In 2017 I presented my mother, whose father was George Slinger, with a copy of our family history as a birthday present. It mapped out research into my Slinger ancestors, most of whom lived in the Upper Dales (North Riding of Yorkshire) and Westmorland (now part of Cumbria). The Slinger surname remains fairly uncommon and continues to be concentrated in Northern England.

I am now looking into the Slinger name through the guild to bring together the various stories I've collected and make sure that these stories can be read by other Slingers and descendants of Slingers, but also to invite others to support this. While the most robust studies use a combination of DNA results and documentary research, the project will initially focus on collecting:

• Any Slinger family trees to see where (if possible) they overlap
• Information on individuals, their lives and any photos are not protected by copyright.

There are two main sets of variations on the name Slinger.

The first set is linked to an occupation of someone who used a sling - whether to haul things around or to throw projectiles - e.g. Slinge, Slingger or Slynger.

The second comes may come from the village of Slingsby, located between Malton and Thirsk, e.g. Slingsbie or Slingsbye, although Slingsby and Slinger are thought to be separate surnames.

Initially, the focus will be on Slinger.

The name Slinger is thought to have come from the Old English word meaning to cast or hurl, 'slingan'. But there are also links to the Old Norse term 'slyngr' meaning '(well) versed' or 'skilled' and although there was an Old Norse word 'slynger' meaning to hurl or sling, it wasn't particularly common and only became so as the Old Icelandic verb 'slyngva' (again meaning to fling, throw), which developed as a language from Old West Norse.

Meanwhile the Slingsby village can trace its name back to the Domesday Book of 1086, in which it was listed as Selungesbi. The bi or by is the Old Norse for a farmstead or village. It would have been owned by a man called Slengr, another Old Norse name.