Explain how nicknames became surnames?

Answer 1

... surnames that are nicknames

When surnames were being adopted, many were the result of nicknames that were given by friends, relatives, or others. Some nicknames were extremely unflattering -- to the point of vulgarity -- but most of those have vanished, having been changed by descendants through spelling changes or simply by changing names after emigrating. Nicknames are perhaps the most fascinating surnames -- but not always very flattering to one's ancestor. Gotobed, for example, stemmed from someone who was very lazy, and Kennedy is Gaelic for "ugly head".

Physical features that were prominent when surnames began to be adopted were also borrowed as an identifier (Long, Short, Beardsly, Stout) as were dispositions of the bearers (Gay, Moody, Sterne, Wise). Sometimes the name told its own story (Lackland, Freeholder, Goodpasture, Upthegrove) and sometimes they might have been selected to elicit envy or sympathy (Rich, Poor, Wise, Armstrong).

Answer 2

Sometimes, a person with red hair was called Red, or even Reed or Reid. Tall persons might be called Long, Lanky, or Stretch. Subsequently, the names stuck, and were handed down to their descendants.

Answer 3

While the oldest form of surname derives from a person's given name (John's son became a Johnson; Robert's son became a Robertson for example), nickname-derived surnames comprise the largest category of surnames. The rise in populations required more ways to identify a given person. However, various cultures developed different methods. Some cultures don't even use surnames, and the Vietnamese culture only has 3 surnames (so far). So, in the European tradition, while many surnames were based upon a person's location (Hill, Rivers, Ford) or occupation (Smith, Carpenter, Shoemaker), nicknames based upon appearances or temperament arose (Short, Long, Slim, Brown, and White for example).