The most common Dwarven surnames, are those that take a color or metal, and apply that to an appendage or body part in order to create the name (e.g. Bronzebeard, Ironbrow, Firenostril, etc.). While these names are often fine, they tend to be fairly hackneyed and clique. If you choose to go with such a name do not be surprised if, in your travels, you run into another Dwarve with the same surname as you.
Fantasy Land, sharing a house with Loch Ness and Bigfoot
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Re: Surnames!
Borihnon Shieldbearer. Cos he carries a shield. And stuff.
Dwarf surnames can also be from personal characteristics or from defining moments of their lives. As examples - Thorin Oakenshield, Dain Ironfoot and Thorin Stonehelm.
"I wonder what causes this, and if it could be changed," shows a much deeper thought process than, "Is it laziness or incompetence that prevents my desires from being fulfilled?" ~ floon
"There are no limits to the devious plans of Sapience™" ~ Tolero
Leader, Order of the Red Panda - Mozilla's LOTRO Kinship!
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Let there never be another worm as cunning as Smaug.
...or from defining moments of their lives. As examples - Thorin Oakenshield, Dain Ironfoot and Thorin Stonehelm.
I'm eagerly awaiting such a moment for my dwarf guard - I would love to have a surname that reminds me of some great deed everytime I see it. Off course, finding that one moment that will define your dwarf is tricky
Well, I've got Glogi Hammerfist. Hammerfists have been smiths for generations. Of course that's true of many dwarven families, I suppose... but how many beat out blades without a hammer? Glogi did, once. He stopped making bets while drunk after that.
Dorinoin and Thorilin haven't received last names yet. Still working on those.
My dwarf hunter is named Krakuss Kampjaeger, the last name being a loose translation into German for "armored hunter." Tolkien clearly took inspiration from Norse mythology & Viking lore/language, so I thought it was fitting.
My dwarf's last name is Goldnose. He's always outfitted for mining and that's how I've made his money from day one. Prospectors used to be said to have a "goldnose" if they could find gold deposits, and since it kind of fits with the whole dwarven "metal/bodypart" approach to making surnames, I figured it fit.
Unfortunately, I don't have any epic moments, only infamously memorable ones. No matter. To commemorate my first run through SG, from henceforth I will now be known as 'Davada Bonetrampler'!
Hvormir Cragsplitter at your service, and your family's!
I wanted to be a part of a long line of miners/prospectors and I thought Cragsplitter was an honorable, respectable sounding name. I even came up with a nice little story about how my ancestor, Fraener Cragsplitter, earned it while out prospecting one day. Although after reading some of these surnames in this thread, I'm not liking it so much anymore. I LOVE Kegbreaker, and Goatstopper I thought was really cool.
After recently figuring out a backstory for my dwarven hunter, I finally decided on a surname. He is now Svoli Wolfheart, a hunter ever of the servants of the enemy.