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Surnames: A new source for the history of social mobility

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  • Clark, Gregory
  • Cummins, Neil
  • Hao, Yu
  • Vidal, Dan Diaz

Abstract

This paper explains how surname distributions can be used as a way to measure rates of social mobility in contemporary and historical societies. This allows for estimates of social mobility rates for any population for which we know just two facts: the distribution of surnames overall, and the distribution of surnames among some elite or underclass. Such information exists, for example, for England back to 1300, and for Sweden back to 1700. However surname distributions reveal a different, more fundamental type of mobility than that conventionally estimated. Thus surname estimates also allow for measuring a different aspect of social mobility, the underlying average social status of families. This is the aspect that matters for mobility of social groups, and for families across multiple generations.

Suggested Citation

  • Clark, Gregory & Cummins, Neil & Hao, Yu & Vidal, Dan Diaz, 2015. "Surnames: A new source for the history of social mobility," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 3-24.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:exehis:v:55:y:2015:i:c:p:3-24
    DOI: 10.1016/j.eeh.2014.12.002
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    4. Juliana Jaramillo-Echeverri & Andrés Álvarez, 2023. "The persistence of segregation in education: Evidence from historical elites and ethnic surnames in Colombia," Cuadernos de Historia Económica 58, Banco de la Republica de Colombia.
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    9. Ying Bai & James Kai-sing Kung, 2022. "Surname distance and technology diffusion: the case of the adoption of maize in late imperial China," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 27(4), pages 569-607, December.
    10. Mitchener, Kris James & Ma, Debin, 2016. "Introduction to the special issue: a new economic history of China," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 69191, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
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    13. Gregory Clark, 2020. "Measuring social mobility rates in earlier and less-documented societies," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2020-28, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    14. Giacomin Favre & Joël Floris & Ulrich Woitek, 2018. "Intergenerational mobility in the 19th century: micro-level evidence from the city of Zurich," ECON - Working Papers 274, Department of Economics - University of Zurich.
    15. Connor, Dylan, 2021. "In the name of the father? Fertility, religion and child naming in the demographic transition," SocArXiv jndqu, Center for Open Science.
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    17. Colagrossi, Marco & d’Hombres, Béatrice & Schnepf, Sylke V, 2020. "Like (grand)parent, like child? Multigenerational mobility across the EU," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).

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