Genealogy Chat

Hi

In my genealogy quest I have found that even common surnames such as Roberts, Mitchell and Wilson can be a lot rarer in some parts of the UK than others.

I have Roberts ancestors in Kent and the name is nearly as rare as hens teeth in Kent, especially East Kent near Canterbury, yet there are no end of Roberts in Wales, West England and the large cities.

Wilson is as common as muck in Durham, but quite rare in places like Suffolk. Smith is found all over yet it is probably more prevalent in the Midlands as that is where all the foundaries are.

So even common names can be easily researched if they are found in a part of England where there are a lot less of them than other areas.

Ben

I found that with my Siggs, Ben. (They are a nightmare - in half the census records the name is transcribed as something else, I think partly because it is so uncommon a name).

There are loads in Sussex, some in Essex, Cambridgeshire and Suffolk but my particular line were wanderers - started in Suffolk, went up through Essex, then Cambridgeshire and Rutland, then Yorkshire. Two branches then spread either to Liverpool or Nottingham.

So I started to keep tabs on any "stray" Siggs with an unexpected birthplace and sometimes I fit them into my tree. Any out of the ordinary birthplace works like an alert for me now.

i wish the name Thomas was rare would make life so much easier but they appear everywhere!

Try looking for Morgans in Glamorgan!

and watkins in monmouthshire

i know how u feel, Thomas, Williams and Stephens in South Wales have already told my family if i find out there is a Jones in the family im Changing my surname! haha

And Hill in Devon/Cornwall.

Looking for a Hill in a hill o' Hills ...

They're all over, though, including Australia, Ireland ... . I'm constantly being hot-matched with a couple of 1840s James and William Hills in particular who seem to have produced several thousand descendants apiece, who are all gradually signing up at GR ...

So far I seem to be quite lucky.

The name Prestidge seems to have originated in Warwickshire/Northamptonshire and the majority from one village back to 1700's.

Nearly eveyone researching Prestidge on here is directly related to 'my' family.

Linda

It is hard looking for Brown's and Kelly's too - in fact like the proverbial needle!!!

Catherine
I have Thomas's born in Buckinghamshire it was quite a rare name there. I have traced them back to 1751. My trail now lies cold because I don't know where they are before then, & have come across only one other person with the correct William Thomas in their tree unfortunately, he is related to his wife so can't help me.

You lot think you've got problems, try Jones in yep Wales. I've got Jones' in both sides of my family and in hubby's too. What a nightmare, and unfortunatley non of them are related to each other.

Add to that I've got Coyne's which I thought would be a doddle but the name has been transcribed into something entirely different. And trying to find which surname they are going by is difficult.

Somebody mentioned 'Smith'...!

Doing my hubby's tree,I found a John Smith!....I thought,'Well that's the end of that line then!'

But,luckily for me,he came from a small village and I was able to find him and his family on the census.I've found birth certs and I have found them on the IGI.They have been easier to trace than some of my others with much more unusual names...I've ground to a halt with them now though.

Oh,and John Smiths fathers name is also John Smith!

Sandra.
xxx

well, i wish my family had welsh first names so it would help slightly no they are called William or Thomas Thomas. Now to help matters i have a Thomas family marrying into a Thomas Family. The good thing i have is that i have Trewhellas which isnt that common thank god. i also have the surname Brash in my family which i thought would be very rare but it isnt i belive half of south sheilds is called Brash...oh you have to love familes

Catherine i also have Thomas family marrying into Thomas family,they were first cousins from Wales and to make matters worse i have East and West family surnames.What a nightmare.
Regards Lyn

if you're a Breakspear you are surely a relation of mine somewhere along the line!

Well I've come to the conclusion that I shall never be able to trace my Daniel Brady who married Mary Murphy somewhere in Ireland maybe in Co. Dublin but who knows!

Might just as well been a Smith marrying a Jones as the choices are endless.

Oh the joys of having such common surnamed ancestors!

Hi
I'm Jean - and I too have a William Hill in Devon and get matched with people from all over the country!!! My Wm Hill comes from Bovey Tracey - any help.

Jean