Many Scottish surnames date all the way back to the Middle Ages. Medieval naming customs have shaped most of our present-day surnames, and the mingling and blending of families from all over the British Isles have spread and preserved the prominence of these names.  This is a follow-up post to our Common Surnames in Scotland […]

A person’s lineage can often be determined by their last names. They help people find out their ancestors’ profession, languages they knew, the number of years they lived, the education they had, and the place where they resided. This has been proven by tracing the lineages of people with rare surnames through public records, like […]

Have you ever wondered what the most common last names in your state are? You might be surprised to find that the answer often has a lot to do with the history of the state. The states of New England have an incredibly rich history, seeing as they were among the first states to exist in […]

Are your ancestors from Scotland?  Is MacBeth your favorite play by Shakespeare?  Have you ever wondered whether everyone wearing a kilt really has a last name starting with “Mac”?  A recent census showed that surnames in Scotland haven’t changed too much in the last century and a half.  Which names are the most common? Patterns in […]

Given the fact that most of us Americans have a European background, it is no surprise that many of our last names are European. But why is it that people from other backgrounds have these names as well? History can be strange and intriguing, as shown by these 6 historical last names in American history. […]