The Guild of One-Name Studies

Studying family history provides an opportunity for the individual to appreciate his or her personal involvement in the historical process. This is often a powerful incentive to becoming involved in a great deal of detailed study. Inevitably everyone has to allocate some priorities, often by restricting the research to a particular avenue.

Some try to trace all their direct ancestors, whilst others concentrate on a limited number of family lines. Several of us made a decision to find out as much as we could about the bearers of a particular surname including its proven variants. A few of those who were in this latter group helped to organise a Conference in Leicester in 1978, which led to the formation of the Guild of One-Name Studies a year later.

Since then the Guild has attracted a substantial membership and those who join not only enjoy the support and fellowship of their colleagues, but also come forward with their own unique contributions to the methodology of one-name research. Everyone seems able to bring fresh ideas and suggestions which are of real benefit to the rest of us.

Derek Palgrave
President of the Guild of One-Name Studies
September 2007