This book combines linguistic and historical approaches with the latest techniques of DNA analysis and show the insights these offer for every kind of genealogical research. It focuses on British names, tracing their origins to different parts of the British Isles and Europe and revealing how names often remain concentrated in the districts where they first became established centuries ago. In the process the book casts fresh light on the ancient peopling of the British Isles. The authors consider why some names die out, and how others have spread across the globe. They use recent advances in DNA testing to discover whether particular surnames have a single, dual or multiple origins and whether various forms of a name have a common origin. They show how information from DNA can be combined with historical evidence and techniques to distinguish between individuals with the same name and different names with similar spellings and to identify the name of the same individual or family spelt in various ways in different times and places. Clearly written and illustrated with hundreds of examples, this book will be welcomed by all those engaged in genealogical research, including everyone seeking to discover the histories of their names and families.

By:   David Hey, George Redmonds, Turi King
Imprint:   Oxford University Press
Country of Publication:   United Kingdom
Dimensions:   Height: 24mm,  Width: 240mm,  Spine: 173mm
Weight:   557g
ISBN:  

9780199582648

ISBN 10:   0199582645
Pages:   320
Publication Date:   October 2011
Audience:   General/trade ,  Professional and scholarly ,  ELT Advanced ,  Undergraduate
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In stock at Abbey's Bookshop
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Introduction; 1. By-names; 2. Hereditary Surnames; 3. Expansion and Decline; 4. Distribution and Migration; 5. Linguistic and Social Factors; 6. Meaning and Method; 7. DNA and Surnames; 8. The Link Between Surname and Y Chromosome Type; 9. The Wider Picture; Conclusion; Bibliography; Index of Names; General Index

Enthralling and compulsively readable, this book combines linguistics with genetics, genealogy, and local history to provide a fresh and eye-opening vision of the British past - and indeed of family histories across a wider world. Focusing on the history of British surnames it casts a totally new light on what makes us who we are - and how we can find out. Indispensable reading for anyone interested in their roots, this book offers nothing less than a new perspective on British history. Michael Wood, historian and broadcaster

An excellent book, for its clarity, up-to-dateness, and coverage of all the important aspects of genetic genealogy, with many interesting and useful details not given in other books. Genetic Genealogy they enjoyably demonstrate how ancestral links may be explored. Family History Monthly it provides exciting clues about how recent developments in DNA analysis are shaping genealogical research Who Do You Think You Are? Enthralling and compulsively readable, this book combines linguistics with genetics, genealogy, and local history to provide a fresh and eye-opening vision of the British past - and indeed of family histories across a wider world. Focusing on the history of British surnames it casts a totally new light on what makes us who we are - and how we can find out. Indispensable reading for anyone interested in their roots, this book offers nothing less than a new perspective on British history. Michael Wood, historian and broadcaster An excellent book, for its clarity, up-to-dateness, and coverage of all the important aspects of genetic genealogy, with many interesting and useful details not given in other books. Genetic Genealogy This book will come to be seen as an important progenitor of a new historical subdiscipline, a ground-breaking interdisciplinary liaison, between history and genetics, one that may eclipse the boldness of any such humanities scientific collaboration hitherto. Professor Keith Snell, Annual Bulletin of Historical Literature

An excellent book, for its clarity, up-to-dateness, and coverage of all the important aspects of genetic genealogy, with many interesting and useful details not given in other books. Genetic Genealogy they enjoyably demonstrate how ancestral links may be explored. Family History Monthly it provides exciting clues about how recent developments in DNA analysis are shaping genealogical research Who Do You Think You Are? Enthralling and compulsively readable, this book combines linguistics with genetics, genealogy, and local history to provide a fresh and eye-opening vision of the British past - and indeed of family histories across a wider world. Focusing on the history of British surnames it casts a totally new light on what makes us who we are - and how we can find out. Indispensable reading for anyone interested in their roots, this book offers nothing less than a new perspective on British history. Michael Wood, historian and broadcaster An excellent book, for its clarity, up-to-dateness, and coverage of all the important aspects of genetic genealogy, with many interesting and useful details not given in other books. Genetic Genealogy