family name help

[big_daddy_merc]

I'm in need of some help guy's, I want to find out where my surname comes from, we've been told we are descended from a Norwegian viking clan, but I've also seen the family name in Germany.

And I was just wondering if anyone knew of a quick(ish) way of finding out, rather than going down the whole family tree route, which tbh would take years as we are a very large family.



thanks
Simon

 

[led]

Perhaps this site might give you a start.

 

[benp1]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz

 

[Bushcraft4life]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz

 

[big_daddy_merc]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz

.

 

[bloodline]

Perhaps this site might give you a start.

Good link led, it has clarified something about my family name

 

[Mirius]

From my limited experience of family history, I would be very, very wary of claims of descent from viking/ saxon/ norman clans/nobility. Often people will pay a company/ researcher and they expect to find something exciting. Paying out a large amount of money to find that you are descended from a serf is not something most people want, and so the companies oblige. It never fails to amaze me the number of people who have paid for research and find that they originate from a saxon chief who came over with Horsa or the like. Now I'm not saying that it's the case here, just be careful about what other people may have told you - unless you are very sure about their research.

When you research you will quickly come across grey areas, and it is very easy to make assumptions and links that don't really hold up to a more detailed scrutiny. Sometimes the information simply doesn't exist.

 

[Mirius]

Also give this site a go.

 

[big_daddy_merc]

From my limited experience of family history, I would be very, very wary of claims of descent from viking/ saxon/ norman clans/nobility. Often people will pay a company/ researcher and they expect to find something exciting. Paying out a large amount of money to find that you are descended from a serf is not something most people want, and so the companies oblige. It never fails to amaze me the number of people who have paid for research and find that they originate from a saxon chief who came over with Horsa or the like. Now I'm not saying that it's the case here, just be careful about what other people may have told you - unless you are very sure about their research.

When you research you will quickly come across grey areas, and it is very easy to make assumptions and links that don't really hold up to a more detailed scrutiny. Sometimes the information simply doesn't exist.

Thats what my dad had done a few years back, it said in the book he got we are of viking decent, but until I see it for my self I'll take it with a pinch of salt.

To be honest I just want to know where our name comes from as our name is a fairly odd name in the sense it doesn't come from a trade or a area, and from what I've found so far we are Sheffield born and bred. Granted I've only gone back a few hundred years so far.


cheers for the help btw guys:You_Rock_

 

[Aaron]

I'm in need of some help guy's, I want to find out where my surname comes from, we've been told we are descended from a Norwegian viking clan, but I've also seen the family name in Germany.

And I was just wondering if anyone knew of a quick(ish) way of finding out, rather than going down the whole family tree route, which tbh would take years as we are a very large family.



thanks
Simon

Big Daddy Merc? Doesnt sound very Norwegian to me. More like a pimp out of some '70s cop show

 

[big_daddy_merc]

Big Daddy Merc? Doesnt sound very Norwegian to me. More like a pimp out of some '70s cop show

damn been found out

 

[oldsoldier]

Heh, my surname is a corruption of the word "red", and, was assigned to EVERYONE of scotish/irish descent who didnt posess a surname. My family surname is loosely associated with Clan Donnachaidh, but, only through the name. I cannot actually trace my family history that far back...
I know I am descended from dirt farmers. I'm ok with that. I'll associate with the Donnachaidh clan regardless.