The late Middle Ages also saw the flocking of people from one area to another over military conquest (like the Normans) or for economic reasons(such as farm laborers emigrating to the new and growing cities) unlike earlier ,so besides the previously well answered explanations, geography also played a part in adopting surnames.
Place names: Stratford
Mercer
York
Romano
Toulouse
Von Hesse
Moscovitz
Geographical features
Shore
Lake
Field
Du Bois
Man made features:
Bridges
Street
Gates
Mills
Van Dyke
Du Pont
