Why Do Spanish Ancestors Have so Many Last Names?

By Nydia Hanna The surnames in Spanish families are tied to traditions of land, wealth, social status and religion. For a Spanish person, their whole name, including two surnames, correctly identifies them and their parents. This identity is deeply rooted in the histories of their ancestors and the names they carried. Spaniards believe that the…

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Electoral Registers in England and Wales

By Anne Sherman In my experience people are either not aware of the uses of the Electoral Registers or confuse them with Trade Directories, even though the two are very different resources. Trade Directories are similar to our modern day Yellow pages, listing the businesses of the day, whereas as Electoral Registers, pre-date Trade Directories…

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