Family Name Origins and Intergenerational Demographic Change in Great Britain

Abstract

We develop bespoke geospatial routines to typify 88,457 surnames by their likely ancestral geographic origins within Great Britain. Linking this taxonomy to both historic and contemporary population data sets, we characterize regional populations using surnames that indicate whether their bearers are likely to be long-settled. We extend this approach in a case study application, in which we summarize intergenerational change in local populations across Great Britain over a period of 120 years. We also analyze much shorter term demographic dynamics and chart likely recent migratory flows within the country. Our research demonstrates the value of family names in characterizing long-term population change at regional and local scales. We find evidence of selective migratory flows in both time periods alongside increasing demographic diversity and distinctiveness between regions in Great Britain.

我们开发了一个定制地理空间例行程序, 对 88,457 个姓氏在英国可能的地理祖源进行特征分析。我们将这一分类法与历史和当代人口数据集相结合, 通过姓氏显示区域人口的特点, 判断姓氏对应的人口是否有可能长期定居。我们还将这种方法扩展到了一个案例研究应用中。该研究总结了 120 年间英国各地人口的代际变化, 同时分析了短期内的人口动态, 并绘制英国近期可能发生的移民流动情况图。我们的研究显示出了姓氏在区域和地方层面研究长期人口变动的意义。除此之外, 我们还发现了在这两个时期选择性移民流动的证据, 同时英国各地区之间的人口多样性和独特性也在日益加大。

Desarrollamos rutinas geoespaciales a la medida para tipificar 88.457 apellidos por sus posibles orígenes geográficos ancestrales dentro de la Gran Bretaña. Enlazando esta taxonomía con conjuntos de datos de población históricos y contemporáneos, caracterizamos las poblaciones regionales usando apellidos que indican la posibilidad de que sus portadores se hayan asentado allí durante mucho tiempo. Extendemos este enfoque en su aplicación para un estudio de caso, en el cual resumimos el cambio intergeneracional en las poblaciones locales a través de Gran Bretaña, sobre un período de 120 años. Analizamos también las dinámicas demográficas a corto plazo y trazamos posibles flujos migratorios dentro del país. Nuestra investigación demuestra el valor de los nombres familiares para caracterizar cambios de población a largo plazo a escalas regionales y locales. Encontramos evidencia de flujos migratorios selectivos tanto en períodos de tiempo al lado de creciente diversidad demográfica, como en el carácter distintivo entre las regiones de Gran Bretaña.

Key Words:

• family names
• Great Britain
• population change
• internal migration
• surnames

关键词:

• 姓
• 英国
• 人口变动
• 内部移民
• 姓氏。

Palabras clave:

• apellidos
• cambio poblacional
• Gran Bretaña
• migración interna
• nombres familiares

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Grant reference EP/M023583/1 (funder of the Urban Dynamics Lab: www.ucl.ac.uk/urban-dynamics-lab/) and UK Economic and Social Research Council Grant ES/L011840/1 (funder of the Consumer Data Research Center: www.cdrc.ac.uk/).

This research was funded by UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Grant reference EP/M023583/1 (funder of the Urban Dynamics Lab: www.ucl.ac.uk/urban-dynamics-lab/) and UK Economic and Social Research Council Grant ES/L011840/1 (funder of the Consumer Data Research Center: www.cdrc.ac.uk/).

Notes on contributors

Jens Kandt

JENS KANDT is Lecturer in Urban Geography and Data Science at The Bartlett Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis at University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK. E-mail: [email protected]. His research focuses on mobilities, health, and well-being.

Justin van Dijk

JUSTIN VAN DIJK is a Research Associate in the Department of Geography at University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK. E-mail: [email protected]. His research focuses on the development of geospatial algorithms and methods with big data applications in social and spatial inequalities, both present-day and historic.

Paul A. Longley

PAUL A. LONGLEY is Professor of Geographic Information Science in the Department of Geography at University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK. E-mail: [email protected]. He also directs the ESRC Consumer Data Research Centre.