Surname Distribution Maps

United States   Emigration and Immigration    [[Surname_Distribution_Maps|Surname Distribution Maps

Sometimes, it is possible to guess where where an immigrant ancestor originated through surname distribution maps. These maps graphically demonstrate where surnames occurred at different periods in time. This strategy provides genealogists with a research starting point in the birth country, when that information cannot be discovered in American sources. It works particularly well for less-common surnames and among families that have stayed in the same locations for centuries.