This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/7588968.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Website maps surnames worldwide | Website maps surnames worldwide |
(about 8 hours later) | |
A website which maps global surnames has been launched to help people find the origins of their name and how far it may have spread. | A website which maps global surnames has been launched to help people find the origins of their name and how far it may have spread. |
The Public Profiler site plots 10.8 million last names using data from electoral rolls and phone directories. | The Public Profiler site plots 10.8 million last names using data from electoral rolls and phone directories. |
The site covers a billion people in 26 countries, showing the origins of names and where families have scattered. | The site covers a billion people in 26 countries, showing the origins of names and where families have scattered. |
David Beckham, for example, has an English name, but there are more Beckhams in the US than Britain. | David Beckham, for example, has an English name, but there are more Beckhams in the US than Britain. |
But the region of the world containing the most Beckhams was even further from the footballer's east London origins - in the New Zealand province of Northland. | But the region of the world containing the most Beckhams was even further from the footballer's east London origins - in the New Zealand province of Northland. |
The site - www.publicprofiler.org/worldnames - also reveals which of the 6.5 million forenames are most closely associated with different surnames and lists the top regions and cities for each surname. | The site - www.publicprofiler.org/worldnames - also reveals which of the 6.5 million forenames are most closely associated with different surnames and lists the top regions and cities for each surname. |
A name is now not just a statement of who you are but where you are Professor Paul Longley class="" href="http://www.publicprofiler.org/worldnames/">Public Profiler: World Names (may be slow due to heavy demand) | |
It was developed by a team of geographers from University College London. | It was developed by a team of geographers from University College London. |
Professor Paul Longley, one of the researchers, said: "The information is not just historical but geographical. | Professor Paul Longley, one of the researchers, said: "The information is not just historical but geographical. |
"We can link names to places - a name is now not just a statement of who you are but where you are." | "We can link names to places - a name is now not just a statement of who you are but where you are." |
Most surnames originated in specific places in the world and remain most frequent in those areas, but have often spread to other countries because of migration, the research showed. | Most surnames originated in specific places in the world and remain most frequent in those areas, but have often spread to other countries because of migration, the research showed. |
Searches for Britain's three multi-gold medallists at the recent Olympics and the leaders of the three main political parties revealed some mixed results. | Searches for Britain's three multi-gold medallists at the recent Olympics and the leaders of the three main political parties revealed some mixed results. |
• Swimmer Rebecca Adlington's surname is most prevalent in New Zealand | • Swimmer Rebecca Adlington's surname is most prevalent in New Zealand |
• Cyclist Chris Hoy's surname is Irish but more common in Denmark | • Cyclist Chris Hoy's surname is Irish but more common in Denmark |
• Cyclist Bradley Wiggins's surname is most popular in the US | • Cyclist Bradley Wiggins's surname is most popular in the US |
• Prime Minister Gordon Brown's surname tops the list in Australia | • Prime Minister Gordon Brown's surname tops the list in Australia |
• Conservative leader David Cameron's surname is most prevalent in New Zealand | • Conservative leader David Cameron's surname is most prevalent in New Zealand |
• Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg's surname is still most common in Britain | • Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg's surname is still most common in Britain |
Prof Longley said that the site was currently struggling to cope with demand. | |
"We are being deluged with requests and we ask people to be patient. There is obviously a lot of interest in family names and family history globally," he said. |