| I can't begin to tell you how many people are only | | | | at general population statistics. |
| interested in researching their surname. Dozens of | | | | And don't even get me started on the people |
| times a day queries are posted from people who | | | | who argue with me once I start digging into their |
| want to know where their surname came from | | | | family history that there is no way this man I |
| after providing just that one piece of information. | | | | found in a passenger list could be their great-great |
| As if I could gaze into my crystal ball to tell them | | | | grandfather because their name is spelled |
| that in 1883 their great-great grandfather | | | | Woodruff not Woodroffe. I got a new client just |
| immigrated from Russia but upon his arrival he | | | | last week whose last name is Browne. His sister |
| decided he wanted to Anglicize his surname | | | | spells it Brownn. His father spells it Brown. I have |
| Makiewsky to Mackay. So, no, unlike a lot of | | | | a feeling he won't argue with me if I discover any |
| Mackay's their surname is not really Scottish. | | | | more "mis" spellings of his surname. |
| Now, I can appreciate anything that sparks | | | | Spelling wasn't that big of a deal for many of our |
| people's interest in family history. And I'm always | | | | ancestors or those who were responsible for |
| quick to provide what limited information may be | | | | recording their names. Don't get hung up on it. |
| available on any given surname. But, to really | | | | Names have been spelled, misspelled, changed, |
| know where YOUR surname came from (not just | | | | shortened, misread, and altered for generations. If |
| general, ambiguous people who had the same | | | | you really want to be successful in your family |
| surname - but your actual, handed down through | | | | history research you'll have to learn to look for all |
| the generations that proceeded YOU surname) | | | | variations. |
| requires a little more effort than just looking it up | | | | TIP #2: Before you start research on any new |
| in the Oxford University Press tome Dictionary of | | | | surname in your family tree, sit down and |
| American Family Names. | | | | brainstorm a list of all of the possible spellings, |
| TIP #1: To discover more about your surname | | | | misspellings, variations and alternates. Remember |
| work your way back in time through the people in | | | | to think about translations as well - a Blanco or a |
| your family tree whose name it was. That will tell | | | | Weiss who became a White. Keep that list handy |
| you a lot more about the name you bear than | | | | as you research and you'll be surprised at what |
| consulting a generic surname dictionary or looking | | | | you will now be able to find. |