 In England it was common for servants to take a modified version of their employer's occupation or first name as their last name, adding the letter "s" to the word, although this formation could also be a patronymic.For instance, the surname "Vickers" is thought to have arisen as an occupational name adopted by the servant of a vicar, while "Roberts" could have been adopted by either the son or the servant of a man named Robert.A subset of occupational names in English are names thought to be derived from the medieval mystery plays.