Discover the origins of your family name

Our database contains 49,352 last names from Smith to Smiley and Aaron to Zywicki. Where does yours come from and what does it mean?

The Internet Surname Database

Query our database to discover the results of our research into individual surnames. Each surname research typically contains :-‍

  • The current surname and its immediate variant spellings.
  • The earliest proven recording that we have been able to find of the surname, and the name and reign dates of the monarch on the appropriate throne at the time.
  • The country or countries of origin, with the approximate period of history from when the "word" might have first been used descriptively, before becoming a surname.
  • The original meaning and translation of the surname, its descriptive group, i.e. locational, patronymic, occupational etc.
  • Examples of interesting recordings which appear in pipe rolls, deeds, and wills, date back to early medieval times 11th or 12th century, and/or from the earliest church register recordings from the 15th century onwards.
Family Tree

Looking to explore your family tree?

Researching your family tree can be a tricky business, but some of the premium sites dedicated to this task, do a great job of getting you started. To help you get going we have tested out 4 of the market leaders and ranked them against each other to show their strengths and weaknesses.

Family Tree

Delve into your Ancestral DNA

Your origins are encoded in your DNA, and enable us to pinpoint where in the world your ancestors came from. Your DNA results will include an ethnicity breakdown and identify the specific groups you descend from among 2,114 geographic regions.