Show ancient family claims scoffed at by experts persons who like to trace their ancestry back to william the conqueror or to some other famous hero of history were ridiculed in it a recent address before the society of genealogists in london by the british genealogical expert T R thomson the majority of such claims rest sir mr thomson explained upon similarity of surnames but this Is 18 of no value at all since the general use of surnames or family names dates back only a little more than years another difficulty Is the fact established by all genealogical researches that families and family names invariably tend to become extinct in a relatively few generations the family blood may survive more or less diluted by intermarriage but this usually Is extremely to trace since the necessary exact records are lacking mere similarity of names means I 1 nothing 1 0 thing the speaker emphasized because c a use the same ame names frequently were assign assigned d over and over again again to different families merely because of accidental ownership of the same piece of land holding of the same office or minor title or work at the same occupation among persons known to have been present at the battle of hastings in 1006 A D only seventeen it was stated by another speaker at the meeting now can be Iden identified tilled twelve of these there can be cu connected with surviving families but not even one of these has had nn an unbroken ri descent in the male line ilac baltimore sun |