What is anthroponymy?

Anthroponymy is the study of personal names, the study of names in the ancient, historical, and present era. It may use data collected from inscriptions and memoria, manuscripts, legal documents, directories, or the Internet, for example.

The study of personal names can shed light on who people were, where and how they lived, their occupations, religions, and social class. It is also related to genealogy, people’s births, marriages, and deaths, and social conditions.

Analysing these data is of particular interest to historians and social anthropologists, as it provides information beyond the official narrative told by the most wealthy and influential within a community.

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