I always look forward to your videos even if I don't have family with the names. I'm a genealogy geek and most of my friends just don't get it, one even said I was morbid for looking at death records! Guess I should be glad they don't know how many cemeteries I've been to, LOL. Keep up the great work, I know we all appreciate it very much.
That's awesome, RC&G! As a historian, I am always thinking about dead people. In my mind, they are still alive and my thoughts help them to stay a little longer among us.
Thank you for all that info.I'm a Tennessee gal. I have so many in my lines. Partin,Mason,Teague,Evans,Collins,Smith,Wicks,Bull,etc. They all settled in Bell County Ky and Claiborne County,TN and surrounding counties.The first Mason in my line who came to this country was Robert Mason,who lived in England on the ship named "The Adventurer" He was an indentured servant.He served in the revolutionary war. He settled in Frakes Ky and buried there.His farm is still in his family.I'm thinking my Teagues are of Irish descent. I really enjoy watching you.
Hi Karen, I felt some wind in my sails when I read your message. Thanks! I covered Partin and Evans in early episodes. I am happy to tell you that I too have Teague, Evans, and Collins in my East Tennessee family tree. We might be distant kin! Barry
I enjoy your site and especially that you pronounce "Appalachia" correctly. The 2 names that I would like hear about are 1) McConnell and 2) Burke. Thanks and keep up the good work.
Thanks, Neil, I have McConnell on my list, and I have already covered Burke. Take a look at the end of Episode 14. I provide a list of the names I have covered with respect to their episodes. Kind regards, Barry
That's so true. Just yesterday, I had a fellow tell me that I was wrong about the number of ethnic groups in America. He claimed there is only four. After trying to help him see reality, it became clear he was just a troll. Barry
Mr. Vann, just wanted to say thank you so much for finding the origin of the surnames Scantland and Upchurch. I'm the one who requested them. I always look forward to all your videos and learn so much every time I watch. Thanks again for your help & and hope you have a great day!
Dear DLG, please call me Barry. I am a retired dean and professor. I am doing this to help folks in our neck of the woods and keep Alzheimer's Syndrome at bay. It's what killed my dad, grandpa, and my only paternal aunt. I am blessed to be useful! Barry
Are you kin to the Birmingham, AL Vann family? One guy was mayor of Birmingham and the other guy was a railroad guy, very gregarious like yourself. I was a Birmingham Fireman and your programs cover most of the family names of the knuckle-heads that I worked with on the department. Those firemen were some fine people. The Bowlin Family, my name, has a mountain named after them near Odenville, Alabama at the end of the Appalachian Mountains right behind a church founded by my great grandfather in the 1800's. Thanks for such an interesting series of programs.
Hi Jim Bob, I have your surname on my list to cover. There are lots of Bowling folks of various spellings in upper east Tennessee and southeastern Kentucky. To answer your question about the Vanns down your way, yes, I am. We are descended from the Vanns of Chatsworth, Georgia and southern East Tennessee. My dad used to talk about the mayor of Birmingham as if he knew him.
Morning, J By, I can give your names a shot, although I'm not sure what I can find in regard to Asbel. My Vann line came through Chowan County. I know from the results of DNA tests that there are some still in the area. Thanks for watching and the recommendations! Barry Vann
Good Afternoon Sir; I really appreciate your work and thoroughly enjoy your videos. I was born and raised in the mountains of southeastern KY; specifically Harlan County, KY. I left home at the age of 18 and became a U.S. Marine where I spent 20 years, served multiple combat tours, and am now a disabled combat veteran. My last name is Hoskins. My mother’s maiden name was Napier and from what I’ve been able to find it seems that the name is of Scottish origins. I also come from the lineage of Smith and Fee. I would greatly appreciate if you would cover any or all of those surnames… especially Hoskins and Napier. Respectfully Submitted; Donnie L. Hoskins U.S. Marine Corps (ret.)
Donnie, thanks for your service to our country! Napier is certainly a Scottish surname. Napier University in Edinburgh was named after a Scottish mathematician named John Napier. Fee appears to be an Irish surname. Hoskins is English.
Greetings Mr Vann, you and yours, in abundance with great respect extended once again in your presentation and the hard work, most definitely seen as a labor of love, that's gone into, goes into all your presentation. Such a delight to hear your voice on the different projects about the you tube a/o. Thus one is assured that we are engaged with a legitimate endeavor always. Again, I am of the Shipp people, as well as Pickets, Boggs, McTeague, Mctyre, Parker, etc etc. Deeply honored to be exclusively from the South, and of the Celtic / British Isles. This I have conveyed to you previously. One thing I'd like to suggest or request if ever you may be inclined so to do, and I understand you are very busy and expect nothing anytime to soon if ever, though you may already be engaged on the topic. I am a half blood of the 5 Tribes, Cherokee, Creek and Seminole. Of course we in the know observe two of those mentioned as redundant, Creek and Seminole. I didn't know my Mutha much a'tall, however I did receive photos from her after she passed and I seen her Cherokee grandad, I believe from her Maternal side. The name Tom Shell comes from it, but there's no Shells enrolled and there's some hi talking yahoo on the RU-vid who says " if they ain't enrolled, u ain't no injun!".. and I'd like to throttle that ol boy and do so by turning it off, ain't gonna turn him back on. My trust is in you, Kind Sir. Do you have any plans to study up on our 5 Tribes people and possibly any explanation for those not enrolled. Now I do understand how some were removed by Jackson in 1830, and others chose to remain and assimilate, ( which just delayed the inevitable for themselves, God bless them, us). I'm wondering if that might have to do with it. Again, I know you're busy but if it came to be that your interest is stirred enough, any information would be most appreciated and gratefully reciprocated in any way I can do so. Either any which way, should you and yours have a means of accepting any donations or if you have a charity you prefer, id be honored to show some love y'all's way. Please just list the means in response or contact privately at your convenience and I'm happy to do my part. Again no expectation of obligation to assist in any way. Your hard work is known and it shows and you're a easy way on weary soul these days amongst us. God bless to yourself and your family and our people of the South. Deo Vindice Ian McLennon Shipp (Georgian)
Ian, I am not an expert at all on the politics of Native Tribal membership. I do not see any way forward in delving into that topic. I know that about half of the people in Appalachia believe that they have native ancestry, which are most often proved myths when they do a DNA test. My wife's family has never had a tradition of being part Native, but low and behold, my wife's test shows that she has more Indian than me. I just have a drop, though.
@@BarryVann good on you Sir and much understood. From my half body full of good native blood to your yours drips, drops, n dribbles, I bid you a fond A'ho, (blessings) and thank you for your time in responding. Love your work. You are a necessity amongst us. Peace
I keep looking for some of my family names as I commented early in this series. Still waiting for: Coleman, Collins, Ball, Goff, Mutter, Herndon; Fletcher. I recently learned my 5th Great Grandmother was Lady Anne Howard. She married Gullaume Tonnelier, from France who changed his name to Tunnell. They moved to the colonies in 1731. From that line came my Grandmother who was a Ball from Virginia.
Very nice! Well done Sir! I know the Ollis surname Is pre-revolutionary and maybe Belgium in origin. I know it’s a very rare and uncommon last name. Most of my family are from Avery Co. NC. I can’t wait to hear what you find! Thank you for your efforts and your time doing this it means a lot to us.
Kevin, Ollis appears to be the son of Olley (a double diminutive of Oliver). It is definitely of French language derivation. It first appears in Eure-et-Loire, France in the 16th century. French and Dutch are spoken in Belgium, so your family could have come from Belgium, but the name is of French derivation. It means a lot to me that you are getting something worthwhile out of these feeble attempts to share information. Barry
I'm loving this series and sharing it with my family and genealogy colleagues. Thanks for your work on this. I have several names in my family tree to suggest: Sisson, Hastings/Hasten/Haston, McCarroll, and Winters. All were in Southern Appalachia or nearby in Tennessee, northern Georgia, or western North Carolina before the Civil War. Some of them moved west to Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma after the Civil War.
I appreciate your non attempts to pronounce the Old Tongue's names. In the west of Ireland where my family is from they have returned to the old language in naming their children. When a new baby is announced with a 16-letter name, I always ask for translation, they will say "Oh, that's Ann." So your approach is just best! Enjoying your videos very much.
Thanks for recognizing my attempt to not butcher one of our ancient tongues. I have found Irish and Scots to be more kind in their feedback than a couple of Welsh viewers. Even Cymru sounds nothing like it is spelled. Thanks! Barry
@@BarryVann I agree with the commenter. Thank you. 'Kumri' is the phonetic pronunciation, as I am sure you know. I have a close friend who studied Welsh and Gaelic and did her dissertation on how Welsh children's fairy tales migrated into English. She lived there for two years while working on it. I always take my pronunciation questions to her. She found the Welsh people in Wales to be very gracious in helping her refine her knowledge and punctuation. I found the Welsh just as courteous and kind when I visited one of her friends there.
Many thanks, Gracie. I felt some wind in the old sails when I read your thoughtful comment. It's good to know that you are watching. Kind regards, Barry
I really enjoy your discussions of history and more recently, surnames. If you have time, could you please include any of the following names: Mims, Hurley, Easterly, Gillett? There are more. My father's family has many lines in the area, but I don't want to get greedy. :-) Thank you for all your research and for sharing it with us.
Ha, you've covered the majority of my various family names connections so far. Still looking out for Gray, Miller and Langdon. Thank you for providing the information and history.
@@BarryVann WE're not that far away as a sober crow flies. 72 here and sunny. Spring is coming fast! GBWYall na THANKS! I keep waiting for you to mispronounce our word and grin every time you don't!
@@lewiemcneely9143 I reckon I've butchered quiet a few, especially the Gaelic and Welsh words, so I just put the spelling up to avoid negative feedback.
I enjoyed all of your videos. I have deep roots in Eastern Kentucky/Western Virginia. The surnames I would love to see you expand on are Back/h, Watkins, Carpenter, Hall, Counts, Keith, Griffin and Gross. Thanks so much for your videos!
Our Kin were from the Virginia mountains "Bashams" and "Stewart's", We Were related to General J.E.B. Stuart's wife's side of the family. We were always told by our grand parents that we are Scots-Irish/English. Mostly Scottish.
I covered Stewart in Episode 11. Here's a link to it: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-n8VEUX6davc.html I have Basham on my list to cover. Thanks for writing. Barry
Love your channel! I was wondering if you have ever covered the surname Black. Of course, you quote George Fraser Black all the time, but I haven't seen you cover the surname Black. I don't really "need" the info since my Ancestry DNA says 48% Scot, 19% Irish (probably all Ulster Irish), 13% Wales, etc. and I do have Ulster Ireland paperwork. Additionally, I lived in Oak Ridge for awhile years ago, raised in North Alabama and retired to east Tennessee several years ago.
Thanks, Steve. I present the surnames that viewers submit. I present them in the order I receive them. Black is on the to do list along with 600 other requested surnames.
Thank you for all the wonderful information! My maiden name is Phipps and my family is from Trade, TN, I was wondering if you have heard anything about the Phipps name being related to the Melungeons?
Sandy, Melungeons are mixed race families that live in rural areas of southern Appalachia. They became sort of popular with outsiders when it was thought that they were a mysterious Turkish or some other lost tribe. They did not create surnames, so look at the results of an autosomal DNA test. If you have significant percentages of sub-Saharan African, Native American, and European DNA, you might be related to some of them. Keep in mind that Puerto Ricans and Dominicans as well as much of Latin America have the same tri-racial profile.
@@BarryVann thank you, this makes sense, I had noticed a list of surnames on the internet that were supposedly related to Melungeons and Phipps was one of them so I was curious.
Here is an interesting story for you: My third cousin once or twice removed, can’t recall at the moment, was Julia Mood Peterkin. She was an Archer on her mother’s side, and this is how I’m related to her. Julia was the first woman to win the Pulitzer for fiction, in 1929, which was one would imagine not a great year for book sales. Julia was the daughter of Dr. Julius Mood, who performed the first appendectomy in South Carolina, on I believe a lady named Pauline Huger. Julia’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book was called Scarlet Sister Mary. Her works are all in print, I think, from the University of Georgia Press. Julia was a woman with a lot of personality who was largely shunned by her friends in the Orangeburg, SC., area, who were disturbed that she wrote about black people and made them the heroines and heroes of her books and treated them with seriousness.
How about Ricker? My 5th great grandfather arrived in east TN in the early 1800s. And also, I’ve watched all of your videos on surnames so far, I’m surprised to not have heard Shelton yet. It’s a very popular last name here. Part of my family also. And it has quite the history with the Shelton Laurel massacre. Might be something you mention in a video. Keep up the good work!
How many surnames do you think are in Appalachia and the South? Shelton is already on the list to be covered. It's not a bad idea to ask politely instead insinuating something nefarious.
@@JoshuaRTV1 Joshua, you seem to be a fine young man. I do these because I enjoy helping people. I greatly appreciate people who show common courtesy and have some understanding of their political and social selves. You might reread your initial comment and consider how someone who doesn't know you from Adam would respond.
@@BarryVann yes I did reread it and I apologize for how it came across. I didn’t mean it in any negative way at all. It probably didn’t help that I occasionally use exclamation marks when I type! Lol I edited one of them out. But I’m glad you saw my reply. I like your content and I didn’t want to leave a bad impression.
You mentioned the Powell Valley. My great grandmother was born in Speedwell Tennessee so I know the Powell Valley well. I am related to the Dunn (her maiden name), Spray and Ausmus families. :)
Tammy, if you saw a list, that would be for names that I have covered. Barnes is on my list of names to cover; I have not shared that with anyone. Barry
Please consider reviewing the origins of the name HONEYCUTT, I know that it is pre-civil war and is a name of the southern U.S. in particularly NC, VA, TN, and KY
Last part of my research last names of nobility such as Kane ( danish origin) name of two related noble families from Jutland. Lovernon ( danish and Norwegian origin) noble family from Denmark and Norway. Patronymic Norse last name such as Thomason ( Aramic origin ) means “ son of Thomas “ Thomas words means twin . Salverson (old Norse ) means “son of salv” word sair means “hall” means “hero” thank you for your great efforts giving us chance to read learn new information improve our English language as well as none native speakers. Stay safe blessed best wishes for you your family friends.
I love your stories.. the 3 Surnames that I would like to know more are Sparks, Sturgill and Skaggs/Scaggs please and thank you ..I will share the information with my adult children to add to their genealogical information..
My great grandmother from southern Indiana on my maternal side was a Martin. She was very proud of the name Martin, and said our lineage is from a general in Virgina that discovered the Cumberland gap before Danial Boone, but wasn’t given credit for the discovery. Grandma said Martin had a family in the wilderness and a family in the city, but he loved his life in the wilderness the most. Any history on the origins of Martin surname in Appalachia? If you have already covered Martin, my apology.
Hi Dennis, I have Martin on my list. I have not heard anything about Boone being the first person of European descent to explore the Cumberland Gap, but there is a Martin Station about ten miles from the Cumberland Gap. Martins were important in the history of the Wilderness Road. It's my understanding that Gabriel Arthur was the first white person to explore the Gap, but that was in the 1600s. He beat Boone and everyone else. It's good to hear from you. Barry
One of my 3rd g-grandfathers was William Ramsey Davis b. 1829 TN, d. 1862 in Itawamba Co MS. I wondered if they also were Ulster Scots. We believe this is also Evis' line through Minnie Mae Hood. If so that makes Elvis my 4th cousin 1x removed. Also, my mother's family farm was directly across the road from Joseph Presley's, son of Rosella. He and Vernon were close and when they visited my mother and her siblings would all play together with Jos. Presley's kids and Elvis. Two of my great grand uncles married Doshie Presley's daughters. Doshie was a daughter of Rosella. Both my parents' families were well acquainted with the Presleys. They remember when Elvis bought Joe his Cadillac :)
Susan, you always amaze me with your knowledge and appreciation for family history. To quote our man Elvis, "thank you very much." I am a major league Elvis fan. I was living in Scotland when Elvis's song, the reboot of Little Less Conversation, made it to number one on the British charts. That achievement set a record for the most number one hits by a performer in the UK.
My family has lived in South cental Kentucky since right after the Revolutionary War and you have't mentioned any of my family very common ( in this area) names. The names are Hargis, Meece, Van Hook, and Holt.
Really enjoy your program. My maiden name is Doss. Was told it was from Wales. In doing family history it seems it came from Westmoreland many centuries ago. Then it was Dawes. Could you please shed some light? Thank you.
How are you doing dr Barry actually on March we celebrate mother in Arabic countries as well as it’s different date around world . You in USA and Canada celebrate mother day on May happy mother to yours and ours and all mothers young or old alive or dead may god bless them amen . As always iam gathering main information about topics you mentioned briefly here it’s actually Norse refers to people of Nordic countries. Old Norse is ancient Lang by Nordic people including Viking. Old Norse of Viking age is of parent language to modern danish , Swedish, Norwegian languages are spoken today . Norse name inspired by nature and outdoors such as aaby ( old Norse ) name means “ River “ “farm” . Aakre ( old Norse ) means “plowed field” aadmod ( old Norwegian) refers to place “ where two rivers meet “ . Gill ( old Norse ) means “ravine “. Manger(old Norse ) surname come from nord mar means “seagull “ .
I really enjoy your should if you ever have time could you please check out the Raines, or Kella surnames I don't know very much about my history God bless and stay safe
Hi Shelby, you are only the second person I have met in my life named Shelby! My step-aunt is named Shelby. Raines is either of Yiddish origin for Rayne. It could also be of Norman-French origin for Rennes France. Kella is either German or Finnish.
I appreciate it a bunch I've been doing some studying on where I come from I'm Lacy and Kella on my mom's side and raines and gilstrap on my dad's I must be a Heinz 57 lol
I will be glad when you get to my names...West, 'Barnes, Story, Eason, and Ashcraft....I can be fairly certain that the last 4 are Irish and/or scottish...West. maybe english or welsh....West my folks anyway came to Virginia in the 1660's, of course for religious freedom....don't know about the rest....the West line has handed down verbal history, but who knows how true! LOL
Barnes is English from the town in England and old word for barns or granary, story is old norse probably from norse settlers of britain especially England, Eason is Scottish and Ashcraft is again English and is common tge old kingdom of East anglia.
Funny enough west I know was brought to Scotland by the English ambassador to Scotland as i had a few mates loving up in Aberdeen who were west's descended from the englishmen
Only from oral tradition I have learned that my Branch of the Sutherland Family settled in the Appalachian area long ago...MY Grandfather Frederick Edwin Sutherland was born at the turn of the 20th century in Flat River ( no longer there..been gentrified) Missouri. I have records from my ancestors serving in the U S army in the Civil War. Out of Shelbyville Indiana...I'm really interested in earlier settlers. Thanks!
Gary, the surname Harden/in was in northern England and southern Scotland long before the Huguenots ever formed a church meeting. Thanks for watching and asking a question! Barry
I wrote a longer comment a few hours ago but its not here now? I have seen this before on other channels sometimes. I dont get it. I doubt you deleted it.
Hi Rebecca, thanks for watching and for writing. I have your three surnames on the list of names to cover, but there are several hundred names in front of them. I appreciate your patience. Kind regards, Barry Vann
David, in mediaeval Europe, it was unusual for people to move to a new village. Newcombe is derived from a title given to "new comers": Newcomens, Newcome, and Newcombe. See Henry Harrison, The Surnames of the United Kingdom, P. 39),
Julia, I have placed them on the list of surnames to cover. I appreciate your patience as I make my way through the names on the list. Kind regards, Barry
@@BarryVann Sir, you are doing a service to your watchers. To the request you already filled, you did me a service you didn't realize. Thank you. For the Native in my family, you did a compliment. For the Caucasian, you did the same. Thank you.
@@BarryVann The Trimble, Welch, and Render was for the settlers who are in Kentucky history. I'm a marry in to the family. That was the reason for the reason for my request. My husband is of Scottish, Irish, and English Decency. His family is very proud, right down to his father taking Scottish rights, which I still possess. I'm sort of the unelected historian. lol His father was an in-law who respected very much. Interesting family, from their origins to their military history.
@@BarryVann My father always wanted to show is native ancestry that his female ancestors abandoned pre civil war, prior to the removals. He was very proud of his ancestors of being the Coffman's ( German Ancestry) in support of Andrew Jackson, despite our ancestry, to showed me the duality of man. He pointed out to me that what women would abandon, for the sake of their children. My father was an unusual man,. Who let me know that there was more to the story than what we can see. I lost him recently, but I respect what he showed me in paper in spite of government documents. He was good man who had showed me the Coffman side of our family in Western Kentucky, despite my father acknowledging our native heritage. There is abandoned town in Western named after the Coffman's. My father was willing to acknowledge all of our DNA, despite what conventual history says. He spent his life trying to make me choose, while showing me the natural history of things. I know, people can make others choose, and my father was made to choose his native ancestry over the ancestry his people, despite what Kentucky history said. Think about it, I'm Kentucky history said that Native people didn't exist here, despite our native ancestry. We are the only state that makes that claim. Natives take Anglo-Saxton names, despite our claims to Native Ancestry. I know that I'm part Irish. I also know my great-grandfather claimed absolute English ancestry and was correct. I also know that I have cousins who know who their fathers is but their fathers won't claim them. I know that for fact. When a man can claim his child to 99.9 percent accuracy, someone can't tell me that they can't claim a native descendants , I call bullshit. If a child can be identified to it's father o mother by DNA, so can everyone else. Can you see the hypocrisy in the claiming that we all came from the same ancestors, but can't identifying our native heritage? It's just another way of eradicating the Native people, indigenous to the Americas. Im happy to hear any history on Kentucky surnames on Kentucky, but I can identify the myth of the eradication of native people's down to the book the myth came from.
Brian, there are a few Turpins around Powell Valley, and there a bunch in my home town of Oliver Springs, Tennessee. Thanks, I will look into it. Barry
All of my German ancestors came IN from Virginia or West Virginia or Tennesee.I would like you to check on the names Kropff and Kettenring-Catron-Ketron.
@@BarryVann wow, thank you yes, I'm curious to know what the name might mean,,my ancestors came to this country early,my great grandfather was a sail maker,, and a taylor, I've heard he made uniforms,the Plantagenet name is somewhere in our history,, thank you so much,,ever heard of klenndenan or killing,these names come up in research,,my spelling could be off,.
@@BarryVann No sir. This New Haven is located in Cincinnati, Ohio. Hey, if I crossed a line with any of my comments in the past- my apologies. Apparently, as I was strangely reminded early today; I am a flirt! Harmless but a flirt. Please forgive.
... Music? .. Mmmm ... It better be bluegrass !! If it ain't bluegrass then it ain't no part of nothin'. (Kinds sorta quoting Mr. Bill Monroe there.) Seriously though, bluegrass music is a part of Apple-At-Cha. Born in North Carolina, claimed in Kentucky and misquoted in Tennessee. ( Hey trolls, I'm just goofing around here, having a little fun. I'm not trying to ruffle nobody's feathers.) 🙃 Thanks Barry, you got my father and mothers surnames in episode 3 and episode 13, Shackelford and Tipton from Lee County Virginia. A short lineage takes us back to Harlan County Kentucky, then down into Tennessee and North Carolina and back into Virginia I believe. I love what you are doing. I think I might be the one who asked for Tipton, thanks, quite a wonderful family. 😊 How about Hensley if you get to it. I moved from Lee County when I was just a boy (66 years ago). It is still home and I wish I was there again.
@@baronvann1314 Thank you. I 've watched all your videos on Applachian surnames and must not have paid attention as I should. I watched that episode again and there it was, settlement and all. I really enjoy what you are doing so I think I'll just watch them all again.
LOVE WHAT YOU DO SORRY ALWAYS CAPS BUT REALLY WANT TO KNOW ABOUT WHITE, ROBINSON, MEDLEY AND MEDLIN, ALSO NOLAN I JUST LOST THE WHAT I FEEL IS THE LAST OF MY FAMILY AS MOM DAD AND BROTHER HAVE PASSED ... FORGIVE ME I HAVE MY CHILDREN THAT IS WHAT KEEPS ME GOING JUST WANT TO PASS ON TO THEM ANYTHING I CAN
Joyful, some of your requested names have been presented. I added Medley and Medlin to the list, so please write to vanntagepoint22@gmail.com to request a list of names and corresponding episodes. Thanks, Barry
