Hello Pat, I get the point but just for the sake of accuracy it's your 7 times Great Grand parents that you have 512 of and 8 times Great Grand parents that there are 1024 of. Apologies for being a wee bit pedantic Mark. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Pat Carson" <patcarsonp@hotmail.com> To: <aberdeen@rootsweb.com>; <angus@rootsweb.com>; <tay-valley-bridges@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Thursday, May 07, 2009 7:52 PM Subject: [ANGUS] The origins of surnames >I was browsing for surname information and on a discussion board, along >with > all the usual (mainly erroneous) explanations and misconceptions, came > across this response: > > I might add one of the biggest mistakes a person can make when starting > their family history is to get overly involved in their name. Your surname > is a very tiny part of your ancestry. The number of people you descend > from > pyramids as you go back. Get back to your 6xGreat Grandparents, barring > any > duplicates, you are directly descended from 510 individuals. Of those 510 > individuals only 8 of them will probably have your surname. Now, it is > possible for one of your other ancestors to have married someone with the > same surname whether in the family or not, but without any duplicates 502 > will not have your surname. > > Get back to your 7xgreat grandparents you come out of 1012 individuals > (that > is 10 generations including yourself). Again barring any duplicates only 9 > will have your surname leaving out 1003 people. > > Kiddo you have a lot of kin. > > Sort of puts it in perspective! > > > > Pat Carson > > > > Researching > > ADAMSON, STIRLING, KINNEAR in Forfar & Dundee > > KEY, FORD in Coastal Angus & Dundee > > NEAVE in Haddington & Forfar > > MILLER in Dundee > > CONWAY in Ireland, Ayrshire & Dundee > > FISHER in Ayrshire & Dundee > > NICOLSON in Speyside, Aberdeen & Dundee > > REILLY in Ireland & Dundee > > > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > ANGUS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.5.287 / Virus Database: 270.12.21/2102 - Release Date: 05/07/09 05:57:00

Hi Frank, Mark, I can't take credit for the content (or accuracy!) of the quote - just came across it and thought it was very apt. regards Pat "What is this life, if full of care, We have no time to stand and stare ..." W. H. Davies, Leisure -----Original Message----- From: angus-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:angus-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Mark Whitton Sent: Thursday, May 07, 2009 9:00 PM To: angus@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [ANGUS] The origins of surnames Hello Pat, I get the point but just for the sake of accuracy it's your 7 times Great Grand parents that you have 512 of and 8 times Great Grand parents that there are 1024 of. Apologies for being a wee bit pedantic Mark.