On behalf of the Guild of One-Name Studies, I would like to wish a “Happy Thanksgiving”  to our 281 American members who will be celebrating Thanksgiving this Thursday.

For our worldwide membership we thought to share a little bit of history and fun about this holiday.

In 1621 the Pilgrims and Wampanoag gathered to celebrate the Plymouth colony’s first successful harvest – the first Thanksgiving. In 1863 and in the midst of the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday.

It is a day when Americans reflect on and give thanks for their blessings. In addition to the food, football and friends – it is a day for families to get together.

Since the Pilgrims left from England’s shores and many Americans trace their roots to the United Kingdom, you might want to take a look to see if you share a surname with one currently being studied (see  Guild Surname Search ). Among the Guild’s 7,834 registered surnames we found a few that call to mind the day – Feast, Fridge, Heritage, and Holiday.

Best wishes for a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

 

Corrinne Goodenough

After the successful seminar “One-Name Studies: The Next Stage” held last Saturday (8th November, 2014) you can now view some of the presentations here.

What’s the Point of a One-Name Study? by Helen Osborne

Context and Your Study: Threads of Reference by Sherry Irvine

How can Demography Help your Study. By Dr Eilidh Garrett

Useful Analyses Anyone Can Do by Kevin Hurley

What Makes a Good ONS Website by Sue Mastel

Bookings are now open for the Guild’s Medical and Healthcare Seminar on 7th February 2015.
We look forward to the opportunity of welcoming you to the prestigious and internationally important Wellcome Collection building in London for a seminar focused on many aspects of records about medical matters, medical professionals and institutions such as hospitals and asylums.