Instituut, Meertens. "NVB : voornaam eindigt op 'zoon'". www.meertens.knaw.nl. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
  20. S2CID 143899711
    .
  21. ^ 1910 Jewish Census Surname List
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