PatLaster.com

Interesting items collected from my readings
Pat Laster

 
What do ‘pear,’ ‘secret,’ ‘ogle,’ ‘needy,’ ‘pastor,’ and ‘strode’ have in common?
 
From the year I began teaching folk music in junior high and middle school General Music classes, I have been obsessed with surnames. J. N. Hook’s book, Family Names: The Origins, Meanings, Mutations, and History of more than 2800 American Names [Collier MacMillan Publishers, 1982] allowed me to discover with the students the meanings and origins of their names.
In 1974, according to the Social Security Administration’s latest rolls, there were 1,286, 556 different surnames of Americans. Hook categorizes names in four ways:
PLACE NAMES–Onnie Hill, William Lake.
 PATRONYMS, OR OTHERS BASED ON PERSONAL NAMES – Phebe George, Doresia
Johnson.
OCCUPATIONAL NAMES – Vernon Farmer, Sarah Baker.
DESCRIPTIVE NAMES – Obeta Rich, Mada Wise. [These examples came from my journaled lists.]
Mr. Hook discovered that his name is a place name. A hook is a “sharp bend in a stream or peninsula or some odd little corner of land.”  
Soon, I began notating all the odd, long, ethnic, descriptive surnames I could unearth in my reading of the newspapers and magazines. Of course, the obituaries held acres of those diamonds.
 As an example of how I used one day’s list, both the list and a poem follow. [List has been alphabetized.]
Agnes, Banks, Bernard, Bird, Blocker, Booth, Bowling, Brand, Brittle, Brooks, Brown, Bruno, Burns, Bush, Carpenter, Childs, Clay, Clement, Comb, Coopwood,  Day,  Duke,  Files, French, Fry, Gates, Gist, Glaze, Gray, Green, Greensage,  Hall, Halter, Hammer, Heard,  High, Hill, Hobby, Hunt, Joseph, Judd,  King, Lake, Lane, Lawless, Leek,  Lemons, Lilly, Lingo, Loon, March, Missouri, Moody, Painter, Piper, Potter, Prime, Prince, Reed,  Rider, Rose, Roy, Sally, Salter, Sample, Session, Shore, Short, Small, Son, Stark, Stone,  Tracy, Treat, Victor, Wall, Waters, Weaver, West, White, Wills, Woods, Yielding, Young
[Words from the list will be italicized.]
Twilight
 
           Caramel haze glazes
          the waters of the lake, serene
          with keening loons
 
           and other nightbird calls.
           Further inland, whippoorwills.
           Spring peepers
 
           serenade the graying sky.
           Shore-bound, clay kiln-fired
           wind chimes
 
           play Olly-Olly-in-Free
           with hollow reeds and stones
           banked in shadowy willows.
 
           A carpenter, who’d combed
           the woods for a clearing
           small enough to build
                                              
           a secluded nest, lays down
           hammer and paint brush,
           and treats himself
 
           to nature’s nightfall ambience,
           its bedding-down
           before the rose light fades.
                                                          [© lovepat press 2010]
 
 
For my use, I like to challenge myself and you to incorporate some of these surnames in any way EXCEPT as a surname. Many given names now used to be surnames, so in stories, I’ll select a surname for a given name and a given name for a surname.
 
 
 
Another day’s list of surnames:
Ashley, Archuleta, Bell, Black, Brown, Bullion, Bumpers, Cannon, Cash, Ceasar, Chase, Christ, Dare, Day, Dodge, Eno, Fielder, Forte, Fountain, Getter, Godfrey, Gray, Gross Gudge, Hall, Happy, Hawks, Henry, House, James, Jolly, Joyne, Keith, Little, Marie, Martelle, May, Mayor, Millepied, Morissette, Noel, Page, Popper, Quash, Reed, Sharp, Small, Steed, Stell, Swan, Tester, Vest, Vines, West, Whisker, White, Wonder, Wood and Young.
 
A third day’s list of surnames
[As they appeared in my journal. Just think what a great story could be “cooked” up using the following list. I dare you to try your hand at creating something from it. I will if you will.]
Bale, Green, Cook, Paisley, Swift, Urban, Crow, Savage, Stein, Todd, Huff, Thurman, Henry, Perry, Craft, Sabathia, Swisher, Hall Bell, Layne, Files, Halter, Wood, Rhoda, Stone, Keith, Ply, Whisker, Case, West, Mills, Hooks, Fudge, Moody, Chambers, Mace, Waddle, Bright, Farmer, Vales, Horn, Roy, Catching, Pettypool, Friday, Treat, Brooks, Argue, Cook, May, Stamps, Hunt, Bores, White, Dial, Amerine, Frank, Hill, Parsons, Sparks and Rice.
 
Other alphabetized lists:
Ables, Alexander, Argue, Arias, Aries, Arnold, Bass, Belfry, Bell, Benjamin, Best, Black, Bowling, Brooks, Brown, Burtles, Carpenter, Casey, Cash, Cathey, Chi, Church, Cone, Cook, Crass, Daniel, Dews, Drain, Fife, Goad, Gold, Grant, Green and Gunning.
Also, Hall, Hammontree, Hatch, Heard, Hutchcroft, Ilica, Jeffrey, Karleskint, Keel, Leech, Livers, Long, Louis, Mailer, Petty, Reed, Rice, Rife, Rose, Schubert, Sexton, Sharp, Shepherd, Slack, Smart, Stackhouse, Stokes, Storm, Story, Terry, Thomas, Tibbs, Waters, Weeks, White, Winter, Wood and Zeek.
~~~~
         Now, isn’t that a rich collection? Another way to separate them would be by columns headed ‘nouns’ ‘adjectives,’ ‘verbs,’ ‘names,’ ‘other.’ Some words are two parts of speech, perhaps three. Using different forms of the words are allowed in my ‘method’ of generating creative writing.

         Though I alphabetized the first two lists, I prefer to present them as they “fall” out of my reading. Now and then, a combination of surnames gives a spark of an idea. For instance, in one list Luck was followed by Muck. How about using it in a rhyming poem? Here is Leonard, followed by Hill. Why, one of my former students was Leonard Hill!  

        Here is a list from which I began a short story. 
 Brown, Stark, Wire, Pelts, White, Jerome, Dash, Savage, Gold Buttenweiser, Maki, Sleight, Stringer, Jakes, Lea, Moses, Alexander, Howard, Wells, Fox, Jumper, Beulah, Stoner, Councilman, Arnold, Rice, Sexton, Baker, Drilling, Woods, Ellis Todd, Trice, St. John, Parkinson, Hall, Long, Young, Powers, Pike, Jeffrey, Wildhaber, Cheek, Slack, Camp, Simon, Farmer, Littlejohn, Shepherd, Garland, Dinwiddie, Leech, Lance, Craft, Cook, Reed, Fames, Price, Monk, English, White, Jean, Barber, Bell, Brooks, King, Olds, Nolen, Files, Curl, Snow, Fetter, Potter, Erwin, Wiseman, Slim, Carpenter, Smothers and Rivers.

         In utopia, the lists would go up and down; on the computer, they will have to progress across the page. Here is how I divided the list into a usable story prompt
NOUNS: Wire, Pelts, Savage, Stringer, Lea, Fox, Wells, Councilman, Rice, Sexton, Baker, Woods, Hall, Powers, Pike, Cheek, Camp, Farmer, Shepherd, Garland, Leech, Lance, Craft, Cook, Reed, Monk, Barber, Bell, Brooks, King, Olds (auto), Files, Curl, Potter, Wiseman, Carpenter, Rivers.

VERBS: Wire, Pelts, Dash, Drilling, Slack (off), Camp, Farm (from Farmer), Shepherd (the sheep/ goats, etc.), Craft (a garland, say), Cook, Price (your yard sale items), Bell (the cow), Brook (I’ll brook no nonsense), King (me, in checkers), Files, Powers (the canoe) Curl, Snow, Fetter, Smothers.

ADJECTIVES: Brown, Stark, Wire, White, Savage, Gold, Long, Young, Slack, Curl(y), Snow(y), and Slim.

NAMES: Jerome, Buttenweiser, Maki, Jakes, Lea, Moses, Alexander, Howard, Beulah, Arnold, Ellis Todd, St. John, Jeffrey, Wildhaber, Simon, Littlejohn, Dinwiddie, Jean, Nolen, and Erwin.

OTHERS: Sleight, Stoner, Trice, Parkinson, Fames and English.
My story is "The Cherry Pickers," as yet unpublished
   
Here follows daily lists for your writing pleasure. You will find repetitions, but not to worry. For stories, poems and essays, they might be just the word you need. Of course, when you use them in your writing, you will not capitalize them except for names and places.
          Moorhouse, George, Oliver, Or, Lew, Olivo, Michael, Worth, Settle, Bounds, Moody, Brown, Cook, Burri, Counts, Amos, Powers, Hamp, Bright, Grooms, Speed, Oaks, Candler, Fair, Hallmark, James, Leach, Burk, Rector, Christ, Gore, Walkup, Moss and Sharp. 

          Conrad, Hamilton, Pinto, Stack, King, Bush, Golden, Young, Painter, Brown, Childs, Crow May Bird, Winston, Hill, Beverly, Page, Joyce, Cash, Hall, Rushing, Wood, Jodd, Huff, Ball, Severs, Finch, Angle, Lemons, Click, Wisely, Henry, Marion, Deal, Jobe, Brand, Monette, Frank, Meredith and Pierce.

           Fox, Black, Bush, Johns, Little, Ma, Gates, Zook, Field, Wire, Young, Camper, Page, Buck, Nickels, Counts, Hall Joe, Graves, Thrower, Pack, Green, White, Peace, Ringer, Jacobs, Eaves, Pool, West, Hooks, Cooks, Apple, Lane, Ball, Sams, Arnold, Collie, Roe, Gray, Brent, Heard, Key, Christmas, Hurt, Daniel, Marsh, Bell, Leech, Groves, Bass, Crook, Shepherd, Shirley, Bean, Winter, Camp, Weatherspoon, Hood, Appleberry, Reader, Painter and Toadvine.

           Gates, Wire, Darling, Welle, Franklin, Steel, May, Michael, Key, Bell, Benedict, Dale, English, Hammer, Jean, Rice, Shepherd, Summers, Vines, Wren, Baker, Brown, Fielding, Hall, Love, Pierce, Post, Powers, Word, Fox, Farmer, Riddle, Lay, Weaver, Ice, White, Cornish, Hum, Heard, Ball, Ruff, Burl, Cave, Fair, Young, Carpenter, Early, Henry, Ootsey, Green, Pike, Grant, Bridges, Black, Blood, Emory, Moll, Ludolph, Long, Prince, Price, Hay, Berry, Cook, Handy Shirley, Gray, Pauly and Hale.

             Roll, Bethany, Flynn, Richie, King, Gates, Paul, Frank, Baker, Henry, Wire, Key Hall, Bush, Value, Cage, Patrick, Green, Daniel, Petty, Clay, Sites, Friday, Melvey, Worthy, Zinn, Grant, Carroll, Beavers, Islam, Havens, Cannon, Joe, Northern, Jerry Hammer, Brown, Jacques, Hawks, Crumpler, Day, Madonia, Ester, Hull, Cross, Fielder, West, Blood, Golden, Crow, Edgar, Little, Monroe, Stacks, Youngs, Moody, Black, Narx (1925-era), Rushing, Magary, Bear, Leach, Temple, Grayham, Stout, Bird, Combs, White, Dale, Bloom, Edge, Bethel, Parsons, Apple, Horn and Berry.

             Gay, White, Hatta, Paul, Brooks, Sample, Fry, Hammer, Bowers, Pierce, Brothers, Hooks, Conrad, Rockow, Burns, Parsons, Hall, Petty, Branson, Brown, Rice, Wayne, Bush, Jordan, Fonzo, Preston, Fires, Arnold, James, Horn, Biffle, King, Son, Diamond, Heard, Havens, Wise, Graves, Bellows, Roylance, Read, Doyle, Johns, House, Long, Crossfield, Acre, Lamb, Craft, Hannah, Sharp Woods, Birdsong, Gunchick, Bridges, Bray, Groom and Ruff.

              Weaver, Rivers, Brown, Pine, Knight, Cook, Crow, Pierce, Million, Nail, Filer, West, Hall, Reed Arthur, Crone, Burt, Hill, Jester, James, Black, Lane, Christie, Colin, Price, Port, Breed, King, Peach, Heard, Howard, Bowling, Walls, Green, Mothershed, Coreene, Means, Camper, Avery, Bales, Barrow, Burl, Hale, Rance, Spears, Sunday, Archer, Bruff, Gray, Boast, Hope White, Settles, Mars, Reedy, Wood, Rice, Dickie, Cherry, May, Camp, Childs, Clouette, Lick, Glazier, Bean, Parks, Fires, Long, Flake, Clay, Hannah, Gordon, Alley, Leach, Fielding, Mix, Mills, Stone, Mattocks, Story, Gay, Shirley, Painter and Israel.

             Yan, Fleck, Bush, Potter, Geiger, Tootalian, Roller Riggle, Anna, Young, Keith, Brown, Coco, Patzke, Groves, Hobby, Yezzi, Frame, Riddle, Short, Vermillion, Oliver, Meek, Ray, Long, Pierce, Thurman, Gray, Argue, Dove, Daniel, Fires, Max, Urban, Dell, Medley, May, Murders, Hunt, Love, Mock, Noel, Sharp and Bright.
~ ~ ~ ~
                 Sweet, Bush, Michael, Key, English, Swift, Bass, Hall, Cain, Sample, Casper, Heard, Hook, Fox, Fink, Wall, Lance, Logan, Cone, White, Rhee, Ruff, Graves, Settles, Burl, Dales, Hale, Terry, Fields, Stamp, Carpenter, Meredith, Gray, Hammock, rule, Mange, Money, Howard, Waters, Jodd (1911-era), Mars, Provost, Horn, Hill, Berry, Banks, Rape, Burns, Rush, Kindred, Powers, Snow, Sledge, Lemon, King, Wren, Court, Broach, Crane, Price, Lord, Land and Winn.

                 Booth, Heredia, Lilly, Young, West, Ham, Fielder, Driver, Dolle, Ringo, Cleaver, Slay, Steed, Hall, Hill, Beard, Sampson, Wheat, Ables, Grace, Plant, Weathers, Henry, Wren, Burns, Childs, Gage, Parsons, Sharp, Boss, Carpenter, Banks, Gordon, Couch, Farmer, Carroll, Painter, Kitchens, Reed, Yassky, Reedy Lane, Steel, Haygoode, Elders, Argue, Bass, Hunt, Roddy, Elias, Raymond and Miles.

                 Wire, Jeffs, Farmer, Simon, Guy, Hall, West, Brown, Shore, Nightingale, Miller, Shepherd, Steel, Love, Post, Pierce, Sample, Crumbly, Key, Rice, Henry, Singer, Pearl, Clay, Britt, Woods, Rook, Jobs, Baker, Fox, Camper, Feather, Waggle, Honda, Sharp, Waters, Miles Wade, Gill, Fielding,
Young, Kipp, Fish, Combs, Hunt, Horn, Jordan, Isaacs, Mica, Dye, Shell, Archer, Ireland, Stout, Swift, Hanks, Moses, Cook, Parks, Summers, Berry,  Rudolf, Castro, Bell, Ochs, Christie, Paul, Nathanson, Nailer, Bray, Tams, Green, Butt, Walling, Beavers, Bridges, Loy, Hug, Hope, Swindle, Bush, Cross, Dove, James, Hugo, Barnard and Hull.

                 Brown, Wire, Key, Young, Sample, Kaye, Nickels, Leech, Barry, Sessions, Hall, Fires, Peacock, Carpenter, Mays, Boyce, Counts, Couch, Driver, Sparks, Bush, Lilly, Buffalo, Shearer, Hill, Mack, Wisely, Green, Page, Forehand, Moses, Long, Pierce, Woods, Lemon, Wilder, Sharp, Reed, Moss, Hunter, Cain, Gray, Childs, Cook, High, Eden, West, Irby, Miles, Barber, Ransom, Wellhouse, Skipper, Morningstar, Stacy and Vice.

                 Fears, Wells, Black, James Weaver, Court, Crook, Bernard, Bush, Gates, Snow, Butt, Sly, Penny, Leathers, Hood, Wolf, Thatcher, Camper, Price, Blue Heard, Crass, Anthony, Storm, Mason, Arts, Maynard, Gore, Brooks, Canada, Stark, New, Shuck, Cotton, Eagle, Brown, Moll, Long, Stone, Reed, Clavey, White, Weeks, Sharp, Rook, Leech, Booth, Carrier, Sheets.

                True, Wills, Stack, Prettyman, Thomas, Inserra, Hale Down, Bell, Means, Greenhouse, Poses, Harvey, Mantle, Lawless, Hill, Cain, Black, Simon, Huntsman, Muse Wells, Trist, Tay, Jordon, Butcher, Gray, Pry, Drilling, Roystuart, Borne, Huey, Shells, Walt, Dart, Henry, Keys, Smart, Master, Reed, May, Bandy, Squires, Shepherd, Dancer, Garry, Hall, Page, Stallings, Hill, Boaz, Downs, Lacy, Ivy, Grant, Parks, Swan, Nobles, Fires, Alley, Chance, Pace, Littlejohn, Stern, Glaze, Shelley, Ransom, Coldiron, Berry, Burns, Cannon, Word, White, Pierce, Shields, Day, Rush, Quick, Capri, Hawking, Bridges and Bale.

                 Michael, Camp, Heard, Bless, House, St. George, Sherman, Block, Kenny, Frederick, Park, Justice, Reed, Bibb, Pate, Quick, Flint, Bursey, White, Stitch, Darby, Kay, Sharp, Toy, Winters, Long, Pate, Spears, Mills, Crook, Dill, Baker, George, Gordon, Fires, Cook, Bush, Donald and Woody.

                 Deck, Batten, Johns, Christie, Sinker, Pierce, Barber, Duke, Gordon, Couch, Wells, Drew, Tata, Savage, Rice, Stone, Havens, Heard, Wire, Buckles, Counts, Shy, Love, Wood, Wise, West, Power, Hall, Nickels, Pope, Hunt, Dennis, Brothers, Noble, James, Mays, Cluck, Shaver, Cheek, Story, Dancer, Hooks, White, Farmer, Strait, Majors, Cash, Reed, Carpenter, Forte, Hannah, Buck, Bush, Waters, Pearl, Fox, Wooden, Mills, Roller, Beam and Barry.

                 Gates, Land, Waiters, Barry, Salmon, Marley, Tavernise, Vines, Baker, Hall, Long, Wise, Gordon, White, Wire, Childs, Iles, Pflasterer, Driver, Countryman, Mantooth, Coward, Hart, Bellingrath, Wimbish, Wood, Marquette, West, Hill, Green, Wells, Price Trout, Ball, Loveall, Boles, Waterfield, Peoples, May, Loyd, Jetton, Stone, Bruce, Gray, Fly, Reed, Saul, Dull, Drinkwater, George, Brown, Eagle, Sturdy, Bowers, Black, Pierce, Burns, Young, Barber, Kitchens, Power, Fields, Weaver, Boyce, Obey, Milton, Bush, Pace, Miles, Drake, Burt, Lanza, Carpenter, Henry, Rye, Oliver, Bland and Lucas.

                 Broadwater, Hall, Aaron, Berry, Wood, Brandi, Proudfoot, Croft, Brown, Games, Lew, Rove, Cook, Dodge, Parsons, Douglas, Rising, Shepherd, Leathers, Eddy, Wire, Combs, Fox, Tuck, Ervin, Sprinkle, Eagle, Bell, Hood, Henry, Sales, Blue, Carpenter, Mason, Lane, Green, Stokes, Duck, Norman, May, Bean, Young, Terry, Riser, Zeno, Wade, Darter, Dollar, Violett, Urban, White, Hill, Cheek, Bush, Mills, Vining, Titus, Short, Badger, Sampson, Long, Augustus, Nobles, Gray, Huck, Morrow, Land, Hope, Thrash, Weaver and Moss.

                 Supers, DeCristopher, Baker, Booker, Rich, Still, Green, Gray, Henry, Pace, Harvey, Honors, Wire, Pierce, Sample, Dulo, Camper, Love, Givens, White, Raff, Fox, Heard, Cowling, Crow, Broadway, Weaver, Hall, Clem, Sprinkle, Early, Short, James, Barber, Bass, Story, Harden, Wheat, Hill, Holder, Rice, Duke Plumber, Greening, Page, Stone, Stacks, Scrape, Hawthorn, Woods, Pelts, Cherry, Walls, Buck, Ante, Brooks, Scurvy, Ball, Ladd, Brogan, Barnard, Crisp, Banks, Birdsong, Temple, Pink, Mays, Carpenter, Sparks, Good, Wolf, Frank, Combs, Long, Grace, Blunt, Christie, Fox and Blend.

                 Gurly, Stern, Weaver, Bush, Bunch, Sharp, Oliver, Worth, Hopper, Lemons, Stripling, Guffey, Peeling, Leonard, Little Faust, White, Lamb, Roll, Maynard, Alden, Adam, Wire, Boyce, Sears, Heard, Camper, Steeley, Young, Long, Starken, Terry Bolt, Fox, Wise, Hill, Winnicki, Helton, Storm, Cash, Baligrocky, Pierce, Swan, Urban, Chambagne, Peer, English, Stanley, Paris, Short, Hanna, Swift, Monroe, Christ, Vining, Pope, Gordon, Stoop, Lindsey, Rice, Odorizzi, Wood, Bell, Salmon, Battles, Stark, Stokes, Baker, Lux, Hardy, Nettles, Golden, Green, Sites, West, Crump, Gore and Steves.
               Hula, Brown, Rye, Vincent, George, Hill, Brewer, Coiner, Keen, Brooks, Neighbors, Frost, Glenn, Boatman, Yarry, Sales, Patrick, Hunt, Land, Wire, Black, Cain, Graves, Capri, Harness, Burrow, Harden, Page, Petty, Reaper, Fields, Brothers, Grooms, Hay, Rains, Branch, dial, withers, Butter, Seals, Drain, Springer, Shilling, See, Cherry, Church, Baker and Painter.

                 Bloom, Grace, Camper, Christie, Cone, Michael, Fine, Woods, Stell, Tester, Quash, Kenny, Edge, Booth, Moses, Green, Long, Schubert, Brown, Cold, Hand, Mode, Biddle, Layne, Wendel, Price, Tunnah (1911-era), Girdler, Brabender (!), Fox, Castleberry, Davidson, Hall, Gilbert, Brice, Sharp, Swift, Fain, Argue, Hunt, Trout, Peek and Rock.

                 Frank, Day, Moody, Plane, Ensign, Key, Packer, Singer, Sharp, Long, Green, Paul, Cross, Gates, Burns, Banks, Darling, Strange, Burley, Combs, Wire, Lilly, Fudge, Hunt, Fox, Stone, Sample, Nickels, Summers, Crafts, Sellwood, King, Flake, Groves, Mull, Rice, Weaver, Thrash, helms, Tims,  Heath, Roscoe, Shirley, Reed, Bush, Swain, Mock, Woodrow, Lavender, Hall, Mason, Meek (and Meeks), Seers, Price, Lane, Ransom, Riddles, Hood, Luse, Leonard, Hill, White Butts, House, Graves, Luck, Muck and Small.

                Thomas, Works, Archer, Mariner, Wire, Garron, Dinneen, Brown, Fink, Gates, Shields, Husky, Moody, Page, Broderick, Eaves, Anthony, Reed, Blocker, Hardy, Prince, Spears, Parsons, Snipes, Lands, Ditch, Hill, Shook, Dewey, Rudder, Moss, Jordan, Keith, Arnold, King, Price, Burns, Means, Long, Little, Haws, Couch, Sharp, Fires, Swift and Pope.
                Karamargin, Pearl, Wire, Heard, Drew, Shepherd, Savage, Jolly, Donn, Hall, Nickels, Files, Baker, Brown, Topping, Rough, Huffer, Beavers, Flake, King, Marks, Childs, Blake, Hunt, hay, White, Larkin, Sparks, Rae, Roy, Henry, Stell, Morse, Pool, Buckingham, Bond, Harrower, Peacock, Gray, Coody, Hill, Huff, Holler, Fires, Vining, Grandadam, Dowdy, Cousins, Cain, Hall, Christie, Clement, Finger, Berry, Terzia and Hannah. 

                Wire, Hunter, Zuna, Waters, Tweed, Pickler, Durkee, Bing, Kim, Sampson, Gates, King, Files, Sample, Baker, Key, Powers, Sexton, Vining, Muck, Hall, Long, Smart, Self, Jeffrey, Mills, Sorrows, Main, Stanley, Wiles, Cowling, Moss, Gay, Kee, Meek, Walls, Winters, West, Moon, Beavers, Berry, Doyel, Money, Gordon, Bethea, Foot, Moses, Brock, Spikes, Burrows, Beard, Heard, Couch, Labor, Ricks, Field, Mounts, Green, Ireland, Reed, Branch, Fountain, Land, People, Cone, Honorable, Saxon, Patrick, Roche, Mack, White, Berry, Elder, Hammer, Bernard, Gordon, Young, Chambers, Hull, Bright, Bush, Price, Burns and Milks.

                Long, Hall, Key, Hopper, Green, Tata, Leftwich, Haven, Meeks, Wire, Grant, Mills, Oliver, Price, Heard, Wells, Southern, Leonard, Rice, Block, White, Ross, Duke, Banks, Moses, Broaden, Cambridge, Guess, Short, Gill, Birch, Crook, Reed, Stacks, Gordon, Hale, Daniel, Constantine, Meredith, Outlaw, Bush, Hill, Rose, George, Cheek, Sexton, Socrates, Coffee, Jewell, Childs, Kirk and Stone.

                Wire, King, Brookover, Day, Ensign, Brown, Waters, Dillie, Goldway, Hickenlooper, Gates, Groves, Melvin, Burns, Sample, White, Strange, Black, Sheets, Laffoon, Key, Soulaire, Donald, Ohm, Heard, Price, Bush, Camper, Wall, Branch, Franks, Pierce, Norman, Free, Combs, Solomon, James, Sinnette, Gross, Abrams, Strode, Vining, Love, Horn, Valentine, Jacks, Totty, Young Hill, Hoyt, Wise, Long, Wages, Grant, Dillree, Powers, Poovey, English, Thomas, Gray, Hall, Fredette, Gordon, Belle, Vega, Lest, Bowers, Wan, Browning, Cornish, Brand, Laurie, Shilling, Shepherd, Francis, Peacock, Sheen, Claybaker, Rice, Salmon, Stone, Early, England and Lat.

                Paul, Linette, Win, Gates, Diamond, Worth, Hall, Thurman, Day, Young, Knight, Reed, Haggard, Barrier, Norman, Gore, Battles, Heard, Frost, Gladden, Hatch, Storm, Cross, May, Gray, Post, Road, Cook, Moss, Boaz, Bower, Shores, Wages, Dooms, Meredith, Long, King, Rivers, Painter, Peace, Prince, Key, Grant, Dye, Honey, Love, Colon, Potter, Lively, Ryan, Leon, Hill, White, Stanley, Groves, Blunt, Bell, Lock, Carpenter, Black, Camp and Hammock.

                Puck, Brand, Duffel, Vincent, Pierce, Reining, Daniel, Wheat, Strand, Flynn, Doyle, King, Kingdom, Fox, Price, Cook, George, Miles, Banks, Handloser, Goad, Gordon, Earnest, Garth, Hammers, Short, Green, Roby, Graves, Gates, Elmer, Reed, Snow, Kirk, Jolly, Shores, Keeling, Clay, Meek, Gilder, Mills, Weekly, Hall, White, Sauls, Plaster, Pang, Chew, Gee, Chase, Corn, Dance, Lucas, Bass, Bruce, Church, Mead, Gray, Bracy, Young, Weaver, Fortune, Zion, Mack, Drilling, Sells, Bradley, Block, Sink, Bell, Pigman, Barbeau, Stoker, Garland, Gold, Brave, Best, Beard, Painter, Stone, Hobby Frost, Down, Marsh, Hawk, Dvorak and Gerry.

                Hood, Barrows, Zook, Savage, Gavish, Hope, Shepherd, Porchia, Page, Green, Drew, April, Cook, Rippy, Pace, West, Pippen, Battles, Steed, Tripod, Stone, Cheek, Hill, King, Weaver, Zacharias, Austen, Glaze, Potter, Thomas and Alfred.

                Petitgout, Wire, Robert, Michael, Key Settle, Crane, Langlie, Baker, Pierce, Files, Edney, Brill, Stone, Searcy, Booth, Vines, White, Wagstaff, Castro, Bond, King, Butcher, Strand, St. John, Neighbors, Coke, Springer, Brown, Horn, Golden, Gray, Cook, Hill, Berry, Glass, Keith, Powers, Rule, Lay, Littlepage, Hitchcock, Farrow, Pack, Brooks, Corliss, Wells, Hunt, Bell, Jock, Reed, Moss, Swift, Long, Burns, Cantley, Sharp, Stuff, Case, Hall, Lake, Mallory, Painter, Nave and Trump.

                Hood, Rainbolt, Cannon, Lane, Duff, Young, neighbors, Carpenter, Winters, Wire, Bell, Sumi, Gust, Shepherd, Moody, Wells, Brown, Heard, Funk, Bland, Elmer, Clay, May, Cloud, Holmes, Strand, Woods, Mills, Price, Leonard, Humble, Borders, Rains, White, Day, Brice, Pierce, Cross, Wills, Bray, Wall, Hill, Ridge, Seal, Staples, Stone, Piker, Long, Skipper, Supine, Clary, Barry, Fritz, Lemon, Shields, Twain, Waters, Forte, Postal, Robb, Christ, Girley, Juster, Eagleburger, Service, Poland, Shell, Wolf, Fields, Lech, Nettles and Jester.

                Frankland, Wire, Gross, Spears, Jolly, Drew, Files, King, Hill, Quince, Pierce, Luck, Denne, Huff, Fort, Rose, Solomon, Warren, Winkle, Hunt, Aaron, Carey, Toll, Moody, Minor, Chambers, Herring, Eggman, Crouch, Gates, Batts, Peter, Bell, Brush, Sexton, Kidder, Lymongrover, Hammond, Havens, Long, Franks, Burns, Duff, Henry, Young, Valentine, Irons, Brooks, Cook, Ricky, Little, Carmel, Cample, Flake, Richie, Crow, Dean, Bray, Law, Luster, Hall, Smart, Love, Peacock, O’Bar, Lane, Downs, James and Brave.

                Creel, Challenger, Fox, Gray, Quick, Rhone, Rudolph, Savage, Shepherd, Spry, Summers and  Valentine.

                Bush, Marion, Earnest, Gates, Wire, Jail, Ensign, Africk, Miron, Pence, King, Jolly, Drew, Hall, Ray, Leatherwood, Michael, Key, Wells, Meadow, Pierce, Jester, Christ, Sharp, West, Battles, Dale, French, Helms, Stokes, Maples, Weaver, Kiggins, Wisely, Neatherland, Storm, Mock, Strike, Green, Frames, Marbles, Pack, Cravens, White, Young, Black, Price, Stirrup, Flowers, Lock, Huddy, Rice, Hill, Gray, Cook, Brown, Smart, Grant, Fires, Wooden, Bee, Day and Wolf.
~ ~ ~ ~
                Trotter, Shell, Brown, Trump, Wire, Billie, Boxer, West, Hall, Junk (German), Files, Nickels, Pierce, George, Henry, Downs, Funk, Fender, Bell, Sharp Bertrand, Smart, Travis, Gray, Ruff, Berry, King, Case, Moss, Wood, Twitty, Cain, Popper, Ham, Terry, Treat, Man, Trusty, Jolly, Rushing, Scallion, Hill, Roy, Long, Child, Fires, Winter, Wooden, Bridges, Daniel, May, Bolt, Crow, Skates, Collie, Burt, Rush, Reed, Seconds, Peacock, Graves, Crane, Long, Means and Clay.

                Bass, Arnold, Sharp, Black, Winkle, Burrow, Gushing, Feather, Sparks, Moles, Gray, Cloud, Balding, Wire, Beaugard, English, Casey, Golden, House, Handy, Gates, Bell, Buck, Best, Hall, Rider, Weary, Gaul, Weaver, Fry, Vincent, Self, Trotter, Belly, Shannon, Young, Brooks, Hardy, Harden, Rood, Roach, Crow, Croft, Dolphin, Huff, Ye, Bland, Fry, Green, Imboden, Canada, Cotton, Wood, Chase, Bowers, Reed, Stephen, Bent, Lane, Mack, Crass, Lackie, John, Swift, Block, Donald, Joshua, White, Hood, Travis, Flowers, Justice, Crouch, Florence, Stone, Dasher, Canon, Painter, Dukes, Arena, Short, Long, Hannah and Rose.

                Price, Brand, Swift, Daniel, Fires, Hall, James, Shields, Cherry, Rusk, Weaver, Fry, Leon, Long, Cantu, Shirley, Arnold, Logwood, Barfield, Charette, Summers, Hurt, Lock, Garland, Woods, Brent, Reed, Brown, Bradley, Rusher, Railsback, Booth, Jacks, King, Guest, Bunker and Moss.

                Hall, Patrick, Wire, Ensign, Burns, Christie, Stringer, Lucas, Melvin, Brown, Battles, heard, Day, Lamb, White, Love, Champ, King, Hoke, Sellers, K’nuckles, Mars, Huff, Priest, Fox, Wells, Parks, Gray, Gates, Rusher, Denson, Moss, Sharp, Jacks, Dingus, Frank, Paul, Trump, Dale, Hale, Fox and Buck.

                Root, Young, Ogle, Sellers, Poovey, Hall, Strode, Painter, Gay, Bond, Birch, Booth, Gregory, Heard, Wells, Colo, Shannon, Henry, Britt, Reed, Scales, Francis, Brooks, Camp, Hale, Carpenter, Ricks, Hain, Brown, Bean, Fields, Douglas, Bird, Banks, Withers, Lamb, White, Stone, Free, Fox, Bunker, Jermac, English, Piker, Dire, Layrock and Harden.

                Nail, Trump, Cart, Gates, Dale, Young, Sloan, Henry, Rudolf, Fires, Woods, Parks, Heard, Branch, Counts, Hall, Barnard, Storm, Page, French, Strong, Farmer, Brown, Berry, Hogmire, Enoch, Elms, Gookin, Powers, Miles, Hedges, Shock, Burns, Carpenter, Cover, Mantooth, Wise, Bridges, Post and Foot.

                Creel, James, Little, Smart, Harness, Carver, Bell, Colony, Gay, Mock, Livers, Hunt, Sample, Toms, Rector, Young, Love, Court, Nobles, Francis, Justice, Brown, Terry, Short, Tester, Wire, Stern, Wise, Day, Winters, Masters, Oldfather, Marks, Strong, Lacy, Cook, Waters, Daily, Wat, Painter, Ring, Diamond, Alderman and Shepherd.

                Pence, Louis, Sellers, Brown, Sherman, Day, Stokes, Garden, Rose, Bernard, Baker, Mouser, Humphrey, Arnold, Hill, Hay, Rye, Reed, Sheets, Waters, Wood, Henry, Oliver, Burns, Shock, Leathers, Cherry, Thomas, Drew, Bush, Fires, Shirley, Canon, Duggleby, Lamb, Green and Fox.

                Bethel, Gates, Blue, King, Wire, Gray, Hall, Combs, Black, Christie, Baker, Birch, Howard, Rufus, White, Spears, D’Andrea, Flowers, George, Reasons, Ball, Hall, Bunker, Brown, Hooks, Young, Bell, Seals, Bean, Spain, Cannon, Rook, Falls, Merlin, Dorsey, Bush, Mars, Chambers, Lane, Tew, Hawk, Honey, Trump, Steel, Powers, Green, Reed, Fires, Painter, Mason, Noble, Frank, Peacock, Cliff, Christ, Winters and Handwork.

                Bush, Toner, Brown, Holland, Wire, Hall, Camper, Keith, Day, Bacon, Rice, Earnest, Lucas, Miles, Ambrose, Painter, Heard, Cash, Shell, Cook, Arnold, Long, Hammer, Severe, Hooks, Reed, Hay, Horn, Berry, bower, Mack, Loveland, Delph, Green, Minnieweather, White, Bass, Camp, Bridges, Flint, Noble, Garry, Dennis, Easter, Drew, Brooks, Page, Files, Genz, Ply, Albert, North, Hunt, Miles, Crouch, Jester, England, Harp, Short, Stanley, Bright, Stark, Orchards, Battles, House, Pierce, Meredith and Curtis.

                Cook, Craft. Wise, Bush, Hunt, Sando, Ishmael, Carola, Pierre, Minatee, Hill, Bart, Hall, Bass, Berry, Mills, Ryan, Flowers, Herman, Lempo, Rusher, Lard, Fox, Augustine, Milton, Rimmer, Barber, Tosh, Gray, Pace, Shells, Bentley, Parish, West, Motley, Sharp, Snow, Reed, Grant, Woods, Fossette, Rushings, Post, Roach, Stark, Harshman, Miles, Ables, Detroy, Crow, Meadows, Hyre, Rush, Daniel, Glazier, Cannon, Rose, Birch, Bland, Castle, Lake, Barnard, Much, Chandra, Bright, Reedy, Wells and Rood.

                Silver, Gloster, Drake, Long, Diamond, Moss, Cherry, Snow, Fires, Bowler, Bell, Rush, Day, Wire, Dauglass, Hills, Pierre, Colon, Easterbrook, Bobo, Weatherup, Cash, Heard, rusher, Lard, Pierce, Elias, Whetstone, Brown, Clay, Harbor, San Pedro, Straw, Bumpers, Maybee, Popejoy, Dennis, Glenn, Free, Waldo, Green, Keedy, Kirklin, Queen, Heath, Branch, Cook, Mack, Chambers, Grasty, Tolle, Walls, Wolf, Moody, King, Means, Honey, Luther, Beard, Harden, Prior, Hall and Patchell.

                Hughs, Heard, Huguette, Day, Redwine, Brown, Savage, Paul, Helm, Cyrus, King, Fires, Freeze, Green Hill, Hall, Bass, West, Couch, Rhea, Justice, Carpenter, Cash, Loster, Weathers, Browning, Stonelake, Stone, Biller, Bland, Storm, John, Staples, Stanley, Doyle, Stringfellow, Wire, Link, Henry, Rising, Field, Ball, Burns, Squires, Knoll, Buck, Weaver and Bean.

                Grace, Cloud, Trump, Wire, Rove, Cage, Silas, Box, Merchant, Rent, Hall, Perl, ames, Pierre, Powers, King, Heckle, Clay, Heard, Paul, Parks, Brown, Drake, Hill, Herbert, Lane, Wood, Bunch, Burt, Pinner, Riddle, Trask, Brooks, Muse, Carbon, Petty, Crow, Parry, Long, Love, aaron, Bass, Shock, Austin, Gordon, Bee, Huron, Archer, Leonard, Strange, Pool, Winters, Marotta, Thorn, Staples, Newcomer, Fielding, Sickle, Noble, Wren, Young, Green, Fires, Court, Lay, Jetton, Celestine, Balding, Claud, Minor, Ritchie, Majette, White, Strain, Black, Counts, Kay, Clem, Shepherd, Shannon and North.

                Summers, Lamb, Blocker, Brown, Jonathan, Baker, Stone, Key, Dorsey, Kim, James, Pence, Wood, Leopard, Earnest, Green, Hooks, Peacock, Burrow, Staples, Wells, Randolph, Bush, Sites, Self, Ogle, King, Crow, Duck, Mills, Harp, Dray, White, Rose, Bonds, Coffin, Trump, Christ, Case, Fires, Stokes, Edel, Power, Cash, Sweat and Reed.            (A STORY SET IN A ZOO, perhaps?)

                Singer, Trump, Bush, Clement, Figures, Main, Kim, Levy, Barry, Smee, Mumby, King, Child, Byrns, Buck, Summers, Howard, Brown, Moos, Gray, Ball,      [[[[[Bell, Horn, Buzz, Whistle, Bang, Blow, Anger, Gong, Argue, Tinkle, Toot, Whimper, Whine, Outhouse---- all these in a Jay Grelan column as “actual and noble last names”]]]]]]],          Heard, Farrow, Pierce, Hunt, ye, Wire, Daily, Miles, Jeffrey, Painter, Hall, Stokes, Aarons, Harp, Perkey, West, Wiser, Black, Strong, House, Reed, Tripler, Bond, James, Brooks, Farmer, Hood and Pool.
 
                Church, Hawkland, White, Brown, Grant, Lemons, Iring, Arthur, Diaz, Wire, King, Craft, Mills, Shirk, Beam, Juiliano, Heck, Hammer, Ashley, Seals, Crone, Hall, Hill, Thrasher, Steed, Kettles, Beard, Heard, Bush, Techmeyer, Pickler, Liberty, Ball, Slough, Garland, Householder, Ensign, Boxer, Woodcock, Mount, Pierce, Bengal, Wire, Crook, Belt, Storm, Gross, Bland, Gates, Welsh, Riddle, Steffey, Julius, West Marvel, Easter and Green.

                Booth, Stringer, Trump, Musk, Bush, Banksy, Bell, Wells, Price, Brown, George, Crouch, Young, Cone, Bottoms, Bumpers, John, Stone, Slay, Gay, Freed, Hamburger, Stingone, Bowling, Speed, Lane, James, Moody, Berry, Conrad, Staples, Wolf, Rose, Gray, Ray, Arnold, Fleck, Rivers, Buck, Lamar, Marks, Gates, Burns, Beavers, Dennis, Daniel, Gunsolley, Vick, Spies, May, Sharp, Shearer, Summers, White, Fanning, Cutting, Powers, Solomon, Finger, Laser, Battle, Wisdom, Stell, Hammer, Hawks, Cannon, Grumbles, Roy, Hall, England, Christ, Pace, Sparks, Henry, Dendy, Rook, Franklin, Moss, Stall, Vetter, Story, Hood, Land, Little, Otto, Fairless, Birdsong, Painter, Brooks and Fry.

            Slim, Valentine, Stein, Key, Kondo, Thomas, Greathouse, Norman, Shell, St. Louis, White, Gates, Sky-Eagle, Buck, Muse, Young, Hunter, Carver, Hill, Lock, Trotter, Rains, Combs, Staples, Duba, Thrasher, Shaver, Wafer, Reedy, Farrow, Fry, Claycomb, Two-Hawks, Hopes, King, Trump, Hay, Carpenter, Hook, Donald, Paul, Wade, Drew, Rice, Sunwall, Stout, Mills, Shepherd, Bell, Rove and Bush.

           Paul, Leech, Banks, Brown, Bush, Gore, Wicker, Jewell, Opper, Fossum, Wire, Key, Halter, Kyl, Price, Solo, Hall, Burns, Cook, Arnold, Swain, Moody, Rev, Graves, Young, Long, Chase, Henry, May, Steed, Beavers, Cathey, White, Fair, Power, Wells, Daniel, Hicks, Donaghey, Baker, Knight, Shoulders, Stout, Deeter, Bias, Leatherwood, Heath, Little, Bell, Totty, Carey, Browning, Bland, Bass, Hill, Gales, Mick, Olive, Lucky, Cash, Wells and Savage.

          Andes, Sasse, Goldie, Yelton, Salmela, Varnell, Barkoff, Swears, Missi, Banker, DeLess, Kandra, Alba, Bania,Ive, Stonerock, Yawn, Heavens, Lurch, Van Train, Sagely, Birts, Lec, Tuz, Glassburner, Boyland, Graybeal, Didrich, Pisa, Lam, Sugars, Landsea, Raphael and Mountjoy.

          Bargas, Trumbo, Loch, Sharma, Astrue, Burfoot, Mealman, Gemstone, Saraceno, Marty, Ash, Daring, Burner,  Sinks, Benca, Braga, Castilaw, Knee, Dement, Grist, Blade, Wedge, Blackshire, Wackerly, Fernald, Gainey, Pugsley, Quinney, Balter, Piers, Body, Harb, Doll, Carbine, Gebbia, Germany, Tang, Nicewinter, Ozanne,  Lirette, Gull, Coil, Gibby, Ruffcorn, Printup and Truly.

          Bigjohny [I'm not making this up!], Pevia, Fishback, Larcade, Overcash, Speaks, Vegliante, Pickles, Niquette, Nocco, Bye, Pray, Cigarroa, Bene, Guss, Beachy, Gumbs, Lammy, Palanker, Zandi, Kunches, Cowsill, Cohill, Natale, Shork, Begolly, Sowers, Stooks, Frier, Issani, Crown, Hentage, Comer, Dally, Paysinger, Shank, Forkum, Cable, Greig, Moyo, Yuan, Hemingway, Hannibal, Melville and McCartney (1932).

             Lubrano, Barks, Szasz, Villella, Marsalis, Levada, Gardenhire (1911-era), Gams, Linzy, Book, Spell, Hand, Flurry, Ivester, Grasby, Sward, Copes, Flusher, Hornbuckle, Blackwelder, Coverdell, Papa, Buyoff, Bowshot, Dollyhide, Sable, Bane, Simmering, Allegrezza and Mutton.
~ ~ ~ ~
APPLICATIONS
            ~ ~ Some fictional surname [invented/thought up/ created] by me: Clowrey, from C. Lowry; Cuddleback, from Cuddeback. Katy Falls, from a waterfall in Polk Co. AR.
 ~ ~ Here is a fictional wedding announcement headline: “Hidden – Beauty,” from Hedden—Beatty.
 
~ ~ Here is a fictional saloon name: Tavernette, from Tavernise.
 
~ ~ How about a fictional business from the names of two ADG reporters: Wire and Wickline. Another: Baggerly & Spillers.
 
~ ~ One year I devised a poem from such a list of words for a contest that called for a Harper sonnet, created by Mary Harper Sowell, a former president of Poets’ Roundtable of Arkansas. The subject was Legacy of Grandfathers. It didn’t place. Later, I entered it in a Bad Poetry contest. It didn’t win there either, but the judge commented that it was too well-metered and rhymed to be considered a ‘bad poem.’ Here it is. All names came from my list of surnames found in my reading.
 
 
 
 
 
Tributes – by the author, Pat Laster
 
      Flewellen, Belt, O’Bar, McWha, Berlin,
      dal Santo, Taylor, Kauffman, Chester, Zinn
      Palonis, Sander, Bible, Faires, Finn––
each someone’s grandpa lately claimed by death.
 
      Shimerka, Canamore, Barefield and Straight,
      Herzog, O’Neal, Donica, Zahm, Fairwait,
      Mumbleau, Hinchliffe, Galizza, Friss, Dufrait.
      “The best grandpa to ever draw a breath,”
 
      descendants say of each. Centinio,
      McCrillis, Waggle, Plant, Culwell, Rossow,
      Heironymus, Trux, Tekla, Kebodeaux––
      surnames encompass country’s varied breadth.
 
      Obituaries trumpet last hurrahs
      of fam’ly elegies for our grandpas.
 
                                             ~ ~ ~ ~