Sources for one-name studies

Sources for one-name studies

<p>One-namers will use the same sources as other genealogists, but perhaps in different ways. Ordinary family history tends to be convergent: you focus in on finding your specific ancestors and collateral connections. In contrast, one-name studies tend to be divergent: each new reference may open up a new area of enquiry. Guild studies are also world-wide, so the scope is potentially enormous. When you wish to investigate individuals or specific family groups, you will use the same sources, but in order to capture the scope of your one-name study you will wish to explore as much indexed material as possible. Indexes, together with 'calendars', resumés and some directories are what is called meta-data, or data pointing to data. With traditional family history we are encouraged always to check out the original primary data. Ideally, one-namers would do the same. But the large scale of many studies precludes this, so one-namers often focus on meta-data and other secondary data compiled by others.</p> <p>Furthermore, with traditional ancestor hunting, the search goes cold if you can't prove the next generation back, whereas a one-name study will take an interest in the continuous presence of a name irrespective of whether the references can be assembled into family groups.</p> <p>As a check-list, think about the following classes of data, initially concentrating on indexed sources:</p> <ul> <li>Vital records: births, marriages and deaths of course, but also baptisms, burials, adoptions and divorces. Post mortem inquests. Monumental inscriptions. Bastardy examinations. Wills and administrations.</li> <li>Place data: censuses, street directories, telephone directories, electoral rolls, property deeds, militia lists, tithe records, glebe terriers, manorial records.</li> <li>Educational data: school records, university alumni, degree lists.</li> <li>Occupational data: censuses again, apprentice records, military records, trade &amp; professional directories, livery companies, manorial records.</li> <li>Mobility data: settlement certificates, immigration (e.g. Castle Garden, Ellis Island), emigration, ships passenger lists, aliens registration and naturalisation records.</li> <li>Taxation records: lay subsidies, poll tax, hearth tax, window tax, land tax, death duties.</li> <li>Other life events: criminal and court records, poor law records, workhouse records, official gazettes, newspapers, religious records, patent records.</li> <li>Heraldic records: official (College of Arms), unofficial (Burke's General Armory), Heralds' visitations</li> <li>Assembled biographies, pedigrees and histories</li> <li>Photographs</li> <li>Maps</li> </ul>