Welcome! The Geography of surnames web site is devoted to the study of English, Scottish and Irish surnames. Surnames will be examined from a geographic perspective, focusing on their distribution, patterns and origins.  Examples will be drawn from areas as diverse as Cornwall, Wales, the Borders of Scotland and Ulster. In addition themes such as occupational and topographic surnames will be considered. The site is a work in progress and will be updated periodically. Topics that are being developed but not yet included are indicated on the menu as “under construction” (UC). The maps on the site are in the form of thumb nails. To view the full image click your mouse on the thumbnail. A guide with tips for navigating the maps can be found here. We welcome comments and suggestions and hope you find the information useful!