bestowed them upon his two sons, Edward I.and Edmund of Lancaster.

In this manner they became adopted into the royal and fashionable circle, and so were perpetuated to our own day.

All the others died out in mediaeval times, while the few old forms now current, such as Alfred, Edgar, Athelstane, and Edwin, are mere artificial revivals of the two last centuries.

If we were to judge by nomenclature alone, we might almost fancy that the Norman Conquest had wholly extinguished the English people.
A few steps towards the adoption of surnames were taken even before the Conquest.

Titles of office were usually placed after the personal name, as AElfred King, Lilla Thegn, Wulfnoth Cild, AElfward Bishop, AEthelberht Ealdorman, and Harold Earl.