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Introduction: In this article, Gena Philibert-Ortega examines records from the U.S. Census Bureau to see what are the most popular surnames in the United States. Gena is a genealogist and author of the book “From the Family Kitchen.”What is the one surname in your family tree that you dread researching? As family historians, we love researching unique surnames because those people are easier to find and we don’t have to worry about finding two people with the same name.Surnames, of course, are key to genealogy research. In a newspaper column she wrote in 1985, genealogist Myra Vanderpool Gormley explained the...

Study links unusual surnames to criminality Jennifer Harper Thursday, January 29, 2009 Mama, stick with Michael. But Malcolm? Maybe not. A man's first name can predict his criminal tendencies, according to research released Wednesday by economists who compared crime statistics and a roster of more than 15,000 first names to reveal a distinct "name-crime link" among American males. The more unpopular or uncommon the name, the greater the chance the lad will end up in jail, said David E. Kalist and Daniel Y. Lee of Shippensburg University. "Regardless of race, juveniles with unpopular names are more likely to engage in...

The website that lets you find out where your family came from online Last updated at 02:23am on 30.08.08  Ever wondered where in the world you can find the most Crooks, Cranks and Losers?  Or, come to that, the places overrun by people called Smith or Jones?  Well, wonder no more. A website launched today can tell you everything you could possibly want to know about surnames  -  unusual or otherwise.   Pure Klass: Myleene   It uses more than one billion records to show which countries, regions and cities have the greatest concentrations of a given surname. Simply...

Surnames that reveal Pirate ancestry By Nick Britten Last Updated: 1:34am BST 17/08/2007 With all that pillaging and looting, it could be one of the bloodiest reunions in history when descendants of six of Britain's famous pirates are invited to a get-together. People with the surnames Morgan, Rackham, Bonny, Read, Kidd or Teach, are being invited to discover possible connections with the likes of Blackbeard and Calico Jack, in a series of events by English Heritage. Dressing as a sea dog is optional. Proving your lineage with a real-life buccaneer, however, may prove difficult. Abigail Baker, of the genealogy research...

Bill would help groom become Mr. Missus Oregon - A senator introduces an amendment to make it easier for a man to take his wife's surname Tuesday, June 05, 2007 RYAN KOST You've heard of women's lib. Now, state Sen. Vicki Walker wants to introduce you to men's lib. The Eugene Democrat tagged an amendment onto a routine housekeeping bill that she hopes will help men who want to change their names when they marry, but aren't really sure how. Under Walker's amendment, the application for marriage licenses would be redesigned to make room for a little box where...

More than 100 people are deported, and schools are told to look for suspect surnames. MOSCOW — Russia deported more than 100 ethnic Georgians accused of entering the country illegally and ordered some Moscow schools to compile lists of children with Georgian surnames to detect illegal residents, officials said Friday. Russia and its fellow former Soviet republic have been locked in a bitter dispute since Georgia arrested four Russian officers last week on charges of spying. Despite their release, Moscow has imposed a variety of sanctions on Georgia.