An exploration of English surnames derived from historical paternal nicknames reveals how common names like Jackson, Wilson, and Dickson originated from shortened versions of father's names. The document details various examples of surname patterns, including forgotten nicknames like 'Wat' for Walter and 'Hob' for Robert, which evolved into modern family names.

https://blog.plover.com/lang/etym/nickname-names.html

#etymology #surnames #patronymics #nicknames #linguistics