How to Find Out Where Your Surname Comes From

Surnames help identify a family.

Surnames are given to mostly everyone at birth, as they help identify each person's belonging to their family. Also known as a persons last name, a surname can help a person learn a lot about their family's history and origins. Finding out where a surname comes from can be done by gathering family information, then using local resources or the Internet to complete the findings. Once the origins of the surname have been found, it can be used to create a family tree.

Things You'll Need

• Internet connection

Instructions

1. Speak to the eldest family member that carries the surname. Ask questions about the family's origins, occupations of grandfathers and grandmothers and important social positions that may have been attained within the family. In the past centuries, it was common for people to be named after their occupation, trade or religious status. Note down the information on a sheet of paper.

2. Spell out any variations of the surname on the information sheet that was previously created. Include other last names that may sound similar to that of your surname. The spelling of most surnames have changed over time due to families migrating to different areas of the world and misspellings by others on important vital documents. These changes and misspellings could have remained as the main spelling of your surname.

3. Visit a genealogy website to conduct a search on the surname. Genealogy websites permit users to search their online databases for past records that have been collected in various states across the nation, and even throughout the world. Enter the current spelling of the surname into the "Surname" box provided, then click "Search."

4. View the results of the search and click on the names of people that may be familiar to those in your notes. If there aren't any results that appear, search online immigration passenger records, land records or vital records to conduct a search of surname origins or history. Enter different spelling variations of the surname to obtain the best results.

5. Seek the assistance of a genealogist in your city or state if absolutely no results on the surname are found. Genealogists specialize in tracing the history of families, and may have different resources that can benefit you in your search. A certified genealogist can be found by visiting the Board for Certification Genealogist website online.

References

• Search for Ancestors: Surname Quick Search
• Ellis Island: Free Port of New York Passenger Records Search
• San Francisco Genealogy: Search Results
• Bureau of Land Management: Land Records
• Genealogy: When to Hire a Professional Genealogist