Genealogy Chat

I have just found a link on Ancestry that takes you to an Amazon site where you can buy a book about the history of your surname. What a wonderful gift!!

If you check out the learning centre on Ancestry and follow the links for 'What's the history of my surname' it will lead you through. It doesn't happen for all surnames and but it worked for mine.

I know what's on my Christmas list now - lol

I don't want to be a wet blanket, but I have an uncommon surname with two completely different origins. I haven't found a book yet that shows the origin of the small group I belong to. They always list the more numerous Scottish origin with names garnered from resources available online.

A few years ago I was inundated with snail mail from companies touting these kinds of books.

So take care. See before you buy.

Ozi

Ozibird - I have to agree with you, and Slartibartfast.
My mum bought one of these books once.
For a start, a surname doesn't have a 'family' crest - a family does!
All this book showed was a list of the name, and phone numbers - in America. Hardly a history!
Admittedly a lot of people with my (unusual) maiden name moved to America - but not my immediate family - hence I still live in England!
If these people have phone numbers - I assume they are still living - and aren't my ancestors - they may be distant relations - but I bet I have more info on the distant 'family ' than they do.
Oh - and they had the surname originating in Yorkshire - yet it can be traced (on my side anyway) to the early17th century to Dorset - and before that (though not much I agree - in fact late 17th century) as Huguenot .

So, as Ozibird says a lot more subtly than me - beware!