Where do last names come from?

Question:

Where do last names come from?

I know last names are used to tell people apart, but who decides what last name you got and how long ago did people have last names? I mean when did someone decide that everyone should have a last name? And who got to make that decision?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: alot of time the last names came from the business that people were in... that's why there are so many Smiths.

Sometimes the last name would come from the father's name...

if your name was John McLane... it would literally mean John son of Lane...

The "Mc" "Mac" and "O'" in Irish names comes from this....

Most African American last names came from the Slave owner that owned their ancestors...