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Roman Family
familia-all the people who descended from and all the property which belongs to the same father.
paterfamilias-the head of the household
gens-family clan
Roman Names
praenomen-before the name or first name. These are the personal names like Marcus, Gaius, Lucius, Quintus. They are often abbreviated.
nomen-name, or surname. This is the name of the gens. Roman family names often end with "ius". For example, Gaius Julius Caesar, in which case, Julius is the nomen, as in from the family of Julians.
cognomen -in addition to the name, like a nickname. This is used to identify a particular branch of the family since the gens gets quite large
Origins for cognomina
*occupation-Quintus Fabius Pictor=Fabius the Painter
*physical characteristics-Publius Ovidius Naso=Ovid the Nose, and Gaius Licinius Calvus (Licinius the Bald)
*mental qualities-Marcus Porcius Cato (Porcius the Sharp)
*ethnicity-Marcus Terentius Afer (Terentius the African)
*special qualities or features attributed to the family-Gaius Scibonius Curio (curio means priest)
*military or political honors were often added as a second cognomen that something like Richard the Lionhearted, in Rome's case Quintus Fabius Maxiums Cunctator (the Delayer) or Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus (Conqueror of Africa)
Names of Roman Women
Basically, you take your father's name. So Julius's daughter is Julia, Cornelius's daughter is Cornelia. All the daughters have the same names so they are distinguished by Elder, Younger, Third, etc. Privately though, they probably had nick names so you didn't have to say Julia and five daughters come out running.
Roman Family ||
Roman Names ||
Origins of Cognomina ||
Women's Names
nomen-name, or surname. This is the name of the gens. Roman family names often end with "ius". For example, Gaius Julius Caesar, in which case, Julius is the nomen, as in from the family of Julians.
cognomen -in addition to the name, like a nickname. This is used to identify a particular branch of the family since the gens gets quite large
Origins for cognomina
*occupation-Quintus Fabius Pictor=Fabius the Painter
*physical characteristics-Publius Ovidius Naso=Ovid the Nose, and Gaius Licinius Calvus (Licinius the Bald)
*mental qualities-Marcus Porcius Cato (Porcius the Sharp)
*ethnicity-Marcus Terentius Afer (Terentius the African)
*special qualities or features attributed to the family-Gaius Scibonius Curio (curio means priest)
*military or political honors were often added as a second cognomen that something like Richard the Lionhearted, in Rome's case Quintus Fabius Maxiums Cunctator (the Delayer) or Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus (Conqueror of Africa)