Surnames are commonly recognized as the last name or family name of an individual. Some cultures have people indicate their surname before their given name, and some indicate surnames last. Generally, everyone in industrialized countries has a surname, even those who have selectively chosen to drop them, such as Cher or Madonna.

While surnames are now taken for granted, there was a time when they were not common. In some more remote areas, they’re still not. People were identified from those who shared the given name by housing location, occupation, physical characteristics or other criteria. It is believed that these descriptions gave rise to the first surnames.

Surnames have evolved and changed over the centuries. When researching your family genealogy, it is important to consider ways in which the surnames you are studying might have changed. Spelling is one of the most common changes. If your last name is ‘Smith’ it might at one time have been ‘Smyth’ or even ‘Smythe’.

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