Have you ever wondered what your surname says about you and your family history? Tracing the history of the surnames in your family tree is one of the most popular ways of researching your ancestors. Surnames can take you back centuries. They can evolve, shaped by culture, work, language, migration, and more. A comprehensive study by Findmypast has uncovered the evolving landscape of English surnames dating back to the time of Henry VIII, shedding light on forgotten lineages, regional dialects,…
Any experienced family historian knows how helpful an obscure name can be. We'll get only a few records when searching for rare surnames like Farah or Clutterbuck, whereas a search for John Smith will return hundreds of thousands of records (around 450,000, to be more exact). Middle names can help to narrow down broad search results - for example, there are only seven John Smiths in our collection with the middle name Pepper. But what about double-barrelled surnames? The trickiness of double-barrelled:…
Delving into our family history is a journey that connects us to our roots, allowing us to understand the stories and experiences that have shaped our identity. In the digital age, technology plays a pivotal role in aiding researchers, and one tool that's gaining prominence is ChatGPT. In this blog post, we'll explore what ChatGPT is, its limitations, and how it can be a valuable asset in the realm of family history research. What is ChatGPT?: ChatGPT is a state-of-the-art…
Although family history is deeply personal to each of us, it's also a valued form of historical research. Together, we're illuminating the forgotten stories of the past, connecting with our ancestors and the world in which they lived.We're passionate about supporting research in all of its forms, which is why we've partnered with the Women's Prize Trust to sponsor the new prize for female writers of non-fiction. You can read more about this exciting partnership here. Of course, non-fiction…
As every genealogist knows, we’re all the product of our family’s history. But genetics aren’t the only thing that we pass down the generations. Used to identify our familial bonds, surnames link us to even our most distant ancestors. Where do our surnames come from?: There’s no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to our surnames. Naming has been done differently throughout history, and across different cultures.In England, surnames became widely used after the Norman Conquest in 1066. At this point,…
The census is an incredible resource. It not only gives us those biographical details that help us trace our ancestors every ten years, but it gives a snapshot of the entire country. As any keen genealogist knows, it is like peeking into the windows – and the portholes – of every home and ship in the country. Back in 2018, Findmypast began the landmark project to digitise the 1921 Census of England and Wales in partnership with the National Archives. This began my keen
We've found some amazing things in the 1921 Census of England and Wales, there's no doubt about it. Unlike previous censuses, for the first time, the 1921 Census included a question on each individual's employer and place of work. This means that we can glean interesting occupational insights from the census returns. Learn more about the occupation codes used in the 1921 Census. From miners and transport workers to academics and writers, there is a massive array of jobs documented in this valuable…
Picture boots on cobbles, voices carrying down terraced streets, the scrape of a chair pulled up to the kitchen table as another man came in with the latest news. Word travelled fast in mining communities. By 1921, life was already on edge. The First World War had ended, but the relief never quite arrived. Work was uncertain. Prices were high. Across England and Wales, more than two million people were out of work.For families tied to the coal industry, things…
If you’re Catholic or you have potential Catholic ancestors, keep reading. After all, Latin isn’t a dead language. It’s just Roman around.And don’t worry, we won’t ask you to conjugate a verb.While Latin is no longer a spoken language today, it survives in countless archives and libraries in many countries. Whether you were subjected to a spot of Latin at school or not, any genealogist needs to know the basics of Latin in family history records to research…
Female soccer players were having a ball in the early 1900s.During the First World War, women’s football hit a turning point. As women stepped up to the plate in the workplace, particularly in factories, they quickly turned their hands (or feet) to the beautiful game. Some would even argue women’s matches attracted more spectators than the men’s, detailed in newspaper reports of the time. But some were disturbed by the shining success of the women’s game and deemed it…