Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland

The introduction presents a fascinating discussion of the history and linguistic origins of surnames found in Newfoundland, which come from many different cultures, notably English, Welsh, Irish, Scottish, French, Syrian, Lebanese, and Micmac.The main body of the book comprises a dictionary of surnames in the province based on data collected from provincial voting lists, family records, government documents, and newspaper reports dating back to the seventeenth century. Each entry includes variant spellings and cross-references of the surname, the countries in which the name originated, and its meaning. Newfoundland place names associated with the surname are also given. The bookalso includes a ranking of the most common surnames in Newfoundland and a comparative analysis of the frequency of surnames in Scotland, Ireland, England, and Newfoundland.