Lumbee Surnames: Who Knew There Were So Many?

Category: 29. Genealogical materials

BRIT004. Britt, Morris F. "Appendix T. List of Lumbee surnames with dates of appearance in the greater Lumbee Settlement (N=523 surnames) 1740-2007." 107 pages. Key source

Publication type: Unpublished manuscript (appendix to forthcoming book)

Full text: PDF files of sections of the manuscript can be downloaded from the table below.

Morris F. Britt has been compiling Lumbee surnames since 1986 (see his "Indian names in Robeson County," Robeson County Register 1.3 (August 1986): 113; item 1027). He began thinking there were about a dozen names; then, in examining the 1990 federal census for Robeson County, he found that there were 120. He went on to study the 1910 federal census for Robeson County (see his "Robeson County Indian names: An analysis based upon the Census of 1910," Robeson County Register 6.3 (1991): 120-122; item 1039). He continued compiling surnames as part of his research for a forthcoming book on Lumbee origins. Once he recorded additional names discovered by Jane Blanks Barnhill for her book of Lumbee cemetery records, Sacred Grounds: "Gone but Not Forgotten" (see item BARN002), his list had grown to 523 documented surnames and—with his detailed recounting of the sources in which he found each name—107 pages.

In his preface to this list, Britt explains that he has included "not only the most frequent, prominent 'core' Lumbee surnames but all such names, however infrequent, ever identified in the Settlement from the 1740s to the present" (p. 3). He also lists the sources from which he derived the names: "land and tax records, cemetery records, death certificates, census reports, wills, deeds, petitions for acknowledgment, military and church records, and newspaper notices" (p. 3).

Britt offers important advice to researchers in his preface. To summarize: (1) many names in Robeson County can be Lumbee, White, African American, or all three; thus, a surname alone does not guarantee Lumbee ancestry. (2) Lumbee ancestors have been listed with a wide range of designations in historical records, including Mulatto, free persons not White, and free persons of color. In early Robeson and Bladen County census records and tax lists, the designation Indian appeared only once (in a 1768 Bladen tax list). Therefore, Britt says, "As a cautionary note, you cannot take any single-entry racial designation, White, African-American, or Indian, 'as gospel' " (p. 2).

Britt provides this list of surnames—in advance of the publication of his book—as an aid to researchers. It should prove especially valuable to those seeking enrollment in the Lumbee Tribe. In his documentation of the sources in which he found each Lumbee surname, Britt notes whenever the surname was "self-identified as Indian in the 1900 federal census of Robeson County." He also notes whenever a surname is included in Carol Smith Oxendine's 1982 document, 1900 Federal Census information of Indians of Robeson County (see item 1023). Smith's document lists both people self-identified as Indian in the census and those verified as Indian through research. When referring to this document, Britt uses these phrases: "1900 Robeson County Indian Census schedule," "1900 Indian Census Schedule," or "1900 Indian Census Schedule of Robeson County." One of the Lumbee Tribe's requirements for enrollment is tracing ancestry back to people listed as Indian in the 1900 federal census of Robeson County.

Because of the length of this document, it has been divided into ten parts. All researchers should download and read Part 1, which includes Britt's preface explaining how the list was compiled and offering advice to researchers. The table below shows the first and last surname included in each part of the document.



List of Lumbee surnames with dates of appearance in the greater Lumbee Settlement (N=523 surnames) 1740-2007

Part 1 Title page, introduction, Adams—Alford
Part 2 Alford —Braveboy/Braboy / Brayboy / Braceboy
Part 3 Braveboy / Braboy / Brayboy / Braceboy—Carsey
Part 4 Carter—Davis
Part 5 Davis—Groom
Part 6 Groom—Knights
Part 7 Kober—Mitchell
Part 8 Mitchell—Quick
Part 9 Quinto—Sweat / Sweet
Part 10 Sweeting—Young (end)





Home Page URL: lumbeebibliography.net

This page was updated on May 7, 2008 1:18 PM


Copyright © 2007, Glenn Ellen Starr Stilling. This document may be reproduced only if this copyright notice is reproduced with it.

Sumter County, SC Early Records

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1800 Sumter, SC Census
Goen, Jeremiah

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Record submitted by Joanne Pezzullo. Joanne has lost some records over the years and is not sure exactly of the sources. Several websites contain the some of the same records.

1804 Sumter County Deed... S.C. Marion Dist. Levi Gibson appeared, saith that he was personally acquainted with a certain elderly woman by the name of Franky Going or Taylor. That from her appearances he had cause to believe that she was not of Ethiopian extraction. She was generally reputed to have proceeded from the Indian. He was also acquainted with a certain Gowen Taylor who was said to be the son of aforesaid Franky Taylor and he never was considered in any other way than to have derived from the Indian extraction. Hardy Crawford attested to oath.

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1820 Sumter, SC Census
Gowing, Ted
Gowing, Jese

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1830 Sumter, SC Census
Goan, Henry D.
Goins, Edy
Goins, Levicy

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1840 Sumter, SC Census
Goings, Levicy

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1850 Sumter, Sumter, SC Census

662/662
Gibbs, Thos – 72 – Mul – SC
Goins, Edy – 70 – SC

849/849
Goins, Jas – 30 – Mul – SC
Goins, Martha – 22 – Mul – SC
Goins, Jas M. – 3 – Mul SC

850/850
Goins, John – 28 – Mul – SC
Winkles, Jane – 25 – SC
Goins, Judson – 4 – Mul – SC
Goins, Henry – 3 – Mul - SC
Goins, Lidia – 1 – Mul – SC

851/851
Goins, Thomas – 28 – Mul – SC
Goins, Elis – 24 – Mul – SC
Goins, Mariah – 5 – Mul – SC
Goins, Wm – 3 – Mul – SC
Goins, Drucilla – 1 – Mul – SC

852/852
Goins, Wade – 24 – Mul – SC
Avan, Abigail – 30 – SC
Avan, Mary – 17 – SC

853/853
Goins, Louisa – 45 – Mul – SC
Goins, Madry – 23 – Mul – SC
Goins, Henry – 14 – Mul – SC
Goins, Washington – 13 – Mul – SC

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1860 Sumter, SC Census

133/131
Gowins, Madry – 32 - SC
Gowins, Lavicy – 24 – SC
Gowins, Lavicy – 7 – SC
Gowins, Francis – 6 – SC
Gowins, Savanah – 5 – SC
Gowins, Madison – 3 – SC
Gowins, Doras – 8 months – SC

134/132
Gowins, Lavicy – 60 – SC
Gowins, Eliza – 18 – SC
Chavis, Jackson – 23 – SC
Warden, Worley – 75 – SC
Gowins, Martha – 9 – SC

135/133
Gowins, Thomas – 40 – SC
Gowins, Elizabeth – 34 – SC
Gowins, Maria – 14 – SC
Gowins, William – 13 – SC
Gowins, Drucilla – 10 – SC
Gowins, Martha – 8 – SC
Gowins, Reuben – 6 – SC
Gowins, Henry – 3 – SC
Gowins, Thomas Jr. – 1 – SC

136/134
Gowins, James – 40 – SC
Gowins, Mahaley – 28 – SC
Gowins, Manning – 12 – SC
Gowins, Mary – 7 – SC
Gowins, Soloman – 5 – SC
Gowins, Amanthe – 3 – SC
Gowins, James – 1 – SC

138/135
Gowins, Washington – 22 – SC
Gowins, Agness – 21 – SC

138/136
Gowins, Wade – 36 – SC
Gowins, Abigal – 49 – NC
Gowins, Rily – 13 – SC

146/144
Gibbs, Thomas – 83 – SC
Gowins, Eady – 80 – SC
Chavis, Mary – 25 - SC
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From: http://www.archivesindex.sc.gov/onlinearchives/RecordDetail.aspx?RecordId=310475

Series: S192021
Volume: 0024
Page: 00080
ignore: 000
Date: 1869

Description: MILITIA ENROLLMENTS OF MEN BETWEEN THE AGES OF 18 AND 30 FOR SUMTER COUNTY.

Names indexed: ALLEN, ALLEN; ALLEN, THOMAS; ANDERSON, WASH; ARDIS, JOSEPH; ARDIS, WILLIAM; BERKMAN, ANDERSON; BERKMAN, GEORGE; BERKMAN, TONEY; BERRY, R. L.; BIRD, AMOS; BONAPART, MARTIN; BONAPART, WASH; BRADFORD, RICHARD; BROADWAY, N. G.; BROWN, LOG; CAIN, RICHARD M.; CAMPBELL, JACOB; CANTEY, MANLEY; CARNES, FRANKLIN; CARNES, J.; CARNES, J. M.; CARNES, L. D.; CARNES, T. C.; CARROLL, SYRUS; COKELY, GEORGE; CONNERS, JACOB; CUTTIN, FRED; DUNN, JAMES; DUNN, WILLIAM; DURANT, HENRY; EVANS, RICHARD; FORD, DANIEL; FORTERBURY, W. T.; GAINEY, ALFRED M.; GALE, W. R.; GALLISHAW, ISHAM; GANOTTE, T. D.; GIBBES, FRED; GIBBES, JIM; GIDDINGS, J. M.; GIDDINGS, S. J.; GLISSEN, DANIEL; GOINS, W.

Locations: PRIVATEER; SUMTER COUNTY

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1870 Sumter, SC Census

85/88
Goins, W. – 48 – SC
Goins, A. B. – 50 – SC
Goins, W. J. – 30 – SC

86/89
Goins, Mary – 21 – SC
Goins, Sarah – 4 – SC
Goins, Saml – 2 – SC

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1870, Privateer, Sumter, SC Census

285/290
Goins, Levicy – 76 – SC

286/291
Goines, Thos – 50 – SC
Goines, Betsey – 39 – SC
Goines, Martha – 16 – SC
Goines, Rubin – 14 – SC
Goines, Henry – 12 – SC
Goines, Thos – 10 – SC
Goines, McCollie – 8 – SC
Goines, Dannil – 6 – SC
Goines, Jesse – 4 – SC

287/292
Goines, Wm – 21 – SC
Goines, Elizabeth – 21 – SC

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1880 Manchester, Sumter, SC Census

107/110
Goins, Riley – 34 – SC – SC – SC
Goins, Workey – 30 – SC – SC – SC
Anthony, Emma – 4 – SC – SC – SC

110/113
Goins, Wade – 27 – SC

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1880 Privateer, Sumter, SC Census

282/282
Goings, Reuben – 25 – SC – SC – SC
Goings, Cynthia – 23 – SC – SC – SC
Goings, Joshua – 1 – SC – SC – SC
Goings, James – 6 – Nephew – SC – SC – SC

387/387
Chavis, Jackson – 50 – SC – SC – SC
Chavis, Deborah – 38 – SC – SC – SC
Chavis, Ellis – 18 – SC – SC – SC
Chavis, Marjina – 11 – SC – SC – SC
Chavis, Catherine – 9 – SC – SC – SC
Chavis, Maria – 7 – SC – SC – SC
Chavis, Albert – 3 – SC – SC – SC
Goings, Lavicy – 83 – Mother In Law – SC – SC – SC

388/388
Goings, Thomas – 62 – SC – SC – SC
Goings, Elizabeth – 54 – SC – SC – SC
Goings Macauley – 16 – SC – SC – SC
Goings, Daniel – 13 – SC – SC – SC
Goings, Jesse – 14 – Grandson – SC – SC – SC

394/394
Goings, William – 28 – Works in Turpentine – SC – SC – SC
Goings, Emma – 28 – SC – SC – SC
Goings William – 5 – SC – SC – SC
Goings, Walter – 4 – SC – SC – SC
Goings, Judson – 1 – SC – SC – SC

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1880 Shiloh, Sumter, SC Census

175/175
Goins, F. J. Past – 28 – Minister – SC – SC – SC
Goins, Eliza – 28 – SC – SC – SC
Goins, Minie – 7 – SC – SC – SC
Goins, Samuel – 5 – SC – SC - SC

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From the unpublished works by Jack Goins with permission.

W.B. Goins, et.al. vs. Board of Trustees Indian Normal School.
Filed October 12, 1915 in the Supreme Court of North Carolina.

Willie Goins testified that his father was William Goins. At this time Willie lived in Mallory, South Carolina and "the general reputation is we were Indian, we came from Cumberland County, North Carolina."

Deposition of William Goins introduced on the part of the Plaintiff. "I am the father of W.W. Goins (Willie) and W.B.. Goins the Plaintiffs. I'm going on 68 years of age; am a minister of the gospel. I have lived in Sumpter County most of my life they have always called us after Indian "red bones" and been raised so. There has been some reputation in our family that we were some relations to the Croatan Indians, my grandfather’s name was Fred Goins."

Lizzie Brown testified: "I am a sister to the plaintiffs. I was raised in Sumpter County, South Carolina. We are Indians in the north, but they gave us the name "Red Bones" down there. The reputation is, there is no Negro blood is any of us."

Myer Giddine, witness for the plaintiff, testified as follows: I live in Privateer Township, Sumpter County, South Carolina I live about 1/4 mile from William Goins, father of the Plaintiffs. for thirty years. The only talk I ever heard about the race of people the Plaintiff was that they were Indians. heard that talk ever since I was big enough to remember it. The mother of the plaintiff has long black hair.

Gaston Locklear testified for the defense. "I am a member of the board of trustees of the Cherokee Indian Normal School of Pembroke. I was not a member when some of these people were first permitted to attend the school. After this question arose I made an investigation about the time we were getting ready to exclude them or to pass on the question. I went to Sumpter County, South Carolina in the eastern part of Sumpter County. I went for the purpose of asserting what the general reputation was as to these people and to find out whether they were entitled to go to our school and saw a right smart of people. I have seen William Goins, the father of these plaintiffs. From my knowledge of the Indian people here and from my observation of him (William) he is not an Indian.
Q-Being appointed by member of the board state what you did for the purpose of ascertaining what the general reputation was down there?
A- I went to find out if they were entitled to go to our schools. Q-From this investigation you made what do you say is the general reputation as to whether or not they are people of Negro Blood. A-Their general reputation is they are colored people.
Q-Have you seen William Goins father of the Plaintiffs?
A-I have, and who they said was their father.
Q-From your general knowledge of the Indian people here and from your observation of him, state whether or not in your opinion he is a man of Negro blood.
A-He is of Negro blood.