The Oxford Names Companion Hardcover – 14 Nov. 2002

Ignore the etymological fallacy. This detailed study of first names, surnames, and place names is endlessly fascinating. You can lose yourself in it for hours, especially if you're looking for character names for fiction.

Does anyone know if the surnames in this particular (British) dictionary are identical with the surnames included in the "American Surnames"by Elsdon Coles Smith ? Are both American and British surnames the same? Do they share many of them but each country has developed some of its own over the years? and if so, what could be the estimated percentage of their differences in surnames? 5-15 %, much more? One must have purchased both to answer that..

A very useful compendium of first names, surnames and place names of the UK (and a few from wider afield). The etymology of the names is faultless. Quicker to consult and more dependable than the internet.

been looking for a copy for a while, so i new exactly what I was getting

I use it for historic research

The book was beautifully packed and arrived quickly. The dustcover and book are in lovely condition. We are very pleased with our purchase. Thank you very much. Dilys Benson

Very pleased with this purchase was brand new condition and the price was excellent a really gem of a buy.

Quite a lot actually! If you wonder about given names and place names... if you want clues about ancestry... this is an excellent resource to have on your library shelf. I constantly refer to it for insight into word origins and meanings. A great book.