Genealogy Name Search Challenge

I recently had an email from a genealogist in the USA who is investigating an alleged association between a SHREWSBURY and her FRISTROM ancestor during his brief visit to Australia. She was stunned when a rather optimistic Google search for 'FRISTROM +SHREWSBURY' (together on the same page) led her to a 'name + alias' entry on my Web site.

This started me thinking about uncommon surnames. Just for fun, using Twitter, I offered a prize to the first genealogist to search my Web site and find an unusual name from their family tree. Within minutes, Kerry Farmer (a researcher, instructor and blogger who makes a huge contribution to family history in Australia) announced that she had found entries for her FAZACKERLEY and ETHERINGTON.

The Twitter experiment was so much fun that I decided to take it one step further. To set the scene, I should explain that my Web site lists over fifty thousand names from my indexes to archival records (and a few certificates, photographs and headstones). Although most of the sources are in Australia, many of those 50,000 people were born and/or lived in other countries. I am therefore issuing this challenge to genealogists worldwide:

1. Think of an unusual name (surname or given name) in your family tree. If none of your names are unusual, choose someone who is a 'brick wall' in your research.
2. Search for the name as explained on my Site Search page.
3. If you find the name on my Web site, write a comment on this blog, mentioning the name that you found and the index in which it appears.
4. You also have the option of ordering (via me) a copy of the original source. Just follow the instructions on the Web page where you find the name.

At the end of each month, in a random draw, I will select one person who has left a comment here and placed an order with me. That person will receive $10 credit towards the cost of any photocopy, book or genealogical research that he/she orders from me.

This offer will remain open until further notice, and you can participate every month if you wish. Happy searching!