Where is your name in the world?

[karohemd]

There's a new website where you can enter your surname and it'll show you the parts of the world where it's the most common.
Note: There's not much point trying it now as it was just on BBC News 24 and the database currently can't cope and keeps timing out. I managed to do my name after a few attempts (most common in Switzerland, interestingly enough and it's most common in the German city of Ansbach, which is about 100 miles from my hometown) but I haven't been able to do my mum's and grans' maiden names or other names in the family.

It doesn't cover the whole world but most of the English speaking areas, most of Western Europe, India and Argentina.

BBC article

This also makes me want to start a geneaology project at one point because I don't really know anything where my family came from beyond my great grandparents...

Comments

[fearmeforiampink]

Apparently my name's FPM is .11

Which, when compared with the population of the country, is a little under, though I'm not sure if my eldest half-brother's wife or his son are yet counted.

I have the advantage of knowing where my surname came from. My grandfather made it up to cover up the fact he'd run off with another officers wife.

[pengshui-master.livejournal.com]

I just get server error.

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

My surname's one of those classic names derived from people's jobs (in my case, baker) which is also a reason where there are so many of them. There are at least 20 in my hometown's phonebook and it's not just common in German speaking parts but other areas, too. I know even two others in the UK pesonally.
LOL, your grandfather rocks. ;o)

[fearmeforiampink]

Whereas I'm fairly certain I know everyone who shares my surname: Me, my brother, my three half brothers, their two wives, one son of such, and my aunt.

[eryx-uk.livejournal.com]

My surname is (unsurpisingly) most common in England, Northern Ireland and Australia.

[jupiter-jones.livejournal.com]

Website doesn't work for me at the moment :-(

I was thinking about a genealogy project the whole time I was learning for my final exams but I didn't continue afterwards because I don't have time & money to drive to all the villages to read the church's registers and stuff.