Origin of a last name

devildog said:

I've been attempting--to no avail-- to find the origin of one of my names. I have asked some family members, but unfortunately there hasn't been much help (in terms of accuracy). The name is Suncar. I have no idea where it comes from, but it seems to only be originating from the DR. I find many of them in the education arena, and seem to be prodominantly black or mixed. Any help, regradless of how small or large would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!!!

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I attended one college course taught by a professor Suncar in Santiago. This surname appears to be exclusively Dominican in today's context. These Dominican Suncar families have many distinguished citizens, lots of teachers, scholars. and journalists.

It is not of distinctively Spanish or French origin. Several reasoned speculations come to mind:

It could be an old sephardim name from medieval Spain since many names ending "er" or "ar" may have iberian-jewish roots. The name has been in the DR since at least the very early 19th century, if not earlier. Many other 'uniquely Dominican" are derived from a mispelled "foreign name", not just the more common French and/or Haitian, but also from English, Portuguese and Dutch-origin names. More so when transcribed a few centuries ago.

good luck!
- Tordok

....for the sake of completeness, it is also possible to consider an African name as indeed in the eary times of the colony many slaves received surnames based on the region of the African continent where they came from....thus "Calabar, Lucum?, Mandinga,...and others as per (historian) Moya Pons in a magazine article (revista RUMBO, Enero 28 1999). S?ncar is not included but with the absence of documentation of the name in the metropolitan powers, then it is possible that it was created anew in the Caribbean.....

- Tordok

I would have guessed Middle Eastern, but who knows.