As some members may have roots in the Ole Country, type in your surname and see if there is a cluster of names in one or more regions. Did mine, and although my surname is Cornish, there are clusters in SW Scotland, Lake District, Gloucestershire and Liverpool. http://named.publicprofiler.org Also, scroll down to World names. There some of my tribe in Nebraska (new to me). Some years ago, I found a NYC FBI agent had the same surname. There are about up to thirty in South Africa, but it seems the survey hasn't covered colonials.
The largest cluster was around Birmingham which is where my ancestor that first came to America was from. There is also large clusters along the coast west of Exeter and around Belfast Ireland.
I have a very, very common surname. So have many clusters. Largest is in the Midlands. ( Surname hint: Same as a famous 'Benny' comedian...)
I was always told that my father's family were of Dutch origin. But the Dutch say it's not a Dutch name but a Scot name. World Map and European Map show a cluster of my surname in London and others in Scotland but none elsewhere in Europe. Also clusters in the U.S. and Canada. Apparently it's not a Dutch surname. I'm considering a DNA test to determine my European origin. I wonder which testing organization produces reliable data. Any recommendations?
My surname ( maiden name) shows up as a HUGE cluster in the west of Scotland and Northern Ireland...and that's exactly right. I was born and raised in the west of Scotland to parents who were born and raised there also by their parents and all my great grandparents who were from Northern Ireland...
Interesting you said your surname @Holly Saunders The word Christian name or surname is no longer accepted by any medical clinics now days in Australia ...and allot of other businesses ......you have to use ....First and given name ....if you say oh my surname is Jones ..they quickly correct you saying last name .please .....Its widely known why this has changed but I’m not going to get into,that subject I looked at my family tree on ancestry a few days ago ( my grandfathers side ) and it traced back to,Ireland ....it’s all mind boggling ,but I must be getting or got old because I still remembered and recognised my GF brothers names
Oooh that's not the case here ..at least not yet @Kate Ellery , with the first and last name thing. We still use first names and surnames.. I'm trying to imagine why it's been changed to 'last name' in Australia... Oh yes I'm not at all surprised that your ancestors were from Ireland....so many Irish and scots emigrated to Australia..not only a 100 years ago or more, but also relatively recently as you know, in the 60's with the £10 poms...