FamilySearch Catalog Surnames Search

How to Search the Family History Library Catalog by Surname

Use a Surname Search when you want to find catalog entries that have the surname you want as a subject. This search is especially useful for finding family histories.

Steps to Search by Surname

1. Go to www.familysearch.org.
2. Click the Family History Library Cataloglink under the heading Search Genealogy Records & Library.
3. Click Surname Search.
4. Type a surname.
5. Click Search.
6. Click the surname that matches the one you want.
7. Click a title to see more details. The record may be in a book or on a film.
8. Click View Film Notes to see a film number.

Strategies for Using a Surname Search

This search mainly finds family histories.

The more of a surname you type as a search term, the smaller the results list will be. Since many surnames have spelling variations, you may want to broaden your search. To do this, you can:

Type only part of the surname. (This is called truncating your search.) For example, if you type Newcombe as your search term, the computer will find only that spelling of the name. However, if you type Newcom as your search term, the computer will find any surname that begins with those letters, including Newcom, Newcomb, Newcome, Newcombe, and so forth.

To find surnames that are mentioned in an entry but not listed as a subject, use a Keyword Search.

How Do I Understand the Results of a Surname Search?

A Surname Search results in a list of:

• Titles of catalog entries tied to surnames that match your search.
• Surnames that match your search.