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The fourteenth-century poll tax returns and the study of English surname distribution
Parkin, Harry
Parkin, Harry
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2015-01-22
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Abstract
The modern-day distributions of English surnames have been considered in genealogical, historical, and philological research as possible indicators of their origins. However, many centuries have passed since hereditary surnames were first used, and so their distribution today does not necessarily reflect their original spread, misrepresenting their origins. Previously, medieval data with national coverage have not been available for a study of surname distribution but, with the recent publication of the fourteenth century poll tax returns, this has changed. By presenting discrepancies in medieval and 19th-century distributions, it is shown that more recent surname data may not be a suitable guide to surname origins, and can be usefully supplemented by medieval data in order to arrive at more accurate conclusions.
Citation
Parkin, H. (2015). The fourteenth-century poll tax returns and the study of English surname distribution. Historical Methods: A Journal of Quantitative and Interdisciplinary History, 48(1), 1–12.
Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Journal
Historical Methods: A Journal of Quantitative and Interdisciplinary History
Research Unit
DOI
10.1080/01615440.2014.946985
PubMed ID
PubMed Central ID
Type
Article
Language
en
Description
This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Historical Methods: A Journal of Quantitative and Interdisciplinary History on 22nd January 2015, available online: https://doi.org/10.1080/01615440.2014.946985
Series/Report no.
ISSN
0161-5440
EISSN
1940-1906