How come West and (to a lesser extent) North are common Surnames but East & South are rare?

[EvilShmeevil]

Just curious really, never dawned on me before.

I know a few Easts, and Souths

Well… could say the same about Brown, White, Green, Black, but why less people with surnames from other colours like Red, Yellow, Blue,
Although I do know a few Pinks

I know a couple of Eastman's, but no South's

There shouldn't be any less of one rather than the other, surnames came about to differentiate between people of the same first name so they'd say John the butcher (John Butcher) but if there were more than one John who was a butcher they say John with the brown hair (John Brown) then John moved to a village east of where he originally lived and was called John from the west (John West). There are names which are more prevalent in certain counties due to migration from countries nearer to them so there are lots of Nordic names on the east coast of England, especially Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex.

There are less yellows and pinks etc as names like that were generally done on hair colour.

I know a Southern ha ha

I wonder if it's because the West Country and the North were seen as very different places. The North especially. Most things are very London centric (which is south and east) and probably more known by their trades or the exact location e.g. Kent.

I don't know but it's an excellent question

But why so many green’s then? 🤔

My mother is an East

@User2638483

But why so many green’s then? 🤔

They lived near the village green?

Good question OP