Most English people have a first name, a middle name and a last name. Parents choose(选择) the first and middle names for their children. The last name is the family name. English people get their family names in these ways(方式).
Some family names come from the places of their homes. If a man live on or near a hill(小山), his family name may be Hill. In England, people's family names may be Wood, Lake, and Bush, because they live near the woods, the lake or the bush.
Some come from a person's job. If a person is a cook, his family name may be Cook.
Some are about people's characteristics(特点). Family names like Short, Long, and Little are about the build(身材). And names like Black, White, and Green are about the skin color(肤色).
Also, many people get their family names from their father's first names. If you hear the name Benson, you can know that he is the son of Ben.
