Family & Surnames
8 guides
How to Trace Your Surname Through the Records
A practical guide to surname genealogy: which census, vital, and immigration records to pull first, and how to sort real family history from guesswork.
September 8, 2026
Surname Spellings That Drifted: Why Your Cousins Spell It Differently
Why one surname ends up with several spellings, from phonetic clerks and anglicization to deliberate splits, and how to trace the variants yourself.
September 8, 2026
The Ellis Island Name-Change Story Is Mostly a Myth
Ellis Island inspectors did not rename immigrants. Here is what actually reshaped immigrant surnames, and how to trace what happened to yours.
September 8, 2026
Changing Your Name After Marriage: Every Option Compared
A practical, evenhanded comparison of every option for changing your name after marriage: paperwork order, state quirks, and what each choice means long-term.
August 2, 2026
Hyphenated Last Names: The Complete, Practical Guide
How hyphenated last names actually work: whose name goes first, what happens on forms and passports, and what kids inherit. A practical guide.
August 1, 2026
What Your Last Name Says About Your Family History
Your last name origin reveals a job, a father, a hometown, or a nickname. Learn to read the suffixes, spellings, and regional clues in your surname.
July 31, 2026
Where Surnames Come From: Trades, Places, and Fathers
Why Smith, Johnson, and Hill became last names: the true history of occupational, patronymic, locative, and descriptive surnames.
July 30, 2026
The Most Common Last Names in America (and Why)
Smith, Johnson, Garcia: the 2010 Census ranked America's top surnames. The occupational, patronymic, and immigration story behind each one.
July 29, 2026