Geneology - understand the history, origins and meanings of surnames
A couple of minutes reading through our section on Surnames will help with this task and will prove to be very enlightening!
Geneology - understand the category of name. Understanding the category of a surname will help with research into the geneology. It will provide a good starting point and eliminate any unnecessary areas of research. How would the name relate to or describe your ancestor?
Did it relate to a place?
Did it describe a trade?
Was it an 'adopted' name?
Was it a descriptive name - describing a physical or characteristic attribute?
Could it have been derived from a nickname? | 
