Family History Blog » genealogy

Top 10 Surnames in the U.S.

admin — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 01:20:39 +0000

Okay, so Smith has always been at the top of the heap. And Jones. But it’s always interesting to investigate where these names came from. According to the U.S. Census, here is our list of the top 10 surnames in the United States and a few bits of trivia about them:

1. Smith (2,376,206)

As many know, this surname started in the British Isles and derives from the Old English word for metalworker, smitan (which, by the way, comes from the Old English form of the biblical favorite ‘smite’). It was used as an occupational surname as far back as 975 AD. Since then, many have acquired the Smith surname to maintain a secret identity, to mingle with American colonists, and to avoid discrimination. Many African slaves acquired the surname through their masters. All of these factors have led to Smith being the most widely used surname in the United States.

And it doesn’t stop there. Dozens of surnames come from the same root as Smith. Schmid, Schmitz, and Schmidt are all German versions of it. Even the Italian Fabbri, Ferraro, Ferrari, and Fabris and the French Favre, Favrette, and Dufaure come from the Latin term for Smith.

Notable people with the Smith surname include: actor-producer Will Smith; the late model Ann Nicole Smith; and Mormon prophet Joseph Smith.

2. Johnson (1,857,160)

Meaning, literally, ‘son of John’, Johnson is what is referred to as a patronym. It started in England and Scotland is closely related to the surnames Jansen, Johansson, Johnston, Jones, MacShane, McKeown, and Ivanov–all of them originating from different derivations of the name John.

Among the famous people to hold the surname Johnson are: President Lyndon B. Johnson; Lakers point guard Magic Johnson; action star Dwayne Johnson; and singer-guitarist Jack Johnson.

3. Williams (1,534,042)

Although it may not look like it at first glance, Williams is a patronymic form of William. Like many a common surname, it started in medieval England. It derives from two words: ‘will’, meaning ‘desire’, and ‘helm’, meaning ‘helmet’ or ‘protection’. Don’t ask me what the two words mean together–I’m sure it’s something deep.

Famous Williamses include: tennis star sisters Venus and Serena Williams; movie composer John Williams; comedian Robin Williams; and the Hank Williamses of country music.

4. Brown (1,380,145)

It comes from England and Scotland but also has its Old English (Brun), Old Norse (Brunn), Gaelic (Donn), and Continental (Bruno) derivations. The original Browns were named thus for their tendency to wear brown attire or have brown features (eyes or hair, usually).

Notable Browns include: George H. Brown, the inventor of the color TV; Da Vinci Code author Dan Brown; and Godfather of Soul James Brown.

5. Jones (1,362,755)

This surname actually comes from the term ‘son of John’, like Johnson. This makes it especially common. In fact, Jones is the second most common name in the UK. Famous Joneses include: R&B pioneer Quincy Jones; signer Tom Jones; Looney Tunes creator Chuck Jones; and talk show host Star Jones.

6. Miller (1,127,803)

Like Smith, Miller derives from the occupational title for people who worked at mills. Coming primarily from England and Scotland, the name is now represented by these famous people (and more): jazz musician Glenn Miller; comic legend Frank Miller; NBA star Reggie Miller; and journalist Judith Miller.

7. Davis (1,072,335)

It is a patronymic that comes from ‘son of David’. You might be able to guess that it shares this derivation with Davies, Davison, and Davidson. The name is common in England and Wales. Actresses Bette and Geena Davis, trumpeter extraordinaire Miles Davis, and singer-dancer Sammy Davis, Jr., all share this surname.

8. Garcia (858,289)

It is one of several non-Anglo-Saxon surnames that are gaining ground in the U.S. No one is sure exactly where the name came from, but they know it is patronymic and that it probably comes from Iberian or Basque origins. Famous Garcias include Grateful Dead rocker Jerry Garcia and actor Andy Garcia.

9. Rodriguez (804,240)

Rodriguez means ‘son of Rodrigo,’ Rodrigo meaning ‘famous power’. The surname likely started in the 9th century, which is widely believed to be the century when patronymic names began. Notable Rodriguezes include: director Robert Rodriguez; baseball star Alex Rodriguez; and tough girl-actress Michelle Rodriguez.

10. Wilson (783,051)

Meaning ‘son of Wil’, this surname became popular in the 1000s and 1100s after the emergence of William the Conqueror as King of England. US President Woodrow Wilson, playwright August Wilson, and Thomas E. Wilson, of Wilson Sporting Goods, all share this surname.

10 Best Ways to Learn Your Family History

admin — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:59:07 +0000

Family history. You’ve heard about it. You might have even seen a few TV shows about it. But more than anything, in the back of your mind, you always have the questions, "Who am I? Where did I come from?" You want to know what your story is and that story starts hundreds of years ago with your ancestors. The process of finding out can be an adventure.

Getting started is easier than you might think. It doesn’t usually cost anything (except time) and much of it may be in your house or a phone call away. Here are the 10 best ways to learn about your family’s past:

1. Pencil and Paper

You can’t know what you don’t know until you know what you know. I think I just confused myself. Basically, by sketching out your family tree according to your own knowledge, you will start to have an idea of where you need to start searching.

Start with you and your siblings, if you have any. Write down as many birthdates or death dates as you can remember. Do the same thing as you work your way down, well, as far as you can go, to grandparents or great-great-grandparents. For some people, this may stop at themselves, as in the case of some adoptions. Others may be able to reach back centuries.

By doing this exercise, you are able to visualize where your search needs to begin.

2. Grandparents

If you’ve got them, use them. If you’ve got a great-grandparent or even a great-aunt, even better. In members of older generations, you have a living breathing library of information. In my experience, the problem is that most people don’t talk about it enough.

Every time I have sat down and struck up a conversation with my grandparents I have found out not only names and dates, but also the stories behind those names. After all, they personally knew many of the people you are looking are. They can bring your ancestors to life in ways that websites and other tools just can’t.

So talk to these members of your family and have a pen and paper ready. They will likely have some of the things I am about to recommend.

3. Photographs

As long as photos have been a fixture of family life, they have been a medium for recordkeeping among families. Sometimes it’s just a photo of someone you don’t recognize. Other times, names and dates may actually be written on the back of the photo itself.

Beyond just information, I’ve found that photos bring your family history to life. They give you a chance to look into the eyes of the people you are studying. They remind you these people had lives—lives full of stories, happy and sad. Most likely, you will recognize your features in theirs.

4. Family Reunions

Awkward or not, getting together with extended family—especially those you don’t know very well—is a great way to fill in the gaps in your history.

First, it puts many of those invaluable grandparents, great-grandparents, or great-aunts all in one place. In this way, family reunions can be a genealogy goldmine. Sit down with more than one of them at a time, get them talking about so-and-so’s wedding and watch the fireworks fly. They will remind each other of things they had forgotten.

Second, it makes you get together with parts of your family you don’t usually see or talk to. Forget that you don’t know them from Adam. They have information you don’t. By not talking to them, you miss out on that information.

So grab a plate of your aunt’s Carrot Jello Casserole and talk to everyone you can. You’ll be surprised when you walk away a treasure trove of family history.

5. Birth Certificates

These records are a great way to attach children to parents. Luckily, birth certificates are fairly common. Everyone has one and they help to give a beginning point for any given life. Best of all, most families hold onto these because of their importance in getting things like Social Security Cards or Passports.

If you can’t find birth certificates in a shoe box or jewelry box, you always request them from the vital statistics office in the state or area where the birth took place. To learn more about how to do this, visit this page.

6. Death Certificates

These records complete the bookends to someone’s life. They typically tell you when, where, and how they died. Important stuff. They can often be found in the possession of surviving relatives. If not, death certificates can also be obtained from the vital statistics office in the state in which the death happened.

7. Marriage Certificates

You’re probably noticing a trend here. You want to get your hands on as many records of significant life events as possible. Marriage is one of those—it creates another branch in the family tree. If you can’t find these certificates with relatives, this site is a good place to search if your family history is primarily in the U.S.

8. Family History Websites

Sites like Ancestry.com or MyHeritage.com may be the first thing that come to mind when you think of starting your family history search. The best feature of these services is that they allow you to tap into the family history work that other users have already done on your pedigree. Sort of the family reunion effect.

You can usually get a free 30-day trial and there is a reasonable monthly subscription fee after that. These sites can be a great way to bring all of your research together into one place and to benefit from the research of others.

9. Family History Center

Nearly every county in the U.S. has a family history center of some kind. These centers come equipped with computers, microfiche libraries, county records, and more. Most importantly, they come with a helpful, knowledgeable genealogist who can help you past any roadblocks. This page is an easy way to find one a family history center in your area. NOTE: Although these centers are provided by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they are open to the public.

10. Roadtrip

Beyond documents, photographs, and stories, there are the places in which your ancestors lived. If it will fit in your budget, you might consider taking a trip to these places. There is something magical about walking on the same streets or sitting in the same church your forebears did. It makes your family history all the more real. Often, at historical sites, churches, or museums, you may run into pieces of information that fit into your genealogy.

Immigration in the 20th Century

admin — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 01:38:24 +0000

With the exception of the Native Americans, the United States of America is a country of immigrants. Unlike their neighbors in Asia, Europe, and Africa, the vast majority of the nation’s citizenry came from, or has ancestors that came from in the last 400 years, other countries. Whether you’re working on your genealogy or studying current social issues, an understanding of immigration is a must. Few centuries have been bigger for immigration in the U.S. than the twentieth century.

1901 to 1920 – As seen in the infographic below, the twentieth century started strong with immigration, still riding a wave from the 1890s, when the percentage of foreign-born people in the U.S. hit an all-time high of 14.7 percent. Sea travel became more affordable and faster, increasing the rates by which immigrants could travel to America. World War I threw Europe into a tail spin, both politically and economically, further stoking foreign interest in the relatively tranquil shores of the New World.

1921 to 1940 – Starting in 1924, immigration took a dramatic downturn when Congress passed the Immigration Act of 1924. This act limited immigration from countries already well represented in the U.S. but limited immigration from less familiar countries. The Great Depression of the 1930s further decreased immigration as opportunity and prosperity vaporized. In fact, conditions in the U.S. were so negative that more people actually emigrated from the U.S. than immigrated into it during the early 1930s.

1941 to 1960 – World War II did little to boost immigration into the U.S. Rates would remain low throughout the war and throughout the 1950s.

1961 to 1980 – Immigration grew again in the 1960s due to the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Act Amendments of 1965, which drew down quotas on certain immigrant groups. With strong economic growth throughout the 1960s and 1970s, immigration boomed but not nearly to pre-Depression levels.

For more information on immigration in the 20th century, check out the following videos:

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