Dictionary of American Family Names

Edited by Patrick Hanks

Dictionary of American Family Names

Edited by Patrick Hanks

Description

Where did your surname come from? Do you know how many people in the United States share it? What does it tell you about your lineage?

From the editor of the highly acclaimed Dictionary of Surnames comes the most extensive compilation of surnames in America. The result of 10 years of research and 30 consulting editors, this massive undertaking documents 70,000 surnames of Americans across the country. A reference source like no other, it surveys each surname giving its meaning, nationality, alternate spellings, common forenames associated with it, and the frequency of each surname and forename.

The Dictionary of American Family Names is a fascinating journey throughout the multicultural United States, offering a detailed look at the meaning and frequency of surnames throughout the country. For students studying family genealogy, others interested in finding out more about their own lineage, or lexicographers, the Dictionary is an ideal place to begin research.

Dictionary of American Family Names

Edited by Patrick Hanks

Author Information

Patrick Hanks is a consultant in corpus-based lexicography and phraseology at the Berlin Academy of Sciences. He was formerly Chief Editor of Current English Dictionaries at Oxford University Press, and a research fellow in lexical computing at Brimingham University. He has been researching the geographical distribution, meaning, and origin of surnames for over 30 years.

Dictionary of American Family Names

Edited by Patrick Hanks

Reviews and Awards

Library Journal Best Reference Source, 2003
Booklist Editors' Choice, 2003

"Researchers of many kinds, particularly genealogists and family historians, will value Hanks' work for its breadth of surname coverage and scholarship--a combination which guarantees that it will soon become one of the benchmark publications of its kind. Highly recommended." --Library Journal

"The new Dictionary of American Family Names belongs in every library in America, particularly those who cater to genealogists." --Genealogy Bulletin

"Readers from experienced genealogists, to students assigned to find the meaning of their family name, to the just plain curious will find this a useful and fascinating resource. ...a definite purchase where this type of information is in demand."--Against the Grain