What’s in a brick wall? Most likely a surname in a particular time and place, which you can’t trace farther back. In this talk, we will learn some techniques and resources to find clues to a surname’s history. Two areas of focus will be the Guild of One-Name Studies, which can be particularly helpful with surnames of English origin, and Y-DNA testing, with its wide range of capabilities.

Stephen Hartwell is a professional genealogist specializing in New England and New York research, genetic genealogy, and family history websites. He is a graduate of the Boston University Genealogical Research Certificate Program, a Board member of the Essex Society of Genealogists and a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists. His website can be found at https://shartwell.com.