How many surnames are you researching?

[Fi & Lilly]

To date I am researching 16!

[Smiley Sammy]

Mainly three KERSLAKE MERRY & HALMAN.

I am blocking out all others, or trying to

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

A lot, but not all at the same time!

[Elaine ..Spain]

Have just checked my Family Tree Maker file and I have 368 different surnames - some of which will relate to my main ancestral lines, others will just be minor twigs, for example someone marrying into the family.

[Richard]

Lots on my tree, but probably a similar number 16-20, direct lines which are of greatest interest to me.

[Janet in Yorkshire]

I've been doing 4 extended family studies over the last 20+ years.

I'm also researching other connected familes of various surnames, but tend to have blitzes on each of these from time to time - especially if someone makes contact.

Jay

[claretaylor22]

There are 13 or 14 I can count on my fingers off the top of my head, mainly on my maternal side, but there are lots more that have sprung to mind since I started replying. And of course there are some "favourites";)

[Jean and Tonic]

Probably 16-20 main names, then a few side lines .. but that's only my side of the family.....I've only scratched the surface on hubby's side so I'll probably end up with double that number.

Jean

[Darksecretz]

Have just checked my Family Tree Maker file and I have 368 different surnames - some of which will relate to my main ancestral lines, others will just be minor twigs, for example someone marrying into the family.

I cant find that on my FTM :(

but I drift and dabble... depends on how I am feeling on the day.

so it could be any surname out of my whole tree and the next day another name from another branch.

[Elaine ..Spain]

I cant find that on my FTM :(

TOOLS / FAMILY FILE STATISTICS / Total number of different surnames (Calculate)

[WendyPusey]

My FTM tree says I have 1384 different surnames!!!!! Well I do have over 12,000 people in my tree, lots of twigs and side branches! It is both mine and my OH's tree combined.

[Darksecretz]

TOOLS / FAMILY FILE STATISTICS / Total number of different surnames (Calculate)

Thanks Elaine... I did look there, but didnt see the calculate bit :o

anyway I have 481 surnames

[Janet]

About 33 to 35 mainline names and a few others for interest.

Janet

[Kath nr the Crooked Spire]

Mainly 8 names at the moment that I am keenly researching as I have lots of brick walls.
I am not too interested in constructing a massive tree but like working on my direct line and finding out as much as I can about my ancestors.

[GallowayLass]

My FTM count between both me and the OH is 788 surnames amongst the 3521 folks in the trees so far after about 25 years hard toil. No wonder my family thinks I'm daft LOL

[guybrush]

158 surnames in my tree but I have about 10 I flip between really. I'm currently going sideways and forward from my direct line and quickly get bored with looking up one surname for several generations so I bounce around a bit.

[kylejustin]

im researching pretty much all names at the mo. i'll get stuck on one, and google another or use a new site that has info. i do them all at once, unless i get stuck or bored. when your not looking for info you usually find it!!

im also researching pre 1500's, because me scots were descended from baron's in the early 1700's, and they themselves were descended from 14th century royalty.

[LorraineJ]

Nothing exotic about the surnames I am looking through, Smith, Wilson and Brown but several others that are a tad out of the ordinary. Can't go any further until the certificates I have ordered come to me and then who knows were I will go. My Mum always made a big thing of my maiden name being spelt without a P, I now find that the P has been in and out of birth certificates like you would not believe. She always assumed I was Scottish on my fathers side, one of my GGFGM's came from Scotland but at this moment I don't know from where.

[KiteRunner]

I don't really look at it as researching surnames but as researching people or families. A lot of the surnames on my direct lines are very common ones such as Brown, Morgan, Williams etc so that probably explains why I look at it that way!

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

I don't really look at it as researching surnames but as researching people or families.

Good point Kite!

I probably only have three or four surnames where I'm interested whatever the info is, and those are inevitably rare names where the chances of them being connected to me are very high.

I definitely don't perk up everything someone says they have a Smith on their tree despite that being one of my major surnames!