I find it fascinating that just a century ago, people generally followed what their forefathers did as a profession. Though there was no restriction in crossing over to another profession or trade, it just didn’t used to happen that often. A cobbler’s son was most likely to become a cobbler, a barber’s son would go on to learn his fathers trade .. so on and so forth. And so the last names used to reflect the identity.
These days it is ok to follow your fathers (or mothers profession) it is not unusual at all to go in a totally different direction. And we hardly put a last name due to a profession. Like, I would never call myself ahmad jee engineer.
Anyway, I would like if someone can share info or their own perspective on how & when did this transformation occur? Did the western colonization anything to do with it? Was following the forefathers’ profession a South Asian thing or did other cultures around the world also had the same pattern?
I am not sure if the phenomenon is has gone away or is limited to only poor working class. If you notice, many memon families have last names that show what they do. Some typical names are
Seth Kasim Chandiwala (Deals in silver)
Ameer Bhai Sonaywala (Gold trader)
Abdullah Ahmad Cochinwala (pharma family)
Etc
It's a family my sister kinda sorta knew until they should a slight interest in sending their son's proposal for her. I don;t think she ever spoke to the people again!!!
I think its not just now, ppl always have changed their professions in an era’s when disturbed technologies were introduced & became common. The charm for us humans to learn something new, do something new & most importantly the chances of earning more.
Industrialization & IT r the two recent examples which effected every common man in some way or the other. I would say invention of Vehicles was one too which changed the way we used to live.
MrFrauddia: We have a jeepwala in Kaghan that takes tourists to naran.:D
Oh and we have a guppie "teendabaywala"
Female_Fatale: Vekhda teh dehkta are perfectly alright.
There are subtle differences in Punjabi as you move laterally or up and down punjab.
Haripur which is close to Pindi, people speak punjabi but it sounds more like hindko(hazarawali), however in pehawar the hindko is different.
and I thought most surnames were originally caste orientated, and thus ruled the roost on certain things, ie. the upper caste were more likely to get certain better paid jobs etc, albiet through old boys networks and the masallee (is that a rude word) were khandani masalee, and the nai were khandani nai, which could be distinguished from their surnames.
