Let me give you some context related to my rationale for recording my family’s surnames in a blog post… I was reading a passage from the Bible that discusses God’s attention to detail when it comes to documenting names. He probably guided Adam in the naming of the animals; he knows all the stars by name and likely has them listed somewhere. He takes particular interest in human beings. Besides the many places he records the genealogies of specific people, the Bible also reveals that God is keeping lists of particularly special men and women. For example, he has a Book of Remembrance recording the names of those who remember his name (Malachi 3:16); He’s maintaining a Book of Life listing those who obediently follow his laws, statutes, and testimonies (e.g., Philippians 4:2, Revelation 17:8); and there is a list of faith-filled saints already published in Hebrews 11. God will continue his record-keeping even in the new world He creates, documenting the nations and the individuals who are born in Jerusalem (Psalm 87:4-6). It made me realize that God is the Master Genealogist, the King of family history preservation. He has rolls and rolls of names! When I’m recording the names of my family members – ancestors and descendants – I’m engaging in a Godly activity, and that makes me feel grounded. Who in my family could be recorded in God’s books?
I hope to input the full names of all the individuals in my family who I’ve researched in my database one day, but for the purpose of this post, which is to provide a general roll call that might be of interest to those researching the same folks, I am going to list only surnames. Maybe your family hails from some of the locales mentioned and you are researching related surnames; if so, please let me know in the comments, and maybe we can determine if and how we’re related. My ancestry includes people of European and Indigenous heritage, as well as those of African descent, so readers of all backgrounds can check out this post.
My mother’s family is from, most recently, Louisiana – primarily St. Landry, Lafayette, and Acadia Parishes and, to a lesser extent, Orleans Parish. Her paternal lines include the following surnames: Taylor (haplogroup E-M2); Chretien; Barker Richard; Chevis; Gradenigo; Malveaux; Keisey; William(s); Obier; Johnson; Jean; Focret; Pierre-Auguste; Pompus, Grandberry; Kitadam; Babineaux; Tessier; Melancon; and Norman(d). Surnames from her maternal lines (maternal haplogroup L2b1a) include: Lewis; Ramar; Sam; Guilbeau; Aker; Sam; Green; and Guidry.
My father’s paternal family is most recently from Colorado and Fayette Counties in Texas. Some of them migrated from North Carolina and what is now West Virginia (Kanawha County), and many moved west to California as well as to various counties in Texas (e.g., Harris, Wharton). Their surnames include: Susberry; Shrewsbury; Halsey; Dickinson; Rem; Davis; Tatum; Davis; and Clayborne. After slavery ended, my dad’s maternal family settled in the Claiborne Parish area, probably migrating from Virginia, Alabama (Chambers and Baldwin counties), and Mississippi (Jasper County area) with or away from their former slaveowners. They fanned out to Webster Parish, Hempstead and Magnolia Counties in Arkansas, and other states during the Great Migration (i.e., Chicago; St. Paul, Minnesota; Dayton, Ohio; various cities in California). Those surnames are: Wheaton; Garrett; Presley; Robinson/Roberson; Reed; White; Biddle; Adkins.; Battle; and Taylor.
I am also looking for information related to white families known to be associated with my people. Besides the aforementioned names, Wheadon (Isle of Wight and Surry counties in Virginia); Bridgeman (Claiborne Parish, Louisiana, and Pittsylvania and Halifax counties in Virginia); Aker (Lafayette Parish, Louisiana); and Adams (Iberville Parish, Louisiana) are of interest.
Maybe your family hails from some of the locales I specified and you are researching related surnames. If this is the case, please let me know in the comments, and maybe we can determine how we’re connected. I’ve taken DNA tests through Ancestry and 23andme (you can search me by name), and you can also find me on GEDMatch (share your email address with me) to exchange kit numbers).
The Genealogy Griot 