Here's something I've been wondering for quite awhile now...
I'm not sure if this thread is suited here or in the Pub but I'll try here...

A long time ago, I met someone in my Youth Group who had somewhat of the same last name as I do, though hers is a bit different. The difference between her last name and mine, is that hers has "De" before it.

Now, I wonder...what are the chances that a person encountering someone with a similar last name could be related to them? By related, I mean by blood relations, etc.

Depends on the origin of the name. One such as Smith will likely not be related as it comes from working as a blacksmith.

I'd say the chances are very, very, very slight, considering the fact that there's so many common names out there! Now, if you have a very unusual name, then it's more possible.

Of course, if you believe the bible...we're all related anyway XD YAY (stretching the literal meaning of the term but never mind) INCEST ON A GLOBAL SCALE!!!

*cough*

uhn tis uhn tis uhn tis

Eath. Pronounced Ee-uht. Find me a cousin to mate with that I don't know.
vomit

Six Degrees of Separation theory? It's possible, I think, to use that theory to find someone who has the same last name as oneself.

Six Degrees of Separation theory?
I'll go look it up

it's still scratching at my head though, hahahah
I don't know the origin of my last name XD
I guess it's research time

In my street there are three families with the same name (the same as mine) and we're no family XD

In fact, in a town 10 KM away there's a guy with exactly the same first and last name as me, apparantly @_@

lol, maybe they're your long lost relatives that you don't know about XD

My last name is Bergeron. If I look in my cities phonebook, there are like fifty more Bergerons in there. I don't think sharing last names is uncommon at all, hahah.

I have never really cared about last names. Fate should not determine who you are. And... there are probably tons of chinese with my last name cause of the population...

There are quite a few people within a 10 mile radius of my home that have my last name (relatives); but I'm pretty sure I'm the only on this site with it.

The only people in the world with my last name is me, my mother, my sister and 2-3 relatives in Finland.

Well I suppose it really depends. How closely related do you mean? One could argue that we're ALL related, way back at the dawn of time; regardless of whether or not you have the same last name.

If you mean quite closely related, my legal last name, for one thing, is extremely common, but my brother and father are the only people on both sides of my family who have it. Which is partially attributed to the fact that it's a manifestation of what should have been my actual last name by the lousy people who spelled my father's name wrong on his papers when he moved to [country].

Um, that was off on a tangent.

Part of the reason is (if you live in the US) your ancestors name may have been changed during their transition into the country. Many last and first names were changed due to whatever reasons.

I heard Anglo-sized(?) names are used because people can't pronounce it well, it's common with Asian people around here

Part of the reason is (if you live in the US) your ancestors name may have been changed during their transition into the country. Many last and first names were changed due to whatever reasons.

I know mine was.

If you're of Asian descent (you're probably not, but I am), especially Chinese, Koreans, Japanese, etc. just take note of how many Chan's there are, or Lee's, Wong's, Yamata's, or whatevers there are.

I think, just amongst my friends, there are around four Lee's, two Wong's, three Hwang's, just off the top of my head. None of us are related though.

Chan and Lee work in the same way that both surnames were those of the ruling emperor/king in a golden(..or at least close to) age of the country. Everyone just wanted to have surnames like them.

Yamata is closer to Smith in origin. Just means the guy with the fields out in the mountains.

Here's something I've been wondering for quite awhile now...
I'm not sure if this thread is suited here or in the Pub but I'll try here...

A long time ago, I met someone in my Youth Group who had somewhat of the same last name as I do, though hers is a bit different. The difference between her last name and mine, is that hers has "De" before it.

Now, I wonder...what are the chances that a person encountering someone with a similar last name could be related to them? By related, I mean by blood relations, etc.

I knew two girls with the same first AND last name. They lived in the same area too... One of the girls was in my class in year 1, the other is one of my best friends now.

Girl 1
Was in my form in year 1. Her Dad taught music at my primary school.

Girl 2
Is one of my best friends now. Her mum looked after me when my parents were working and taught year 1s at my primary school, after I left year 1.

Part of the reason is (if you live in the US) your ancestors name may have been changed during their transition into the country. Many last and first names were changed due to whatever reasons.

Nice example of this would be the last name van Dyk, which comes from "van Dijk", which is dutch. Of course, there's loads of names like that. Just alter the spelling a bit so it works better in english.

edit: I wouln't be surprised if "Roosevelt" comes from Dutch or german or so, in Dutch it could be Rozeveld, which would mean Field of Roses.

Not sure though, could from German too, but hey, another example ;)

In german it'd probably be something like Rosenweldt, world of roses =P

Anyway, lots of Anderson and Johanson roaming around in the US, which are swedish...

I've never met somebody with my last name before, nor my first name. I think it would be really interesting to be able to, for either of them. It might even be a bit surreal. I think I'd check and see if we had any similarities.

I believe most of my family's ancestors are from England, so most likely my family name is more common there than here.

I think im the only Fergusson I know other than my family

yes folks, double S
but damn everyone skips that s when they ask for my last name and I have to go to correct it -_- annoying.

My surname means 'heir to the throne'.

Maybe i was once royalty...




Maybe my family was so naughty it wasnt allowed to be royalty and got kicked out to live among the peasants...

*Gathers fruit* mmm apples....