The late Middle Ages also saw the flocking of people from one area to another over military conquest (like the Normans) or for economic reasons(such as farm laborers emigrating to the new and growing cities) unlike earlier ,so besides the previously well answered explanations, geography also played a part in adopting surnames. Place names: Stratford Mercer York Romano Toulouse Von Hesse Moscovitz Geographical features Shore Lake Field Du Bois Man made features: Bridges Street Gates Mills Van Dyke Du Pont
