Can anyone tell me how to find the origin of a last name?

Question:

Can anyone tell me how to find the origin of a last name?

It's for the last name Landa.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Hey Cal El,

There are several ways. You can use a web site that tells you the origin. You can look up people with the same last name on LDS Family Search, and see where the oldest dates are, that generally indicates an origin. You can do your surname DNA project. You can do your family Tree.

With LANDA, the Family Search is all over the place with 301 entries. Check it out, see the first site.

The Swyrich.com site says: Origin: Jewish

You can look at the Genealogy sites, and do your family tree. Start with all the birth, death, marriage certificates you have from living members of your family. Interview the elders. Chart the Tree with software (easy) or Drawn charts, (difficult). Then start looking to connect family branches that may exist already. The discovery of each ancestor should be an enriching experience.