i know this is a bit random! but I just read a bit about the source of surnames. Basically they started in Norman times. The English define themselves by what they do( e.g. Miller, Brewer, etc.), the French nobility by what they own Largely places in, like David Salisbury) whilst the Celts define themselves by their ancestors (Robert O’Brien, David ap Roberts, Hamish MacDonald). I guess this is similar to cuts of meat being French in name origin whilst the animals themsleves were named by those who looked after them i.e. the English.. I will have to look up the anthroponyms of immigrants.
Whilst on the fact trail it was not until 1730 tht English became the language of courts in this country. Henry IV was the first king after the conquest to speak English as a first language.
Since 1066 there have been no monarchs of English ancestry! Plantagenets (French), Tudor (Welsh), Stuart (Scottish), Orange (Dutch), Hanover and Sale-Coberg (German)!
English, words and spellings became standardised due to invention of printing press in 1476 – although it took centuries. Indeed there are still many regional variations such as plimsol/dap.