Who Am I?
1. Origins and Meanings of Names
a) What is the study of names called
b) What country was the first to use “surnames” or last names?
c) Name the four general sources for last names.
d) Name the five languages from which we most first names originate.
e) When were middle names first used?
f) China has over one billion people. How many surnames are there?
a) Type in your last name and change the year to 1850. Push Enter. In how many states are your relatives? NOTE: If your last name doesn't show, change the setting to All Years.
b) Click on the Back button and change the year to 1880. Push Enter. In how many states are your relatives?
c) Click on the Back button and change the year to 1920. Push Enter. In how many states are your relatives?
d) Click on the Back button and change the year to 1990. Push Enter. In how many states are your relatives?
3. Popular Baby Names Are you in the top ten names for 2009?
a) Scroll down to "Popular Names by Birth Year" and enter the year of your birth. Set Popularity to Top 20, Top 50, Top 100, Top 500, or Top 1000 to find yours!
b) Using "Popularity of a Name" type in your name, sex and 50 years, then press Go. What's the best ranking (the lowest number listed) for your name?
a) Type in your first name (be sure to click the right gender!) What names appear? Is your name a variant of another name? What is it?
b) Click on the Back Button to the main page and scroll down. What is the most popular name for boys in the US? In Canada? In Ireland? In Sweden? In England? In Australia?
c) What is the most popular name for girls in the US? In Canada? In Ireland? In Sweden? In England? In Australia?
a) Click on Arizona and find out what the top five names were the year you were born.
b) Scroll down to "Compare the Popularity of Two Names". Type in your name and your best friend's first name. Which name is more popular? Try your first name and your middle name.
a) What is the meaning of your name?
b) In what languages are it found?
c) On the right-hand side of your results click on popularity. What is the highest ranking for your name?
d) Click on the back button and click on Related Names. How many are there?
7. Common US Surnames and Their Meanings
a) What are the top ten surnames in the US?
b) Click on one of the page numbers at the bottom and write down five surnames from that page with their rankings.
8. Surnames Behind the Names Type your last name in the search box. Push Enter.
a) From what language is your last name?
b) Click on Statistics. What are the rankings for your name?
9. Name Lab Type your last name in the search box. Push Enter.
a) What is the origin and meaning of your last name?
b) Are there famous people with your last name? Who are they?
c) Click the back button. On the left-hand side of the screen click on Search Baby Names. Type in your name. How many related names appear? List five of them.
10. Ancestry.com
a) Type in your last name and push Enter. Using the links on the left-hand side of the screen:
b) What is the place of origin of your last name? (Where did your ancestors immigrate from?)
c) When did your ancestors immigrate to the US?
d) What is the life expectancy for your last name?
e) What are the ports of departure for your last name?
f) What occupations are related to your name in 1880?
a) Choose one of the sites listed and see what you can find out about your name.
Created by Linda DeVore
Last Updated Wednesday, October 13, 2010
