I'm researching my husband's last name, are any of you knowledgeable about where to find trustworthy info?
I’ve been researching my husband’s last name (Scottish origin), off and on for the last year or so, and I purchased our “supposed” coat of arms and tartan pattern. Now, I’m finding conflicting results, on different websites, each claiming that our surname belongs to a different clan.
Does anyone know of a reliable source to find correct information on which clan your surname truly comes from?
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Ancestry.com and family tree maker
My mom was working on finding our family crest when she passed. The one thing she did, was actually find a library in England, that had the crest in it. They were able to make certified copies and send it to us.
The best thing is to get the general area in Scotland and get in touch with historians, and Liberians in the area they might be able to direct you in the right direction
I second Ancestry.com. I’ve found a ton of information and long lost relatives through them.
The branch of family I’m having the most trouble with is my father’s. For years we thought my maiden name was Scottish only to find that it is probably English.
There are a few good books that I’ve found that have a pretty good take on clans, names tartans and crests. I don’t have the titles for you of course I don’t, heaven forbid I should be so helpful! but I tend to trust them a bit more than random internet sites. Wait! Found one! No crests, but names and tartans! Scottish Clans and Tartans by Ian Grimble. If you have a big library nearby, they may have some books that could be helpful. So many of us Scots are related to so many others that it can get a bit confusing. Have fun with this!
Be wary of anyone selling you anything.
My dad was a proud descendant of Bohemian ditch-diggers. Not proverbial “Bohemians”. Not proverbial “ditch-diggers”.
My ancestors actually dug ditches in Prague. I am not kidding.
We ordered an “ancestry book” for laughs and apparently I am Ramses, Caesar, King Henry VIII and Abraham Lincoln all rolled into one!
Back in the 60s and 70s, these crests were the rage. It was a sad day in the neighborhood when so many received the same crest with their individual names.
Ancestral history is great…but, not something we should feel that we can lean upon. Better to make our own history.
It’s quite possible for your surname to appear in more than one clan. Every village had a smith, for example, so it wouldn’t surprise me at all to find that the name “Smith” can be associated with many clans and tartans.
I have found family back to 509 through various places including ancestry.com
Churchs however are the best source once you go back a ways in years.
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