Genealogy Chat

I've been 'collecting' unusual surnames for some time - always bugging people by saying 'Where does that come from?' But I wonder which is Britain's rarest. Has anybody done any serious research on this? Two I would nominate are Atack (which I think comes from Lancashire) and Backlog from Norfolk. Any thoughts anyone? Sheila

An interesting point you have raised, Sheila. To be honest, I don't know, but I would like to find out. My surname is pretty rare, but I doubt it is even close to being the rarest in Britain. There is a web site which has profiled surnames. It lists their frequency and where they are found. The address is: http://www.spatial-literacy.org/UCLnames/Surnames.aspx Hope it is of some use. Matt

I have a Dobos in my tree, but that is cheating because he was Hungarian!!!!!

Quick update: I have just tried Atack and Backlog on that web site. Atack isn't that rare - the frequency is 16 people per million. Backlog must be rare as it doesn't show up on the profiler, which means there must be less than 100 people with that name of the electoral role. My surname appears at a frequency of 3 people per million. Matt

I have a surname in my tree 'Rancombe' often mistranscribed as Rancom, Rancomb I know it dont sound rare or unusual but its a devil to find. That website found no results for it either.

hi matt my son married a dorian a lovely girl. hazel.

Hi Hazel, All of us Dorian's are lovely! Where is she from? My Dorians are from the Sunderland area. I know there are Dorian's in the Liverpool area as well, but I don't think they are related. Matt

hi matt, she's from a place called hendon in middlesex. but funny you being from sunderland my mum was from whitburn village,i still have rellies living there hazel.

Good question Sheila! I have come across names that I was sure would be incredibly rare, only to find zillions with that name, invariably clustered together in one county or area, but zillions nevertheless! Uzzell being one - Gloucestershire is full of them! Woolnough and Middleditch being two others - loads in Suffolk! Bev x

Hello I have one that is sort of rare, well spelt the way my grandad spelt it;; Stroyd also spelt ; Stroud, stride and Stroyde;;; Babs

I get the feeling that there was only ever one BRAESEKE in the UK. The German Braesekes are not interested in family research and tend not to respond to your emails. Why do I have such a hard time? 8:( John

There is a family of Bastards in Slapton in Devon. Haven't looked to see if they're anywhere else, but what a name to be saddled with! Mark

Hi You could try the ONS surnames list for 2002 at http://www.taliesin-arlein.net/names/search.php Carol

The surname Bastard was almost a badge of honour at one point,found on ancestry and if it is mistranscrebed the last part of the name could be 'well' instead of 'more' 1871 England Census Record about Anna Shitmore Name: Anna Shitmore Age: 14 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1857 Relation: Daughter Mother's name: Charlotte Gender: Female Where born: Little Ellingham, Norfolk, England Civil Parish: Little Ellingham Town: Little Ellingham County/Island: Norfolk Country: England Registration district: Wayland Sub-registration district: Attleborough ED, institution, or vessel: 7 Household schedule number: 73 Household Members: Name Age Anna Shitmore 14 Charles H Shitmore 11 Charlotte Shitmore 46 Jeremiah Shitmore 16 Liza Shitmore 9 Martha A Shitmore 48 Freebmd doesn't hold any recorded bmd for the surname,and the name also occurs in Oxfordshire I wonder if this surname survives?Nothing comes up for the 1901 that i know of. Glen

I have a serious contender as i helped someone find about their family-ZINGES......it comes from Germany but despite coming to England pre 1900,it has died out already as there were only 2 families.created ,and a few of them were killed in the second world war.

I also know of a family in Middlesex that have a surname,of which they are the only example in the country.

There's a good little cluster of Biggadikes in Lincolnshire - what a shame there's that 'e' at the end, tee hee Bev x

i transcribed a PENNYFATHER the other day...........just wondered if he invented the penny farthing as i have never heard any body being called that before sylvia

No Penny farthings but have Halfpenny`s in my tree!!!!!!

I have a Swinson, only 11 per million and also a Yendley, which does not register now as there are less than a hundred in 1998!! Fuzzy