Surname Distribution Maps

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Sometimes it is possible to guess where a surname originated through surname distribution maps. These maps graphically display locations where surnames occurred at different periods in time. This strategy provides genealogists with a starting point for research in the birth country, when that information cannot be discovered through sources recorded in the new country of settlement. It works particularly well for less-common surnames and among families that have stayed in the same European locations for centuries.

Online Surname Distribution Maps

Country	Website
World (237 countries)	http://www.forebears.co.uk/surnames
World (26 countries)	https://www.publicprofiler.org/
Argentina	http://www.miparentela.com/
Austria	http://namenskarten.lima-city.at/en/
Belgium	http://www.familienaam.be/ https://www.surnamemap.eu/belgium/
Canada	https://www.ancestry.com/learn/facts https://lastnames.myheritage.com/last-names/
Croatia	https://actacroatica.com/en/search?surname=True
Czech Republic	http://www.kdejsme.cz/
Denmark	https://www.surnamemap.eu/denmark/
England	https://www.ancestry.com/learn/facts https://named.publicprofiler.org/
England ($)	http://www.rootsuk.com/
France	http://www.geopatronyme.com/ http://www.genealogie.com/nom-de-famille/ http://www.familleunie.fr/ http://www.nomdefamille.eu/en/
Germany	http://geogen.stoepel.net/ https://www.kartezumnamen.eu/en/ https://nvk.genealogy.net/map
Ireland ($)	http://www.johngrenham.com/ https://www.surnamemap.eu/ireland/
Italy	http://gens.labo.net/en/cognomi/genera.html http://italia.indettaglio.it/eng/cognomi/cognomi.html https://www.cognomix.it/mappe-dei-cognomi-italiani https://www.mappadeicognomi.it/en/
Netherlands	https://www.kartezumnamen.eu/ http://www.meertens.knaw.nl/nfb/index.php?taal=eng https://www.surnamemap.eu/netherlands/
Poland	https://nazwiska-polskie.pl/
Romania	http://www.hartanumeromanesti.eu/en/
Scotland	https://www.ancestry.com/learn/facts
Spain	https://www.mapadeapellidos.eu/index.php https://www.ine.es/widgets/nombApell/index.shtml http://www.ine.es/apellidos/formGeneral.do?vista=3 http://www.mapadeapellidos.eu/en/
Ukraine	https://ridni.org/?lang=english
United Kingdom	https://lastnames.myheritage.com/last-names/ https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/
United States	https://www.ancestry.com/learn/facts https://lastnames.myheritage.com/last-names/
Wales	https://www.ancestry.com/learn/facts https://named.publicprofiler.org/ http://www.rootsuk.com/

External links

Geogenealogy surname mapping website
Stephen Archer's Surname Atlas CD for detailed mapping of British surnames in the 1881 census

References

1. "Familienname," Wikipedia. Available online.

2. Meitzler, Leland. "Surname Distribution Maps for the USA, Canada, Spain, France, Germany, Austria & Switzerland on dynastree.com," Genealogy Blog. Available online.

3. Meitzler, Leland. "Surname Distribution Maps For Argentina, the Netherlands & the United Kingdom Are Online," Genealogy Blog. Available online.

4. Murphy, Nathan W. "Localize Your Surname with Distribution Maps," Price and Associates Genealogical Services. Available online.

5. "Surname map," Wikipedia. Available online.

6. "Surname Mapping," ISOGG Wiki. Available online.

Tracing immigrant origins : research outline at FS Library book 929.1 F21ro; film 6105293(*)