professionym
nounCA, US, UK /pɹəˈfɛʃ.ənɪm/
Etymology From profession + -onym, from ὄνυμα (ónuma, “name”).
1
Human sciences, Linguistics, Sciences, Social science, Sociolinguistics, Sociology A term, title, or form of address used to designate or identify a person or group by their profession.
- In the Slavic languages, the transition from a professionym to a hereditary surname occurred over several centuries, as the title identifying the father's trade became the fixed identifier for the entire family.2007, Zofia Kaleta, The Surname as a Cultural Value and an Ethnic Heritage, Polish Academy of Sciences, →ISBN, page 73:
2
A surname or proper name derived from the occupation of the initial bearer; an occupational surname.
- The third largest group of surnames is formed by professionyms (e.g. Kovář ‘smith’, Kolář ‘wheeler’, Mlynář ‘miller’), which make up about 12% of the total number of surnames.2016, Carole Hough, Daria Izdebska, editors, The Oxford Handbook of Names and Naming, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 114:
- Synonyms
- occupational name, ergonym
- Related terms
- anthroponym, ethnonym, patronym