How to Use This Worksheet
Migration records can help explain where a surname appears, how it was spelled, and how a family or individual moved between places. A migration record does not automatically prove a surname's ancient origin, but it can provide useful evidence for a specific time and place.
Use public sample records, teacher-provided examples, or records that are safe to share. Do not include private information about living people.
Record Setup
Step 1: Record Details
| Question | Record Evidence | What I Still Need to Check |
|---|---|---|
| What date or year does the record show? | ||
| What place is listed as origin, residence, birth, or destination? | ||
| What language, country, region, or authority created the record? | ||
| Is the surname handwritten, typed, indexed, translated, or transcribed? | ||
| Who supplied the information, if known? |
Step 2: Place Trail
Record places in the order they appear. Be precise: a town, county, province, country, port, or region can each mean something different.
Migration Path Notes
| Place | Connected Date | Role in Record | Evidence Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birth / residence / departure / arrival / destination / other | |||
| Birth / residence / departure / arrival / destination / other | |||
| Birth / residence / departure / arrival / destination / other | |||
| Birth / residence / departure / arrival / destination / other |
Step 3: Surname Spelling in the Record
Spelling may change because of language, alphabet, handwriting, clerks, indexing, sound-based spelling, or later transcription. Do not assume every change happened at a border or port.
| Spelling Seen | Where It Appears | Possible Explanation | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original spelling / clerk spelling / translation / indexing error / unknown | |||
| Original spelling / clerk spelling / translation / indexing error / unknown | |||
| Original spelling / clerk spelling / translation / indexing error / unknown | |||
| Original spelling / clerk spelling / translation / indexing error / unknown |
Step 4: Connect Record Evidence to Surname Origin
Origin Connection Test
| Claim to Test | Record Evidence That Supports It | Record Evidence That Does Not Prove It |
|---|---|---|
| The surname is linked to a language or region. | ||
| The spelling changed over time. | ||
| The family or person moved between places. | ||
| The surname has one specific meaning. |
Step 5: Record Limits
Every record has limits. Mark what you should be careful about.
| Limit | Check | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| The record may describe one person, not everyone with the surname. | ||
| The place listed may be residence, not birthplace or surname origin. | ||
| The spelling may come from a clerk, indexer, or later transcription. | ||
| The record may use modern borders for older places. | ||
| A missing record does not prove that an event did not happen. |