Changes

Surnames, historically, had a major impact on social status throughout the Western world as they became increasingly adopted. In fact, the origin of many surnames seems to be because people wanted to distinguish themselves from others by adopting a fixed surname. This has also been the case in many non-Western states, as they began to increasingly adopt Western-style surnames. Although the origin of many surnames in non-Western states used local terms or words for developing the surnamereferences, the effect on status has been comparable in many cases. While class was often the immediate identifier for people when surnames were used, today surnames still have a powerful effect in social distinction. For example, ethnicity and religion are often assumed when certain surnames are stated.<ref>For more on the impact of surnames on status and social standing, see: McKinley, R. A. (1990). <i>A history of British surnames </i>. London ; New York: Longman, pg. 200. </ref>