University of Virginia Library

As allotment work progresses it appears that some care must be exercised in regard to preserving among Indians family names. When Indians become citizens of the United States, under the allotment act, the inheritance of property will be governed by the laws of the respective states, and it will cause needless confusion and doubtless considerable ultimate loss to the Indians if no attempt is made to have the different members of the family known by the same family name on the records and by general reputation. Among other customs of the white people it is becoming important that Indians adopt that in regard to names.

There seems, however, no good reason for continuing a custom which has prevailed to a considerable extent of substituting English for Indian names, especially when different members of the same family are named with no regard to the family surname. Doubtless, in many cases, the Indian name is difficult to pronounce and to remember; but in many other cases the Indian word is as short and euphonious as the English word that is substituted, while, other things being equal, the fact that it is an Indian name makes it a better one.

For convenience, an English "Christian name" may be given and the Indian name be retained as a surname. If the Indian name is unusually long and difficult, it may perhaps be arbitrarily shortened.

The practice of calling Indians by the English translation of their Indian names also seems to me unadvisable. The names thus obtained are usually awkward and uncouth and such as the children when they grow older will dislike to retain.

In any event the habit of adopting sobriquets given to Indians, such as "Tobacco," "Mogul," "Tom," "Pete," etc., by which they become generally known, is unfortunate and should be discontinued. It degrades the Indians, and as he or his children gain in education and culture they will be annoyed by a designation which has been fastened upon them and of which they cannot rid themselves without difficulty.

Hereafter in submitting to this office, for approval, names of Indian employees to be appointed as policemen, judges, teamsters, laborers, etc., all nicknames must be discarded and effort made to ascertain and adopt the actual names or such as should be permanent designations. The names decided upon must be made well known to the respective Indians and the importance of retaining such names must be fully explained to them. I am aware that this will involve some expenditure of time and trouble, but no more than will be warranted by the importance of the matter in the near future.

Of course, sudden change cannot be made in Indian

nomenclature; but if agents and school superintendents will systematically endeavor, so far as practicable, to have children and wives known by the names of the fathers and husbands, very great improvement in this respect will be brought about within a few years.