Do common families of Westeros have surnames?

[Bleed Rangers Blue]

Davos Seaworth for example. he had risen to Knighthood but was born poor in Flea Bottom. Where did he get the name Seaworth from?

[chrisdaw]

Davos chose Seaworth when he was knighted by Stannis. Or Stannis chose the name.

[Bleed Rangers Blue]

But that's an assumption on your part, is it not? My point is, are there any real clarifications on this? I know there are common born people like Lothor Brune who have a surname because they're distant kin to the Brunes of Brownhollow. That makes sense but why was he allowed to keep the name? Idk, just seems fuzzy to me. 

[chrisdaw]

No it's in the text somewhere. I don't know the rules overall.

[Bleed Rangers Blue]

14 minutes ago, chrisdaw said:

No it's in the text somewhere. I don't know the rules overall.

Actually yeah, sorry i thought you were making an assumption but now that i think about it, I do sort of remember reading that, it sounds familiar. But I dont understand the rules either. 

[Valyrian Blade]

I think only highborn do. Commoners don't have surnames unless they get knighted or rewarded with lands and a keep by his lord.

The commoners that do have surnames are usually a class above the ones that don't.

[Minstral]

Commoners don't have surnames and the text supports this in several instances. The best example comes from GRRM's short story "The Sworn Sword, where a group of peasants being drilled for combat (many have the same given name) are ecstatic that their trainer is going to give them "Lord's names" so that they can tell them apart.

As far as I recall though, surnames weren't common in the middle ages until well past the 13th century, and most would denote an occupation rather than some family bond.

[StarkofWinterfell]

8 minutes ago, Minstral said:

Commoners don't have surnames and the text supports this in several instances. The best example comes from GRRM's short story "The Sworn Sword, where a group of peasants being drilled for combat (many have the same given name) are ecstatic that their trainer is going to give them "Lord's names" so that they can tell them apart.

As far as I recall though, surnames weren't common in the middle ages until well past the 13th century, and most would denote an occupation rather than some family bond.

This. Commoners typically had names like "Miller," "Smith," or whichever other occupation they had in medieval times.

 

[Leonardo]

Holy hell that is depressing on some level lol....

But yeah Davos chose his name.

[Slender Aimry Hill]

This is not a hard and fast rule. See Heddle, Slynt. But the Mystery Knight (I think) reveals the Heddles have a distant knightly past, and Slynt is fairly powerful for a commoner (as is, for instance, Allar Deem).

[GallowsKnight]

There is no rule that says a commoner can't have a name. It's just the majority never need one in their life. They might have descriptors like Big Wat, Wat the smith or Wat from Penny-Tree.

But anyone can claim a name. You could invent one like Slynt might have. Or claim a distant relation. Lother Brune got turned away from the Brunes of Brunehollow but it's not like anyone stopped him from using it. 

But if you claimed to be a Lannister while wearing rags you'd be laughed away from anywhere.

[Lointain]

The innkeeper of the Crossroads Inn has an surname: Mash Heddle.

Probably most of the commonfolk chose their surnames (or receive them from their parents) based in the place in wich they live, their job, some particular physical characteristic, among other reasons.

[Slender Aimry Hill]

3 minutes ago, GallowsKnight said:

But if you claimed to be a Lannister while wearing rags you'd be laughed away from anywhere.

Which is roughly what Sweet Donnel Hill does!

[Rusty Winchester]

2 hours ago, Leonardo said:

Holy hell that is depressing on some level lol....

But yeah Davos chose his name.

I think I'd be pretty stoked to choose my own surname.... I mean I suppose we can in the real world as well, but it's a giant pain.  What do you think Shitmouth's surname should be? Spearbuggerer?

[SeanF]

Mostly, the Smallfolk don't have surnames.  That mirrors early medieval England, in which generally speaking, surnames were only important for people who were likely to inherit land, or who were likely to travel around a lot.  As society became more mobile, in the fourteenth century, so surnames became more common.  For most people, surnames were based on where they came from (eg surnames like Dalton, Baldock, Bradford), or their occupation (eg Miller, Fletcher, Smith).  In areas of Scandinavian settlement, people often took their father's first name as a surname which stuck (eg Peterson, Johnson etc).  People who were born outside wedlock, to a noble parent, typically took a surname beginning with the prefix Fitz, such as Fitzgerald, or Fitzpatrick ("Fitz" literally means "son" in old French, but had the connotation of a natural son).

In Westeros, the custom is similar.  Only people with property typically have surnames.  Smallfolk with property will likely take surnames.  And, in a place like Kings Landing, lots of people will be immigrants, , many of whom take surnames to distinguish them from other immigrants with the same first name.  There are probably lots of people in Kings Landing called Janos, or Tobo, or Aller, so surnames would be needed for them.

The existence of surnames like Stone, Hill, etc. serves the same purpose as the French "Fitz".  There is a distinction in having a surname, but it also shows you weren't born in wedlock.  That said, bastards can establish their own dynasties, and thus, the bastard name becomes a typical surname (eg Longwaters).

[SeanF]

2 hours ago, GallowsKnight said:

There is no rule that says a commoner can't have a name. It's just the majority never need one in their life. They might have descriptors like Big Wat, Wat the smith or Wat from Penny-Tree.

But anyone can claim a name. You could invent one like Slynt might have. Or claim a distant relation. Lother Brune got turned away from the Brunes of Brunehollow but it's not like anyone stopped him from using it. 

But if you claimed to be a Lannister while wearing rags you'd be laughed away from anywhere.

There are probably hundreds of people who bear the surname "Lannister" or "Tyrell" without being considered noble any more.  Very, very distant cousins of Tywin or Mace. They would probably be reasonably well to do farmers, or tax collectors, or merchants or harbour masters. 

[She who must be Obeyed]

Adding a wiki quote for Davos. The wiki of ice and fire can be very helpful for these kinds of questions.

Quote

During Robert's Rebellion, almost a year into the siege of Storm's End, Davos took it upon himself to run the Redwyneblockade to smuggle onions and other foodstuffs into the castle. The food allowed Stannis Baratheon's men to hold on untilEddard Stark arrived to break the siege. As a reward for his service, Stannis knighted him, giving him choice lands on Cape Wrath and allowing him to choose Seaworth as the name of his new house. However, Davos lost the first joint from each finger of his left hand, as payment for his past crimes. Davos found the ruling just, and agreed to the terms if Stannis would swing the blade himself.^[4] He kept the bones of his joints in a pouch around his neck because he believed they were lucky, having bought a future for his family.^[7]

As you can see Davos was allowed to choose his name. Most commoners that get knighted take the name of the family they serve.

[Jaak]

7 hours ago, SeanF said:

Mostly, the Smallfolk don't have surnames.  That mirrors early medieval England, in which generally speaking, surnames were only important for people who were likely to inherit land, or who were likely to travel around a lot.  As society became more mobile, in the fourteenth century, so surnames became more common.

Across Europe, the adoption of surnames varied widely. In England, it was by the end of 14th century that peasants generally adopted surnames. In Scandinavia, it was in 19th and beginning of 20th century that adoption of surnames was generally mandated... except Iceland, where adoption of surnames was banned instead.

[James Arryn]

12 hours ago, StarkofWinterfell said:

This. Commoners typically had names like "Miller," "Smith," or whichever other occupation they had in medieval times.

 

That or place of origin/residence. Surnames largely signify in a dynastic sense.