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If The Surname Is The Same, Are We Related

Have you ever stopped and thought about if you are related to every person with the same surname as you? I have.

A surname can be shared between unrelated people with any biological relationship. Just because two people share the same surname does not mean they are related.

For instance, my maiden name is Smith - can you imagine how many relatives I would have if I were related to every person with the same last name as mine?

Most surnames are passed down through the paternal bloodline. This does make tracing heritage tricky, as two people can be related through a maternal bloodline but not share the same surname.

A surname can be adopted through marriage, where you become a part of the ancestry but not the bloodline.

While not a foolproof method, www.familysearch.org has a Relative Finder option on their website. It does require you to have an account with FamilySearch, which is free, and a family tree uploaded. Use this web address to open the Relative Finder, https://relativefinder.org/#/main

You can find information on the ethnic origins of your surname and possibly the occupation of your ancestor by researching your family.

Two people can share a surname and even a faint bloodline. Chances are distant relations where you look at 10th, 11th, or 12th great-grandparents, which often mean you are genetically unrelated and legally unrelated.

If you want to research your family, consider visiting the Laurel Jones County Library Genealogy Library for assistance. If you cannot make it to the library, please feel free to contact me through this blog, email geneal@laurel.lib.ms.us, or call 601-428-4313, ext 111 (voicemail is available)

Hours for the genealogy library are Wednesday 1:00 pm - 4:30p m, Thursday 9:00 am - 11:45 am, then 1:00 pm - 5:30 pm, and Friday 9:00 am - 11:45 am, then 1:00 pm - 3:30 pm,

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