During the numerous lockdowns over the past year, many of us have gone on an online mission of discovery.
Finding out more about your family's history has really helped pass the time during the coronavirus pandemic.
But have you ever wondered how many people share your surname?
Now there are some answers close at hand.
The Forebears website allows you to find out just how common your last name is – and where in the world it is most popular.
Fascinatingly, it also explains how many times your surname has featured in the news – and you can then find out exactly why.
The site also provides bundles of information behind the history of most surnames and even when they were first used.
Forebears describes itself as a “genealogy portal”.
It goes on to say that it provides “a geographically indexed and cross-referenced directory of sources for family history research”.
It adds that they boast “a dictionary of surname meanings, including information on their geographic distribution”.
Many of us are enjoying history hunting at the moment with family ancestry searches proving to be very popular during the pandemic.
The website writes: “A surname is part of a personal name that is passed from either or both parents to their offspring.
“Customs on the format of surnames change from region to region and their use has changed over time.
“In most Western nations, the surname occurs at the end of a personal name, after a given name or names. Conversely some East Asian counties and Hungary place the surname before given names”.
You can find out how common your surname is on the website here.
Most common surnames in the UK
The 10 most common surnames in the UK are:
- Smith
- Jones
- Taylor
- Brown
- Williams
- Wilson
- Johnson
- Davies
- Robinson
- Wright
The most common surname in the world is Wang.
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