Why do so many african americans have the last name Jackson?

They had the choice to take any name they wanted. So they took Presidential names. Jackson, Washington, Jefferson, etc.





"Research has shown that slave owners seldom named newborn slave children. Similarities in naming practices among African Americans in the United States and those in western Africa indicate that it is more likely that the slaves chose the names of their children. The given name of a child, therefore, showed important connections between African American families. There appears to have been a significant tendency toward the maternal line when the mother was alone, but when both parents were present, children were named after the maternal and paternal lines in nearly equal numbers.





In summary, the assumption that African Americans used the same surnames as their owners is not always true. William Still鈥檚 book on the Underground Railroad shows that, of the first 210 successful runaways, 84 percent had different surnames than the owners they had fled; this is equally true for men and women.





While runaways may not have been typical of the general population of African Americans, records from as early as 1720 indicate that slaves often had surnames different than their owners鈥?names. Certainly, post-Civil War records document that ex-slaves had surnames different than the names of their most recent owners; it is possible many ex-slaves chose new names and identifications when they were emancipated."


http://www.ancestry.com/learn/library/ar...





"We hope to connect families who share a common male ancestor. Also, because of the uniqueness of African American slaves adopting any surname of choice upon emancipation, any male with a different surname and suspects a connection to the WELLS surname is welcome to participate in this project. Ever wonder if you are connected to another family of a different surname? "


http://www.familytreedna.com/public/Well...





"African-American Names


Identification of blacks in genealogical records is difficult because the African names of slaves were largely disregarded. Blacks were usually given only American first names. In Connecticut, a man's wife and children often took his given name as their surname. For example, the sons of Primus Richards were known as George and Henry Primus. In the Records and Papers of the First Congregational Church, Hartford, blacks are listed in the index as "Negroes". There are no individual name listings, and slaves were often listed under the slave-owners' names (i.e., "Myers, Miers, Negroes of") with no identification of the person by name.


When slaves escaped to the North or were freed, they adopted surnames. Some slaves took surnames prior to being freed, but generally kept the name a secret from the white community. It is a common misconception that freed slaves took the surnames of their last owner. In fact, slaves often went by several surnames and made a final choice at the time they were emancipated or gained freedom. They often took the surname of their father, who may have been a white slave-master or overseer. Or, they took the name of a current owner, a former owner, a famous American, or a locally-prominent citizen."


http://www.cslib.org/blagen.htm

Why do so many african americans have the last name Jackson?
careful scruttiny on the word "jackson" means two word.... Going back on how people of the olden times on how they name their family is so far very laborious to happen. instead, we have to look verydeeply on the behavior or miggration and colonization that happened during the early settlement history of america. It is true that Blacks were prolific breed of people... People used Jackson ( meaning the son of jack) to the numerous siblings of jack. and same as Christopherson for the son of Christopher, Michaelson for michael's son and etc. these were probably the most precise asnwer to your querries.....
Reply:Most people who answered this question are wrong.





Undoubtedly there were slave owners named "Jackson," but that's not the reason.





Slaves didn't have surnames. Upon emancipation, they needed legal first and last names. There were two common practices. Some would take the last names of their former masters. Others would take the names of famous Americans, especially presidents. Occasionally, a name might just be made up because the sound of it appealed to the person in question. If you could just pick your name, you may base it on someone you know or something you just happen to like.





That's why there are many black Washingtons, Jeffersons, and Jacksons. Washington, Jefferson, and Jackson were perhaps the most well-known American presidents by 1865. (Lincoln was popular among some, but still a very controversial figure at the time.)





I don't think this question is "racist." It's a legitimate question based on a real observation. And it's also a way to talk about the history of slavery in the United States. There's nothing wrong with some learnin'.
Reply:because, Master Jackson had so many enslaved Africans, and him and his relatives where often in the women's quarter's, the reason for so many light skinned ,mix blood African Americans.
Reply:What the hell is an "african american"? That place you call Africa or America is just political boundaries that are made up. There isn't a kind of person. And what did a name really ever tell us about something? I don't just mean "a rose by any other name" crap, I also mean no two parts of a kind are exactly alike. No two leaves are the same, no two faces, no two snowflakes, etc.
Reply:It was probably a common name for slave owners. Slaves took the slave owners last name as theirs. That's my belief and I'm sticking to it!
Reply:I don't know. As a guess, there were lots of slaveowners with that last name. Slaveowners gave slaves their last names.





May God bless you.
Reply:It started because President Jackson was a slave owner, had sex with his slaves, and they took his name. Alot of african american names are slave owner's names, such as Johnson. That is why Malcolm changed his name to X, signifying his emancipation from slave history.
Reply:My cousin is Michael Jackson. ( native American)


(makes you wonder?)
Reply:Slave owners were Jackson.Dumb racist question, were not living in those times.My ancestor were English and they owned many slaves, and im from the south but i dont ask those reckless questions. Have some ettiquette.
Reply:I guess it would be the same answer as why so many Indians have the last name Patel.
Reply:ok now dont bbe resist.