I have developed a computer program for the genealogy community. This
program, which runs under the Windows operating system, is intended to
assist you in searching the web for information on your surnames.
I call this program "Surname Suggestion List". After you enter in your
surname, you click on the Search button, and it will create 3 lists of
similar sounding surnames. The lists are based on how good a sound match
the other surnames are to the one you entered. The lists are titled
Excellent, Close, and Longshot.
Results Lists
Excellent
Surnames in the Excellent list are considered to be very similar to your
surname, and are excellent names to search for.
Close
Surnames in the Close list are considered to be similar to your surname,
and are good names to search for.
Longshot
Surnames in the Longshot list are somewhat similar to your surname, and
are longshots.
Google Search
After the lists are built, you can click on a surname in the list, and
then click on a Search button. A new window will be opened up which
will perform a genealogy search on Google for your surname. You can
choose to do a Google Web Search, Book Search, Image Search, or Blog
Search.
Wider Search
For a wider search, check the Wider Search option, then click on the
Google Search button. A new window will be opened up which will perform
a wider genealogy search on Google for your surname.
Additional Search Terms
You have two entry fields into which you can put additional search
terms. Add additional search terms to those fields, then click on the
Google Search button to perform the search with the additional terms.
Date Range Search
You may also add a Date Range to your search. If you are interested in
searching from 1900 to 1920, you would put 1900 in the first date range
field, and 1920 in the second. Click on the Google Search button to
perform the search with the addition of a date range.
Download the Program
This program is free to download and try. If you like it, you are
encouraged to make a small donation to support its development.
You can download and install the program by clicking on the button below.
Program Information
The latest version of the program is Version 2.2.
Version 2.2 - 07/25/08 - Added additional US Surnames
Version 2.1 - 07/09/08 - Added additional UK Surnames, Added Copy Results
To Clipboard Functionality (Registered Users only)
Version 2.0 - 07/06/08 - Enhanced Surname Matching, Added additional US
Surnames, Added User Suggested Surnames, Added
Status Line
Version 1.14 - 06/04/08 - Enhanced Surname Matching, Added additional
Belgian, Norwegian, and Swedish Surnames
Version 1.13 - 05/08/08 - Enhanced Surname Matching, Added additional
German and Polish Surnames
Version 1.12 - 04/23/08 - Enhanced Surname Matching, Added additional
Lithuanian, Irish, and User Suggested Surnames
Version 1.11 - 03/09/08 - Added Image, Book, and Blog Search capability,
Added additional Polish and Armenian Surnames
Version 1.10 - 01/27/08 - Enhanced Surname Matching - Spelling Variations,
Added additional Irish Surnames
Version 1.9 - 01/19/08 - Enhanced Surname Matching
Version 1.8 - 01/17/08 - Enhanced Surname Matching
Version 1.7 - 01/13/08 - Enhanced Surname Matching
Version 1.6 - 01/05/08 - Enhanced Surname Matching, Added additional
French and Swiss Surnames
Version 1.5 - 12/22/07 - Enhanced Surname Matching, Added additional
Danish Surnames
Version 1.4 - 12/01/07 - Enhanced Surname Matching, Added additional
Scottish and Czech Surnames
Version 1.3 - 11/14/07 - Added additional US and UK Surnames
Version 1.2 - 10/27/07 - Enhanced Surname Matching, Added German Surnames,
Added User Suggested Surnames
Version 1.1 - 06/30/07 - Added Support for Firefox Browser
Version 1.0 - 06/29/07 - Initial Release
The software is designed to run on both Windows XP and Windows Vista.
Keywords
Genealogy, Surnames, Variant Spellings, One Name Study, Onomastics,
Family Names, Last Names
About the Author
Matt Combs is a professional software developer and consultant living in
Lewisville, NC. He has been married for 24 years and has 3 daughters. He is
a graduate of Frostburg State University in Frostburg, Maryland with a B.S.
degree in Computer Science and Philosophy. His genealogy interests center
around the COMBS, LYONS, GROVES, and WILSON families of Maryland, Pennsylvania,
West Virginia, and Virginia.
