What's in a last name?

I've always been interested to some extent in how people's names came about. I know that at some point in history people's last names had some relationship to what they did for a living-like Baker or Carpenter perhaps. I feel like my last name Sheets suits me because I like writing  a lot. Anyway, I started thinking about this today as I was watching Law and Order (a crime show) this evening. I noticed how the policemen on that show always answer their phone with  just their last name as their greeting. All of a sudden it got me thinking that if I ever answered the phone with just my last name people might think I was asking them to get me more bed linen or paper. I hope that everyone can find some part of their name to be proud of because I believe everyone should be proud of who they are. I'm still proud of my last name even though I couldn't keep a straight face if I used it by itself to answer a phone.