Surnames and Genealogy

Explore your family history through surnames and genealogical research, uncovering ancestral records, naming patterns, and connections that bring your heritage to life.

How Surnames Change Over Time

Surnames reveal less about us than they used to, and people have been changing theirs for centuries for all sorts of reasons.

Maiden Names in Genealogy

Your grandmother's maiden name holds clues to another whole branch of your family tree, and there are several records you can check to find it.

Scottish Surnames and Location

Most Scottish surnames come from land names and clan affiliations, with meanings that shift depending on Highland or Lowland origins.

Surnames And Places

How surnames tied to places can help trace your family history back through generations.

The Meaning of Irish Surnames

Irish surnames started as ways to identify family generations, with "Mac" meaning son of and "O" meaning grandson of, not place names as many assume.

The Origins Of Surnames

Surnames didn't exist in early Britain, but the Norman Conquest changed how people identified themselves and their families.

Tracing Your Ancestors By Name

Use surnames to connect with distant relatives and expand your family tree beyond your direct ancestors.

What Welsh Surnames Can Tell Us

Welsh surnames come from patronymic naming traditions that explain why there are so few of them and what they reveal about family history.