I understand that some Carpenters took on this surname because they didn't have a surname and were required to adopt one and since that was their profession they took this name as their surname. But are you saying that there are other Carpenters who were always Carpenters and never had a point in their history when they had to adopt a surname? It is my understanding that there was a time in history when no one had surnames but I could be wrong. If I am not wrong and there was a time when even those Carpenters had to adopt a surname how did they happen to choose the name Carpenter as their surname? And is it possible that those of us who are board banging, timber tossing Carpenters could be related to Joseph the carpenter, married to Mary, mother of Jesus? When someone starts making comparisons and talking about chisel-type features and brain over brawn, etc. etc., it just sounds slightly, a little, kinda, sorta right out of Mein Kampf. But again I could be wrong and those comparisons could be totally innocent and well intentioned.