I have written a lot previously about Aims of a One-Name Study. (If you are new here, welcome! – you can read all the posts about researching surnames HERE).
Firstly, if you are completely new to the concept of a One-Name Study, a little background. It is essentially a project whereby someone attempts to record, track and reconstruct families of the same surname, where ever they may geographically appear and across all time frames. In the United States these are frequently referred to single surname studies.
The question is Why bother? It varies why people start their own studies, perhaps they have a very unusual surname? or maybe they are search for a specific person and the only way to be sure you have your person is to record all the instances of the surname. Whatever the reason, no two studies are the same. There are a great many similarities between studies, but there will be lots of variations between all those undertaking this kind of project.
It is an ambitious project, of that there is no question, but there are different levels of that ambitiousness, depending on the size of the study, the geographical spread of the study, surname origin, when you started your study just to name a few and how you keep the material you already hold.
What are you hoping to achieve? In someways that is depending on the reasons for the study, plus the considerations already listed.
Over the course of the next 30 days we are going to cover the details of such a project. I will use some examples and perhaps set a few challenges and tasks so that you can perhaps try them out on your own family names and see if such a project appeals to you.
One thing I can be sure of, is that you will never, ever be bored again!
Try out Tip – using the surnames of your four grandparents, visit the Guild of One-Name Studies website which can be found at one-name.org and see if they are already registered. Why not leave the surnames below and tell us if they are already registered, what you know about the surname or anything else that takes your fancy!
More of this will be covered on the Pharos Introduction course to One-Name Studies.
Julie Goucher ~ Anglers Rest 
Of my 4 grandparents, there is a study for Graham and Turner. I am already studying Cleage, but don’t know if I would want to do it as a one name study. I will have to read some of your posts to see.
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I’m surprised that none of my 4 grandparent’s surnames seem to have a study. The name MANN, at least, seems like a common one. I will be following with interest here. Great topic!
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My maiden name, Champion de Crespigny, doesn’t fit into the guild’s query box 😉 It is unusual and I guess I do research all people who hold the name to try and work out how we are connected. I look forward to learning more about how to organise my research. Regards Anne
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Anne, what a wonderful name! I think broadly translates to Champion of Crespigny. I am not up on my geography of France, but at least that would suggest a Topographical surname. I have come across the name before, when I was researching something else which was Huguenot if I recall properly.
I will feed back to the webmaster about the length of the search box!
If you do a search for the name of champion you will see the references in the Guild indexes and there is at least one member who has an interest in the surname, although that is in Wiltshire.
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I am certainly not bored with my study – if only there were twice as many hours in each day
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You are not wrong Karen, if only there were!
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