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Colonial Craftsmen Names

Opening the door to America's colonial past reveals some very antiquated names that were worn by early craftsmen. Many of the names borne by Colonial furniture and clockmakers are what you’d expect — classic biblical names such as Jacob and Solomon, as well as traditional English names like William and Oliver.

Along with Jacob and William, other Colonial craftsman names in the US Top 100 include Caleb, Elias, Josiah, Levi, Miles, Samuel, Silas, and Thomas. Among the more surprising names found in furniture directories of the period are Gamaliel, Hercules, Kenelm, and Peregrine.

Colonial-era Americans also held onto the trend of Puritanical virtue names, evident in craftsmen named Prudent and Noble. Browse our collection of Colonial Craftsmen names below.

Griffith

Meaning: strong lord

Origin:Welsh
1293
Luther

Meaning: army people

Origin:German
604
Holmes

Meaning: from the island in the river

Origin:English
2172
Solomon

Meaning: peace

Origin:Hebrew
320
Elisha

Meaning: God is my salvation

Origin:Hebrew
2312
Ephraim

Meaning: fruitful, fertile, productive

Origin:Hebrew
464
Abiel

Meaning: God is my father

Origin:Hebrew
2449
Garvan

Meaning: rough little one

Origin:Irish
7178
Erastus

Meaning: beloved

Origin:Latinized form of Greek Erastos
2096
Enos

Meaning: mankind

Origin:Hebrew
2330
Enoch

Meaning: dedicated

Origin:Hebrew
404
Chauncey

Meaning: chancellor

Origin:Latin
4235
Gilbert

Meaning: shining pledge

Origin:German
503
Jabez

Meaning: borne in pain

Origin:Hebrew
889
Elbert Elbert's origin is Old English and Germanic,...
Origin:English variation of Albert
7396
Lambert

Meaning: land brilliant

Origin:French and German
2674
Marinus Marinus is commonly used as a boy’s name. Th...
Origin:Latin
8600
Prudent

Meaning: cautious

Origin:English virtue name
14983
Eli

Meaning: ascended, uplifted, high

Origin:Hebrew
236
Oliver

Meaning: olive tree

Origin:Latin
7