A Deep Dive into Your Family's Last Names

Ever since I began exploring my family origins, the last names of my ancestors have fascinated me. You see, with all my roots planted deep in rural southern Italy, names are all I can find. My ancestors were not educated. Only a few could sign their name to a document, rather than making an X.

My people are not found in newspapers. Their exploits are not recorded in books. They were illiterate farmers or artisans living in remote hill towns. Their names are all I have to show for my effort. They are names recorded in their towns' birth, marriage, and death records. And I treasure those names.

Look closer at the last names in your family tree. Each one cements your connection to the places that make up your genealogy.

Unlike other cultures, Italian last names come in enormous numbers. According to an article in Italy Magazine, "Italy has the highest number of last names in Europe: 350,000." Some last names in my family tree are specific to their region or town. Others, such as Leone and Caruso, appear in every part of Italy.

I've used Italian vital records to identify 410 of my direct ancestors. That list of people contains 115 last names. One hundred fifteen! Only 9 of the 115 appear more than 10 times in my ancestry. The bottom line is that I identify with a lot of last names, not only the 3 names of my 4 grandparents (you read that right).

I admit it. I am a passionate collector of names and dates. I celebrate the many marriages that united entire towns in my family tree. For me, "Genealogy is the Joy of Names." Every family tree builder should take pride in "Where Your Last Name Came From." You should take a deep dive and "Explore Your Last Name Concentration."

In fact, here are:

• "3 Reasons to Do Your Own One-Name Study"
• "4 Rules for the Names in Your Family Tree"
• and here's "How to Keep Track of All Your Surnames"
• and "How to Crunch the Numbers on Your Family's Names"

Dive into any of the examples and projects linked in this article. You'll fall in love with your family names, too.