OriginsInfo

Other organisations are more expert than OriginsInfo in the etymology (or meaning) of names and in establishing from historic records the first appearance of different names. Likewise OriginsInfo does not specialise in the study of how names have evolved over the centuries. OriginsInfo does not trace ancestral lineage.

Our interests are more in the statistical and geographic patterns which can be gleaned when one examines a comprehensive register of names, such as an electoral register or telephone file (for personal names and family names) or the Postal Address File (for house names and street names).

In particular we are interested in the parts of the world and the parts of Great Britain in which different names and naming practices have originated; in how the current geography of names can reveal patterns of migration both within and between countries; and in the changing fashions for the naming of children, houses and streets.

The names that we study originate from many different countries, cultures, languages and religions. We also have access to names data for many different countries.

This research is funded from sales to government and commercial organisations of licences of the OriginsInfo software application. This allows organisations to code customers, clients or citizens according to the origins of their forebears. Sales of this capability are handled by Experian International, the international information services company, and its global partners. It is Experian and its partners who have provided OriginsInfo with access to the data files without which this study could not have been undertaken.

Access to the OriginsInfo research for genealogical research is free to all.

Experian is the leading global information services company, providing data and analytical tools to clients in more than 65 countries. The company helps businesses to manage credit risk, prevent fraud, target marketing offers and automate decision making. Experian also helps individuals to check their credit report and credit score, and protect against identity theft.

Experian plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index. Total revenue for the year ended 31 March 2009 was $3.9 billion. Experian employs approximately 15,000 people in 40 countries and has its corporate headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, with operational headquarters in Nottingham, UK; Costa Mesa, California; and São Paulo, Brazil.

For more information, visit http://www.experianplc.com