What’s in a Name?
Chaldean family names contain nuggets of history
By Adhid Miri, PhD
There certainly are a lot of important names in history. Have you ever wondered where all these names came from? How did you get yours? It may have come from your parents. But where did they get it from?
People haven’t always had last names. China was one of the earliest civilizations to use surnames. People there reportedly took on family names over three thousand years ago to help improve their census. For many years, surnames were passed down by mothers. Today, though, in much of the world most children take their father’s last name.
Surnames may have originated from personal characteristics, locations, events, or family associations. The use of surnames was not common in Europe before the Middle Ages. As cities became larger and more populous, additional names were added to make them stylish, or to help people specify which “Tom” was being talked about. Surnames sometimes changed within a person’s lifespan or were sometimes imposed by other people or by law.
For historical Chaldeans, choosing a name for a newborn in the villages was influenced by religion; it was always derived from the Aramaic language. Some babies were named after a famous or influential person, some after an elder family member, and others followed whatever was in style. However, certain names are perpetually popular, regardless of trends.
This article is meant to inform the readers about Chaldean and Christian family names. It is not an exhaustive list of everything in the Chaldean Church’s libraries, catalogs, records, or birth records, but it prompts a call for further research.
The Chaldean names collected here may contain modern Arabic names, followed mostly by Aramaic or biblical names such as the name of the author of this article (Adhid Yousif Mansour Franci Yousif Francis Gorgees Mary/Miri). Note that you may find some duplicate names because there are many ways to write, spell, or translate the same name.
Names and Cultures
The most common last names in the world vary by region and culture. It is important to note that the popularity of last names can change over time due to factors like migration and cultural shifts.
Names and naming practices in other cultural areas show a strong similarity in basic trends. Among the ancient Babylonians and Assyrians, names are theophoric designations (having the name of a god embedded in something, such as a name) such as Nebuchadnezzar of the Bible, translated as “Nabu (a god) protected the estate.” And Ashurbanipal, meaning “Ashur (a god) created a son (heir).”
Christianity gave the Middle East a host of Aramaic names, well beyond the area where Arabic is spoken. The last name of Arabic families either refers to the name of the tribe the person belongs to, or to the region, city, or town he/she originates from as a representation of the purity of blood and to show the pride one has for his ancestry.
Al- means “the.” It often prefixes Arabic proper nouns, especially place names; an example is Al-Jazīrah (Arabic: “The Island”). Family names can relate to places, like al-Mousli (“from Mosul”) jobs, such as Haddad (“blacksmith”), or tribes, like al-Timmimi (“from the Timmimi tribe”). They usually end with i, e, or y such as Anni, Rawi, Rubaie, Shakarchi, Pachachi, Janabbi, Hillawy, and Dewany.
In most Middle Eastern countries, people are called by their first names. In official documents, they always have three- or four-part names (i.e. first name, father’s name, grandfather’s name, and surname).
In the countries that still maintain tribal structures, such as Yemen, Jordan, and the Gulf States, surnames are always used. In the early seventies in Iraq, the last names were removed by the Baath regime. This was part of a movement decreed by the socialist-Ba’athist party at the time aimed at treating people equally, stating no one should be preferred or privileged based on their tribal roots. The real reason was to camouflage the fact that most prominent Ba’athist officials had names like Al-Tikriti, Al-Douri, and Al-Sammarai.
Origins of Chaldean names
The study of the history and origin of family names in the village of Tilkepe was comprehensively documented by Father Michael Jajjo Bazzi in his book, “Tilkepe Past & Present,” published in 1969. His investigation included baptismal records from the Church of Tilkepe dating to the year 1790.
The last names in Chaldean villages can be traced to the Middle Ages. At that time, they lived in small villages separated by large areas of farmland. People rarely met those from other areas. Everyone knew all the others who lived in their village, so there wasn’t a need for last names.
Over time, though, these villages and populations grew. People traveled more. They traded with other places. Soon, they needed a way to tell the difference between people with the same name. Last names served to separate one “Jajjo” from another “Jajjo.”
Christians and Chaldeans started to use Arabic names at the beginning of the 20th century. Many of the Arabic names adopted by Chaldeans have meanings as ordinary adjectives and nouns. For example, the Arabic name Azziz means “dear,” Habib means “beloved,” Saeed means “happy,” Khalid means “immortal,” and Essa is a variation of “Yasuo,” or Christ.
Some Chaldean names have religious associations. For example, Putrus (Peter), Hanna (John), Mikha (Michael), Toma (Thomas), Matti (Matta, Matthew), Tobia (Tobias), etc. The most common Chaldean names are perhaps Mikha or Jajjo because of St. Mikhael and St. Gorgies, the patron saints of several Nineveh Plain villages.
Over time, Chaldean surnames were derived from a few different attributes or characteristics, including occupation, nickname, place name, or religious sources.
One way to distinguish between individuals was to specify their occupation. This gave rise to names like Kathawa (writer), Naggara (carpenter), Qassawa (butcher), Qinaya or Kinaya (goldsmith), Hakim (physician or wise man), and Hallaq (barber).
Some surnames are nicknames that reflect careers, physical traits, or places that may have been imposed by friends or foes, including names like Asmar, Bahhora, Qarana, Hannona, Kharsa, Miskayna, Marzoq, Sulaqa, Yatooma, and Yono.
People were also named after place names like Aaqrawi, Zibari, and Batnawi.
Then there are clergy and compound names such as Abbona, Qasha, Qas- Korkies, Qas Mikha, Qas Youhanna, Qas Maroogi, Shamasha- Kacho, Al-Qas Matti, Al-Qas Oddish, Al-Qas Maroogi, Al- Qas Paulis, Al-Qas Shamoun, and Al-Qas Mikha, for example.
Short Names
Shortened names are the trend of all cultures and times. We find that Arabic names are replaced by other names; Abdullah is called “Aboudi,” Zainab is called “Zizi,” Khadija is called “Didi,” Shaker, they call him “Shoshu,” Hickmat is called “Hakommi,” and so on.
This phenomenon is not limited to our Middle Eastern societies. Rather, we find in the West those who call someone named Robert “Bob,” and use “Pat” for Patricia.
A similar pattern occurs with Chaldean/Aramaic names but with an Akkadian twist. Calling people by names other than their legal name is common among Chaldeans. For men, Azziz becomes “Azzo,” Elias becomes “Allo,” Fouad is “Fa’aoo,” Safa Is “Safo,” and Luay becomes “LuLu.” In the case of women’s names, Afaf becomes “Affo,” Hanaa is “Hanno,” Rand is “Ranno,” Regina is “Rajjo,” and Habboba becomes “Habbo.” The list goes on.
Digital Family Tree Project
Onomastics (the study of the history and origin of proper names) can be a very useful tool in genealogical research as it is one of many ways to build family trees and provide insight into the identities of one’s ancestors.
The Chaldean News and Chaldean Cultural Center plan to research and document information into the Chaldean Community Digital Family Tree project. The idea is to include the ancestry of Chaldean families in the US and elsewhere in the diaspora by using documentation such as correspondence, photos, and personal interviews. The project will include family-name studies to locate and organize information about everyone who has had a specific Chaldean family name as far back in time as possible.
Comprehensive, accurate, updated research and careful tracking is needed to learn where specific name elements came from, and to identify specific sources, double-check the work to verify spellings, also expand the descriptions of the various name elements and illustrations of common name forms with actual period examples of each.
As a result, rigorous research is needed to complete this article. The names list in this article consists of names from the church records of one village, Tilkepe only. To help our research, please message any family name information or family tree data to edit@chaldeannews.com.
Together, we can grow the family tree for future generations to study and learn where they came from.
Sources: Father Michael Jajjo Bazzi‘s “Tilkepe Past & Present” published in 1969; Directory of Chaldean Iraqi Association of Michigan C.I.A.A.M.; The History of the Iraqi Community in America by Deacon Shamoun (Sam) Dabish; Wikipedia; and Encyclopedia Britannica.
Common Tilkepe Family Names (In Surath)
Abbaso, Abbo, Abro, Abs’so, Acho, Arabo, Asso, Atto, Attu, Babbo, Bachou, Baho, Bajjo, Bakaloo, Bakkaio, Bashou, Batto, Bazido, Becho, Beebu, Besto, Binno, Bodo, Brikho
Dadoo, Dakko, Dallou, Danno, Darboo, Dawiethko, Da’ako, Deeko, Dikho, Duddo,
Eesso
Fajjo, Faranso, Faroo,
Gaggo, Gammo, Gamsho, Gannou, Garmo, Gasso, Gatho, Gathro, Gathrou, Gatto, Genju, Gidoo, Gishou, Goro
Habboo, Habso, Haddou, Haido, Hailo, Halabu, Hammo, Hanko, Hasseno, Hasyno, Hatanou, Haydo, Hayoo, Hilanto, Hindo
Jaboro, Jalabo, Jallou, Jammo, Jarango, Jarbo, Jibbo, Jiddou, Jindou
Kako, Kalasho, Kamanno, Kametto, Kammo, Kandro, Kanounu, Karcho, Karmo, Kashjo, Kasho, Katcho, Katto, Khamirko, Khamoro, Khoshko, Kilano, Killo, Kinno, Kitto, Kriko
Mahoo, Makhoo, Mammo, Manjo, Margo, Mayzo, Ma’ano, Minio, Mio, Mizo, Mukhito, Mukko
Nafsu, Nano, Na’alo, Na’amo
Odesho, Oodo, Oro, Osmano, Osso, Oujjo
Patto
Qarcho, Qatto, Qesto, Qieppo, Qijbou, Qiracho, Qiryo, Qiyo, Qourino
Rashoo
Saco, Saffo, Salmou, Salmou, Shaffou, Shammo, Shango, Sheeto, Sheikho, Shinno, Sir-Kindo, Sitto, Sivi- Mammo, Somo, Soro, Sotta-Mikko, Stanithou
Tamtemo
Yaldoo, Yasso, Yono
Zakko, Zetto