Old Fashioned Last Names Novels & Stories

He sat next to Cale, their knees touching. "Okay, let's look at it," Elion said. "'Mother's Maiden Name'. What did we use last time?" "Smith," Cale said. "That's boring. Can't we give her a cool name? Like... Storm? or... Weaver?" "It is statistically probable," Cale argued. "Smith is the most common surname. It raises the fewest flags. Boring is safe." "Okay, stick with Smith. 'Place of Birth'." "We used 'Unknown, Rural Kentucky'."

Kate pointed at each with its name. Kelly frowned and asked. "Why do we have different names? I mean last names?" Nick stayed silent. He let kate do all the talking while he nods his head when he agrees with what Kate says. "I was born before you got married to your fiancé, who died in an accident, so I carry your maiden name. Nick here, is your stepson, child of your late husband, Elijah Eudovic. So you have the same last names. Your husband passed away to illness just more than a year ago," Kate cautiously stated.

A few of the other guys are even laughing at the ridiculousness of the story. Camden, Mikal, Luke, Burton, and I are in our room and are searching through a ton of new shit that we have found to see if any of it is useful. We did find that there were two of the grandsons of the Carriano family who seemed to be close to James or at least his wife. One, in particular, was always around when the two older boys were younger. The Carriano name died when his mother married. She was the last one with that name. Her son’s last names were Prestin. I swear that last name is familiar. I have definitely heard that last name before. “Burton where have we heard that last name before?” I ask.

I reminded her, as if she didn’t know what her last name was. She nodded. “Yes, but as I’m sure you know, mages keep their family name. Usually, the husband takes the wifes’ name, or just keeps a different last name. My husband didn’t dare change his last name.” She rolled her eyes. “So we just have different last names.” I didn’t know what she was assuming I knew. I was confused. “Are you saying that my grandma was a Nightingale?” I was under the impression--I thought Grandma had explained to me--that my grandfather was the descendent of Little Red Riding Hood, not her.

Her voice had a trace of bitterness buried under the cool delivery. Something in my chest twisted so tightly I thought I might choke on it. Two hundred and five people, and she still looked like she’d been eating alone her whole life. The West family, or as they’re mostly called, Old West, has one of the largest family networks I’d ever heard of. Old money, old power, old grudges — a web stretching so far across the globe you could sneeze in the North and someone in the South would know about it before you found a tissue for your nose.

Amelia’s voice was light, almost teasing, surprised. Carl didn’t directly answer her, his voice low and unbothered. The Jenkins family, unlike other prestigious families, had kept their traditions since the founding of the family. No one outside the family knew that the head of the Jenkins family’s name. The old lady frowned. "Amelia, don’t you know his courtesy name?" "I didn’t know," Amelia responded quickly. "I didn’t think people still used courtesy names nowadays." The old lady laughed. "Families like ours have such traditions. If you learn from CJ, you’ll surely pass your exams."

He poured us wine and we fell into a rhythm. Me chopping, him stirring, both of us moving around the kitchen like we'd done this a thousand times before. Except we hadn't. In our old life, we'd been too broke for fancy ingredients and too busy for elaborate meals. Dinner had been takeout or something fast and cheap. This was different. Every time I moved, I brushed against him. His hand on my waist as he reached past me for the wine bottle. My back against his chest as he showed me how to "properly" stir the sauce, even though I knew exactly how to stir.

However, after serving the Schulz family for a long time, Arrington had plucked up the courage to approach Lord Schulz to ask him to bestow the last name, Schulz, to him. Since time immemorial, only the king back then would bestow a title to his ministers or military generals. When had any wealthy or influential families ever bestowed a last name to their subordinates or servants, and when had any subordinates ever asked their masters to bestow their master’s last name to them? Arrington was the first. So, he was also spurned and despised by outsiders.

I never truly understood the power Mom and Dad held until they brought me home. Even if the Lawson family multiplied tenfold, they still wouldn't have come close. The estate before me looked like an actual castle, complete with multiple grand gates just to get inside. By some twist of fate, Dad's last name was also Sinclair, so I didn't even have to change mine. The Sinclair family was centuries old, with its influence stretching globally. But for all its wealth and power, it was a bloodline that ran surprisingly thin.

After I had showered, dried, and fresh in clothes, I stood in front of the tall windows staring at the scene, letting my train of thought go to an endless trail. I learned so much from Odin; my dad used his mother's maiden name because he didn't want to be involved with a criminal. So, it's no wonder the last name differs from our grandpa's. Odin wanted us to change our last name to King, but Athena suggested keeping Reid because it's who were are, and we've reserved the title proudly. Our grandfather didn't object and felt happy. I didn't hear the door open, only to jump at the large arms wrapped around me. I laid back into his chest and sighed.