All of My Last Names

by Allison L. Williams Hill In-Vesica Art Design Energy

“Do All Things In-Vesica.”

Originally posted June 13, 2015

I have contemplated using all of my last names. I realized, however, that I don’t know them all. I know my mother’s maiden name and that is where it ends so far. I don’t know her mother’s maiden name.

I was thinking it would be honorable to include all of the names of all of the women who proceeded me. Rather than my father, they were the people who bore the future beings leading to me.

I was given the name Allison Lynette Williams by my mother. Her last name was Johnson. I intend to find her mother’s last name and possibly her mother before her. Then I married. Each woman could have that option: to include the name of her husband’s family after the last names of all of the women who preceded her. This is not for signing documents but more for having name links and the story that ends with the name of the bearer.

I discussed investigating and assembling my mother’s family tree. It acknowledges all of those who came before me. I know her father, my grandfather. But no one knows my grandfather’s parents.

I feel a need to know this. It pays homage to all of the families before me.

Men, and possibly women, may ask, “Is all of this necessary?” My answer is absolutely not. Why, however, limit it to only immediate family? It would be interesting and a different feeling to include all of the women who lead to my existence.