How can i trace the origin of my last name?
The only sure way to find out the origin of your surname is to do a papertrail trace from yourself back to the origin. Most surnames originated after the 11th century; many during or after the 15th century. Here is my short list: You should start by asking all your living relatives about family history. Then, armed with that information, you can go to your public library and check to see if it has a genealogy department. Most do nowadays; also, don’t forget to check at community colleges, universities, etc. Our public library has both www.ancestry.com and www.heritagequest.com free for anyone to use (no library card required). Another place to check out is any of the Mormon’s Family History Centers. They allow people to search for their family history (and, NO, they don’t try to convert you). A third option is one of the following websites: http://www.searchforancestors.com/…
