Due to a passing in the family a few years ago and my subsequent health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for years after the bereavement. Thank you for the opportunity.

Good for more common names however if you have a slightly obscure monicker you may be left feeling a little left out of this one.

A good reference book about the roots of great British family names. A helpful book to be used during the recreation and search of our family tree.

#GreatBritishFamilyNamesAndTheirHistory #NetGalley

I wouldn't say that this is a "sit down and read" it book, but this is a fantastic reference book. I have already used this in some of my own research- when you come across a random family or estate in your research, it is incredibly useful to have a guide like this handy. I do enjoy the inclusion of the current state of the peerage, as it nicely connects the history of it with the present!

Was auf den ersten Blick als trockene Ansammlung von Fakten erscheint, entpuppt sich zunehmend als unterhaltsame Lektüre über Familiennamen aus Großbritannien. Anstatt mehr als nur blanke Fakten aneinander zu reihen, kommen z.B. auch Ausschnitte aus Liedern etc. zum tragen.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book.

While it's probably not the most exciting book in history, I did think this would make a great reference book for anyone studying their British family tree. The entries are concise and there is plenty of information. I requested this as a wish because of my own British links that I know little about, but I still don't know anything. Probably this is because my family weren't really 'great'. I can guess what one side of the family did (last name, Farmer lol) although the Gillies side is even more an unknown. I would prefer to read this in book form rather than kindle, so I could skim through easier.

Recommending trying in physical form. Three stars.

Thanks to Pen & Sword History and NetGalley for allowing me to read Great British Family Names and Their History by John Moss. This is more a reference book rather than a history book. It discusses the history and origin of hundreds of British surnames. These names and the associated families came from Celtic, Danish, Saxon or Norman ancestors. Before the Norman Conquest surnames were not used in Britain, or most places. People were known only by their given names. It was only after the coming of William the Conqueror that surnames came to be used. In addition to names based on trades like Cooper, Tanner, Weaver, Tailor, Potter, Carpenter, Fletcher, and Smith, many people were named for where they lived. The book is broken down by region and includes Wales, Scotland and Ireland. For each name the author discusses its origin using original sources like the Domesday Book and the Pipe Rolls to determine how and when the name came into use. It also mentions the various derivations of the name. For example, the name Annesley, which appeared as “Aneslei" in the Domesday Book of 1086, is derived from the personal name Ann and “Leah”, the old English name for woodland clearing or grove. Hence the name meant Ann’s clearing. The landholder might then become known by this location, such as Richard of Aneslei, which became Richard Annesley or Ansley. The book also lists the original landholders and significant members of this family down through history. Since these families were those who played vital roles in British history this book will be useful to anyone studying medieval as well as British history in general.

This is a well-referenced book that I’m sure many will turn to in family research! I was surprised at how detailed the sections were. 4 stars

It wasn't exactly what I was searching for, but it was an interesting read. Folks of English ancestry will more than likely enjoy it. It's well written and researched, however not of much interest to me.

Good addition to any genealogy library. Good information in a good format Nice for anyone researching British History.

Great British Family Names and Their History is a quick reference done by region of the prominent historical family names in the United Kingdom. The entries do not go very in depth but you get a good idea of the family history, origin of the name, and the current status of the peerage. It is interesting to see which families died out, which families lost their titles, which ones married each other, and which ones are still around. The Mosley's probably has the longest entry at a couple of pages but outside of the Spencer's they probably have some of the more famous/influential members.

This was a well-researched snapshot of the history of great British family names written in a factual way. It is especially interesting to historians and genealogists.

I received this from Net Galley in return for an honest review.

This book is great for anybody who would like to research their family's history, or who is interested in where their family name originated from. I actually liked the etymological aspect; especially tracing names back to their origin and original meaning that are not place names. .

Names and Their History: Whats in a Name by John Moss was received direct from the publisher. Names, everyone has one, or two, or some have several, though did you ever think of where that name came from? Did you then do a duckduckgo search and get several conflicting answers? This author takes family names from the United Kingdom and Ireland and puts them in one convenient location, with sources, so you can place it in your book shelf (ask your family elder what a bookshelf is), and reference it as needed. Alas though my family name comes from the UK my name was not in this book.

4 Stars

This is a brilliant reference book for anyone researching their family tree and those with an interest in the origin and history of their surname. An extremely well researched account, organised by area which makes it more interesting to read. I headed straight to the North-East section, where I live and have ancestors, and was delighted to find names familiar to me and also in my family tree. Thoroughly recommend. Thank you to Net Galley and Pen and Sword publishing for an ARC.

Thank you for granting my wish for this book! My family has a strong English heritage, so I was looking for last names of relatives, and I did find a few. I also read several name descriptions for people I'm not related to because the history was so fascinating in general. I thought the writing was really accessible and interesting, not dry. Charlotte Bronte is even mentioned as an acquaintance of certain families, and I thought that was a neat tidbit.

This is an enjoyable collection of potted histories of some of the ancient families of Britain and Ireland. I was hoping for a little more linguistic analysis of the names, but in most entries this is limited to a sentence or two, mostly pointing out that the name derives from a locational word. However, this is still very interesting, and has a lot of research behind it. It would be very useful for anyone interested in the British aristocracy, or for writers of historical fiction!

As someone who is investigating their family tree this book was interesting and a valuable resource especially if one of the names in your tree is in there. It covers different families from different counties with many different stories. Well worth the read for history and genealogy fans.