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Surnames: Resources in Local History and Genealogy

Surnames by Country

Identifying a country of origin is a huge step in building your family tree. The Library of Congress collects dictionaries of names and onomastic studies from around the globe. The bibliographies below can give you a taste of the kinds of materials found in the Library that you can consult to learn about the places and cultures your ancestors came from. These titles link to fuller bibliographic information in the Library of Congress Online Catalog. Links to additional online content are included when available.

Africa

Middle East

Asia

Eastern Europe

Great Britain and Ireland

Scandinavia

Western Europe

North America

Oceania