Ever wondered if your surname has any biological relationship to others who share the same last name? You’re not alone. Many people ask the question, are people with the same last name related?
Surnames can be shared between unrelated people without a biological relationship. Just because two people share the same does not mean they are related. There are many common surnames. Smith, for example, is the most common surname in both the United Kingdom, and the United States, but it has various founders, all independent of one another.
Using heritage clues and similar places of origin, you can trace a common ancestor, or indeed, discover different founders for the same name. Read on to find out more about shared surnames, and how likely it is that people share a common ancestor.
How Likely Is It That Two People With The Same Surname Are Related?
Certain factors increase or decrease the probability of two people with the same surname being related.
They are more likely to be related if the surname is rare, or is an unusual spelling of a more common name. Another way to tell is if the surname refers to a specific location in any way, especially if it is a small town or somewhere less populated.
Any evidence that the two people in question’s ancestor stayed in the same location or surrounding areas for multiple generations also increases the chances of being related.
In contrast to this, certain factors decrease the likelihood of two people sharing a surname and common ancestry.
Any name that refers to an occupation (including Smith, Cook, Carpenter, Baker, Cooper, etc) is going to be more generic and can be bestowed upon multiple people in any area without being related. Some are more difficult to detect than others, which is why it is good practice to research the origins of a surname. The same goes for colors, names with ‘son’ at the end (e.g Henderson), places, or any surname that refers to the size of something (e.g Small) or if your ancestor emigrated and there is a strong case that they changed their name.
Not Everyone with the Same Surname is Related
If you share the same surname as someone else, it doesn’t mean you’re related. If you are related, tracing it back could mean going back many generations – sometimes beyond the paper trail.
When you delve deep enough into your ancestry, there is a good chance that two people who are related do not share a lot of genetic material. This can mean these two people are not legally considered related.
Equally, it is possible to share a last name with someone and not find a common ancestor when studying your lineage, yet be related through another line.
Most surnames are passed down from the paternal bloodline (traditionally speaking, most wives take their husband’s name upon marriage). This can make tracing heritage tricky, as two people could be related through a maternal bloodline but not share the same surname.
Many people adopt surnames through marriage, becoming part of the ancestry by name and not bloodline. It all gets a little complex, but there is an easier way to find out whether two people are related by surname.
How to Easily See if You’re Related
- Both people in question need to have a FamilySearch.org account (the free version will suffice). The following will make use of the shared family tree to find common relatives.
- Sign in via the Relative Finder.
- Read the next page to discover information about your relation to historical and potentially famous people.
- Go to “Connect” and select “with people nearby” or “with a friend”
- See how the two of you are related.
This is not a foolproof method, but it is useful for a quick search and can show two people at what point they are related in their family tree.
Does Your Last Name Determine Your Heritage?
Your last name does not determine your heritage. There is no definite correlation between a surname relating to a place and the actual place, although this can give you an indication.
Think of your surname as one piece of the puzzle, that may lead to more information about your genealogy. It could help you find out more about the region your family is from, but it is not for certain.
However, you can find out the ethnic origins of your surname and the occupation by researching your ancestry.
Can You Have the Same Last Name as Your Cousin?
Several factors determine whether or not you have the same last name as your cousin.
For a start, what side of the family you’re on will play a role when it comes to shared ancestry.
One of the most common is through the parental shared name. As with a lot of traditions, most people share their last name with their father who got their father’s name upon birth.
This means the scenario where you share the last name with a cousin is via your father’s brother’s children.
Ultimately, it will depend on how the surname has been passed down. It can be different from family to family, and culture and religion play a part. Both the mother’s and father’s names are inherited in many Spanish-speaking countries, and it is a tradition in many Asian countries for children to inherit their mother’s surname.
There are a few ways for two people to share the same last name. A common family name is the most usual reason, so the numerous Smiths and Johnsons of the world are usually entirely unrelated.
Marriage is another. You can inherit a name but not a bloodline, yet any children two people have together are part of both their mother and father’s bloodlines.
Finally, two people can share a surname and even a very faint bloodline. Distant relations where you are looking at 10th great grandparents and beyond will often mean you are genetically unrelated and legally unrelated, but it is best to check how far back this needs to be to qualify as not being related.
