Surname Research

  • Guild of One-Name Studies
    The Guild of One-Name Studies is the biggest organisation for surname research. There are thousands of surname studies available and the guild aims to bring together researchers who are interested in researching the same name names.
  • The Surname Society
    Provides an online resource for members to publish details of their surname studies to the online world. No restriction is placed upon members either in regard to the number of surnames listed or the number of members researching a particular surname.Collaboration is actively facilitated and encouraged as the core ethos of the society. Many members will start their surname study alone but, during their membership, will find others to partner with to augment the investigations into the name. These associates may be using diverse research methods to achieve the study aims.
  • Internet Surname Database
    The Internet Surname Database contains nearly 50,000 surnames from around the world. What does your last name mean?
  • British Surnames
    Find information about British surnames, their meaning, and how common they are. Thousands of surnames are listed.
  • Names Encyclopedia
    Everyone has a name, but most people have a vague idea what their name means. This site is for those who want to discover name meanings, origins, distribution across the globe, genealogy tracking, anagrams, misspells, common name combinations and many other name-related things.
  • Patronymica Britannica
    A dictionary of the family names of Great Britain is an online book from 1860 that lists surnames alphabetically.

You might like this 9 minute video on the Origin of English Surnames.