When tracing your ancestory, are only last names used to link you to one particu

Question:

When tracing your ancestory, are only last names used to link you to one particular country??

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: No... in many countries last names have only been used for a couple hundred years. For example, in the Netherlands last names weren't widely used until 1811. Napolean had just conquered the Netherlands and ordered that a Civil Registry be set up. It was at this time that people took last names. There were last names before that but they were usually used by the rich, nobility, or by immigrants from countries were surnames were already being used. Prior to that, Patronymic names were used. For example, your name is Jan, son of Hendrik. You would then be known as Jan Hendriks. Say you get married and have a child named for your father. He would be known as Hendrik Jans. So, as you can see, each generation has a different "last name" so to speak.

Many Scottish, English, Welsh, Spanish, Slavic, Manx and Scandinavian surnames also originate from patronymics.

Patronymics can simplify or complicate genealogical research. A father's first name is easily determinable when his children bear a patronymic.

With that said, last names can give a clue to a particular country, but not always. Look at the last name Smith. Smith has Scottish, Dutch, English, German and Irish origins. The only way one would know for sure which country of origin their ancestors were from would be to research their individual lineage, person by person, generation by generation.

I hope this helps.