The tradition of inheriting your parents' surname is not that old, particularly in the English-speaking world. Surnames only started appearing in England after the Norman Conquest in 1066, and were usually based on a person's occupation (like "Smith"), their location, a filial relationship, or even a nickname. Many of history's more 'unfortunate' surnames have gone extinct, but some still survive. 

• Guest:  Harry Parkin, University of Chester, editor of the Concise Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain
• Producer: Jack Schmidt