genealogy

i had previously been aware that surnames came into popular use in 12th-century Europe, and that many people came to be identified by what they did for a living. a blacksmith named John, became John Smith. a man who made his living grinding flour from grain took the name Miller. so i had naively assumed that my Scottish forefathers, the Walkers, simply did a lot of walking, probably as shepherds or the like. well, i was close (about the sheep part, at least) ...

it turns out that the name Walker is derived from the name Waulker. a waulker was a 'fuller of cloth'; someone who cleaned, softened, and thickened wool for a living.